By Dani-elle Reiljan.
Travel is back in 2023, but not everyone is ready to jump on the post-COVID flight scene just yet and West Australians are no different.
It can take a special experience to get us out and about these days, so it makes sense to team dinner out with an experience to remember what the beautiful region of Perth has to offer.
Here are some suggestions to make your next WA visit special, or if you are local, have you checked these venues out yet?
Looking for some new and exciting restaurants and entertainment to show off to your friends visiting from interstate? Follow the locals and head down to the vibrant Elizabeth Quay, where the city meets the Swan River in an exciting modern way. A buzzing hub for art exhibitions, city cruises and historical landmarks, the Quay is also home to a multilevel taste bonanza, The Reveley.
You’ll be spoilt for choice with three levels, a bistro, dining room and a rooftop all offering unique flavours while you watch the sun kiss the river goodnight. The hardest decision you’ll have to make is to give in to your taste buds for a classic chicken schnitzel in the bistro, or head on up one level to the dining room for the Southern bluefin tuna tartare.
Just a hop, skip and a jump away is Perth’s iconic Botanical Gardens in Kings Park. You can stroll your worries away in the 17-hectare, living research centre that focuses on the conservation of Western Australia’s flora. To warm you up for a Winter morning stroll, stop into the Botanical Café for macchiato and a muffin.
If you’re more inclined to devour the cityscape after a walk in the gardens, pop into Fraser’s Restaurant and continue taking in the view through floor-to-ceiling windows. Lunch may start with char-grilled octopus, green Romesco, pistachio and red mesclun; before larger plates such as slow-cooked lamb shoulder, beetroot hummus, pine nuts, river mint and peas.
If you’ve been thinking about some seriously good comedy, check it out in the flesh at the Comedy Lounge in Perth’s CBD - you’ll want to prep that belly for a good laugh.
Pair your experience with an entertaining meal at Miss Mi, just one minute's walk from the comedy venue. Chef De Leon’s quest to meld West Australian ingredients and Asian dishes will be the star of the show - you can start the night off with street snacks such as kangaroo skewers, followed by WA grilled prawns, tamarind curry, lemongrass crumb.
Whether you’re a Scarborough Beach local or you’ve gone for a daily dip in the ocean and walked the Esplanade, Uncle Gino’s Pizza doesn’t disappoint in value. Just one block back from the beach, eat alfresco after a day in the sun, taking your pizza to the iconic Scarborough hill to watch the day sizzle away and soak in the sea breeze.
Your tastebuds won’t miss out either with their famous Uncle Gino’s special, layered with tomato, cheese, ham, capsicum, olives, pepperoni, mushrooms and prawns; if that’s not enough, there’s a full range of tasty pasta, meat and seafood dishes to choose from.
Take a ferry to Rottnest Island, ride a bicycle around for the day, explore gorgeous lookouts and cuddle up to quokkas. If the island life isn’t for you, get creative and kick about the Fremantle Markets, think hundreds of years of vibrant culture and heritage and you’re there.
Both experiences require a lot of walking, so energise yourself with brunch at Two Dogs Laughing. Only a five-minute drive to the markets or the ferry, you can be sure to have your positivity in check with their concept of supporting local growers and those passionate about ethical and sustainable produce and practice.
Devour poached eggs, smoked yoghurt, Aleppo burnt butter, fresh herbs, native dukkah, pomegranate and za’atar flatbread; or for something sweeter, try American pancakes, vanilla and lemon curd, lemon myrtle meringue, French pastry crumb, whipped cream, fruit and river mint.
