The burger at Bistro Massilia arrives halved and laid on a bed of béarnaise. The swordfish cotoletta is finished with bouillabaisse, poached mussels, and chervil butter. The pasta dish, which owner David Pille grew up eating in his father’s home village, appears on the menu as coquillettes jambon — small elbow pasta with ham, mushrooms, paprika, sage, and Comté.
All three are on the menu at a new Euro-leaning neighbourhood bistro opening in Inglewood on Friday.
From Besk and Clancy’s to his own Inglewood bistro
Pille lives locally and has been watching this particular corner of Beaufort Street for a while. Most recently, he was General Manager at Besk, and before that, he spent five years with Clancy’s Fish Pubs. When 965 came up, the brief he set himself was a proper bistro. Locally owned, designed to be visited repeatedly by people who live within walking distance, and built for the test of time.
The building has some history. It was the original Cecchi’s before the family relocated the restaurant up the road. It most recently ran as House on Beau from October 2025, closing earlier this year.
“What I love about Marseille is that it has a real multicultural nature to it as a port city, bringing migrants from the Middle East, North Africa and Asia,” says Pille. “It’s known as the city of 100 neighbourhoods, and I feel this is reflective of what Inglewood is.”
The food: French technique, Mediterranean flavours, WA produce
Head chef Matt Mills is running the kitchen in his first head chef role. He moved to Perth after working in the UK at Michelin-starred venues including Pensons and Foxhill Manor, followed by stints at Rose and Crown and Hillary’s Beach Club.
The menu leans European with Mediterranean edges, built around seasonal Western Australian produce. Mills’ signature dish is the swordfish cotoletta with bouillabaisse, poached mussels, and chervil butter. “It speaks to that Marseille way of cooking, where different influences come together on the plate,” he says.
The burger is what they expect people will keep coming back for. It arrives halved on a bed of béarnaise, which he says is a presentation Perth hasn’t seen before and encourages sharing. Then there’s the coquillettes jambon, a nostalgic French comfort dish. “Think of it as a French take on mac and cheese,” says Pille. “The kind of dish your parents would throw together after school.”
European influence continues through the drinks list
Sommelier Trent Everitt has put together the wine list, drawing from Western Australia alongside old-world European classics. It’s written to be approachable, with plenty available by the glass and a handful of benchmark producers for those special occasions where you want to celebrate.
Cocktails come from Shirley Yeung and lean into European aperitif culture. Signatures include the Massilia Spritz (orange liqueur, quince vermouth, and prosecco), the Fleur de Massilia (vodka, elderflower, and passionfruit honey), and the Pastis Jardin — a herbaceous mix of gin, fennel, pastis, and mint.
Beers on tap come from FOUND. Subiaco and Margaret River Beer Co, with a bottled selection from Rocky Ridge, Shelter, and Eagle Bay.
The details
Bistro Massilia opens at 965 Beaufort Street, Inglewood, on Friday, April 24th.
