Perth is HUGE. Not to mention Australia is ginormous.
Did you know the size of Australia is about 80% the size of Europe?
Not only it’s a country, it’s also a continent.
We spent about 3-4 days covering just Perth City, downtown CBD, trawling for the best food in Perth. It’s super convenient to travel around and we don’t really need a car. Free public buses are bringing you around to the main tourist attractions in their CBD area.
Despite being the nearest Western country to Singapore, this was the first time we visited Australia. I always had the impression that Aussies are very cool (quiet) people. I didn’t expect them to be so warm, friendly, and casual. I received a lot of “good morning” and “hi” from a couple of random people on the streets.
During our stay, we had a lot of Aussie food (coffee, croissants, fries, fried fish) as well as a lot of fusion. Their fusion is mainly Asian fusion and is done very well.
I think I’ll be going back pretty often.
Read on for the best eats in Perth.
1. Miss Mi
This restaurant is located right inside Novotel Hotel Murray Street. They offer mainly Southeast Asian(SEA) flavours with Pork Curry, Spicy Sour Fried Fish, Broccolini in Soy, and of course steamed rice.
Something interesting on the menu was grilled kangaroo meat skewers. They tasted like beef and looked like SEA satay.
2. Cos Baby Freo
This was the first breakfast place we visited which is at Fremantle. Despite being packed, they tried their best to accommodate us.
While they have great-tasting coffee, I prefer Nanyang Style from SEA. We ordered their breakfast set and pancakes to share. Their portions were huge.
But what I really like about their dining scene is that there are no minimum sets you need to order. And being petite Asians, we don’t really eat a lot. In South Korea, and even in Taiwan, you need to order a minimum of 1 set per adult.
3. Kallis Fish Market Cafe
Perth is known for its fresh seafood. It’s very easy to get “lost” amongst the many seafood restaurants while choosing the best ones. Kallis is a fuss-free, fast-food-style eatery. It’s very casual dining where you order at the counter, pay up, and wait to collect the food yourself.
There are 2 methods of cooking for you to choose from. You either have your seafood all battered and deep fried or have them grilled. They also offer kids’ meals and other seafood side dishes. It’s super busy during mealtime. People are everywhere looking for a table or food, while there are outdoor sitting, most people prefer indoors as there are a lot of seagulls hoping to get a piece of your fish. You can get pretty overwhelmed by the hoards of people moving in and out.
4. La Veen Coffee
This is another great coffee place with the locals. When we were there, this place was filled with office crowds. Besides coffee, they serve up a range of sandwiches. From the classic ham and cheese croissants, you can order a brownie if you want something sweet.
5. Ribs and Burger
Ribs and burgers, just like the name. Coming from a butcher background, they serve great ribs and burger patties. we ordered the ribs and it was delicious with deep flavours and very tender meat that dropped off the bones.
Classic menu with classic sides that of course have very classic flavours. You can end your meal with a milkshake.
6. Hunter and Barrel
The name of this restaurant is very masculine. But not really so for their interior. They have very posh and beautiful decor filled with white and gold accents plus a lot of glass panels around.
But what really stands out is their outstanding services. The moment after we were seated, the service staff offered us an activity pack for our kids. It occupied them for a while doing colouring, and peeling off the cutouts.
7. Smooth Operator Coffee
The first thing that comes to me is the 80s song by Sade. (YouTube it if you’re not sure) But at the same time, I would use smooth to describe their coffee too. They are very serious about coffee cuz they only offer coffee and 2-3 pastries at their counter. With only 2 tables, their customers are mainly doing takeaways.
8. Forklore
We visited Forklore when we were at Scitech (Perth Science Centre). This eatery is within the same premise but at the other end of the building.
They serve Fusion cuisine and I particularly like their Kimchi Udon with Roasted Pork. Needless to say, their portion was really huge.
9. Yahava Koffeeworks
This is not only a cafe. Yahava Koffeeworks consists of a retail shop and a coffee roaster as well. On top of the usual coffee beans and coffee equipment like the French press, it also produces coffee and chai syrups.
It has a huge outdoor seating area. Parents can enjoy their coffee under the warm sun while children can just run around the grass patch.
Ending Thoughts
Perth is filled with great eats. This will defintely not be our only time visiting. If you have any other great eats, do recommend to us in the comments below.