Winter has well and truly arrived, and this time of year is a great excuse to put the salad away for a few months and indulge in some comfort foods.
Perth City has plenty to offer when it comes to satisfying winter foodie urges at any time of day.
Be it a piping hot breakfast, motivational mid-morning snack or something deep-fried to defrost your fingers at the end of a cold night out, you’re not going to be left wanting.
Read on for a selection of great winter food destinations the City of Perth has to offer.
CITY FARM CAFÉ
Any winter’s day has to start with a decent breakfast, and this time around I’m pointing you at City Farm Café in East Perth.
Located within the grounds of Perth’s only urban farm, the café is family-run and serves breakfast and lunch all year round.
You’ll find some of the best scrambled eggs in town here, and they’re even better mixed with aged cheddar and chives.
Coffee is from Northbridge Coffee Roasters, and other winter-warmers on the breakfast menu include a great Croque Monsieur and decadent French toast.
Stay for lunch and enjoy a bowl of home-made soup, pie or sausage roll.
EILLO
We all love a good toastie during the winter months, and I’ve rounded up the City’s best before, but there’s a new player in town – Eillo in Northbridge.
As well as being a comfortable and cosy café, Eillo also stocks a range of homewares and gifts.
The Eillo toastie menu has been kept small to start with, and their offerings are a little different – the “Porkstar” has pulled pork, mashed potato and BBQ sauce.
New sandwiches will be added soon and there’s a good selection of sweet treats to choose from, including everybody’s favourite slices from Mumma’s Sweet Lies…
Coffee is from Micrology, and is very good indeed – it’s a great reason to crank up the laptop and stay there as long as you can.
218a William Street, Northbridge
LIVINGSTONE’S URBAN JUNGLE
Livingstone’s Urban Jungle is a small cafe – kiosk, perhaps? – located in the Perth Cultural Centre, right opposite the Art Gallery.
But don’t let the size fool you – Livingstone’s is home to some of the best comfort food in town.
The Crema coffee is excellent – a large long mac comes with an eye-popping four shots – and the bagels are as good as you’ll find anywhere.
Toasties are filled with decadent ingredients such as Italian meatballs and mac & cheese.
Soup is house-made fresh every day, so there’s plenty of variety to keep you enthused on the chilliest of mornings.
Alas there’s nowhere to “eat in” as such, so take a coat and / or blanket, or be prepared to scurry back to the office with your goodies.
Perth Cultural Centre, opposite the Art Gallery of Western Australia
Mon-Fri 6:30am-4pm, Sat 9am-4pm, Sun 10am-4pm
CHIMEK CHICKEN & BEER
Perth’s crazy obsession with Korean fried chicken is starting to calm down now, and we’ve been left with some great options in the City and beyond.
Northbridge’s Chimek Chicken & Beer is one of the best.
First appearing at the Fremantle Markets, Chimek’s Northbridge restaurant has an expanded burger menu just in case you’re in the mood for beef, pork or soft-shell crab.
My order? Always boneless fried chicken with spicy Dak Gang Jeong sauce.
Chimek is open until late on the important nights of the week, and is a great place to call into with your friends and refuel during a night out.
77a James Street, Northbridge
Tue-Thu & Sun 11am-3pm & 5pm-12am, Fri-Sat 11am-3pm & 5pm-3am, Mon closed
VARSITY BURGERS
Perth burger-lovers will no doubt be familiar with Varsity, and there was much excitement when their Nedlands bar was joined by the Northbridge kiosk.
Thankfully, they’ve been kind enough to install walls, doors and heaters so you can now hide from the elements while enjoying your burger during the winter months.
The Northbridge menu doesn’t include Varsity’s range of hot dogs or shakes (hint hint) but all their great burgers are there, including fried chicken options and the Notorious P.I.G. for pulled pork lovers.
My recommendation is the Texan double cheeseburger with bacon, tobacco onions & BBQ sauce… and chilli cheese fries, of course.
70 Aberdeen Street, Northbridge
Sun-Thu 11:30am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am-11pm
TEASSENTIAL
Let’s bring some decorum to proceedings, and take a trip to Teassential in the State Buildings for a hot, refreshing cup of tea
eassential is a tea-lovers paradise, offering teas and herbs sourced from around the world as well as their own signature infusions.
As with coffee, there’s much more to brewing tea than simply boiling the kettle, and Teassential stock a wide range of tea-making paraphernalia to keep you entertained at home.
It’s not all about the retail and brewed tea is available instore – quite literally on tap.
They will make it however you like it, although maybe use your imagination, or ask for a recommendation, and you’re bound to find something new.
State Buildings
Cnr St Georges Tce & Barrack St, Perth
Mon-Fri 8am-4pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm
GORDON STREET GARAGE
Gordon Street Garage is a West Perth institution, known for serving great food at any time of day.
Breakfast tends to be more on the healthy side, but come lunch time the wood-fired pizzas, house-made pasta, seafood and roasted meat dishes come to the fore, making Gordon Street Garage a perfect winter destination for lunch, dinner or anywhere in-between (or even afterwards).
Gordon Street Garage is also home to Mano a Mano coffee roasters, so you’re guaranteed a great cup whenever you go.
If you fancy something a little stronger, there’s an extensive wine list, a range of craft beers and ciders and seasonally-inspired cocktails.
16 Gordon Street, West Perth
Mon-Fri 7am-late, Sat 8am-late, Sun 8am-late
TIISCH
New to Perth and already making its mark is Tiisch, a café on the corner of Hay & Milligan Streets.
Beautiful fitout aside, you’re going to get fantastic coffee, on-tap kombucha or cold-pressed juice served with a smile, and the menu offers plenty to light the fires during winter.
Baked goods and sweet treats are available all day, including a rather special ham & cheese croissant…
This Pumpkin & coconut soup with crispy sage, orange, pine-nuts, toasted cumin and crusty bread has winter-warmer written all over it.
If you’re after something more substantial, try the house-made orecchiette pasta with mushrooms or the seared barramundi with crab & saffron risotto, fennel, radicchio and salsa verde.
Cnr Hay & Milligan Streets, Perth
BROTZEIT
If you’re still hungry after visiting everywhere else on this list, there’s one place guaranteed to fill any gaps: Brotzeit in the 140 precinct.
Its German menu is big, bold and hearty – whatever you order, it’s going to be a substantial meal.
ou want warm? How about a bowl of ghoulash, or this gigantic plate of spätzle (the German answer to pasta) covered with melted cheese and crispy onion rings.
If you’re craving meat, you can get a Weiner schnitzel as big as your head and a platter of ribs and sausages that will slow you and your mates down for an hour or two.
Lunchtime specials are available for those days when you’re in a hurry, and have no time for a bier.
Shop 6, 140 William Street, Perth
Mon-Thu 11am-10p, Fri-Sat 11am-11pm, Sun 11am-10pm
This post first appeared at VisitPerthCity.com
