What’s for lunch? If you’re anything like us, this question is usually asked by about 9:30 am each day. This is usually followed by some form of debate and back and forth until we ultimately decide to visit one of our regular spots. So, what is for lunch?
Here’s a guide to some of the best lunch spots in the Perth CBD.
Lalla Rookh
How can you go past Italian for lunch, especially when it’s coming from one of Perth’s best Italian restaurants?
This is one of those lesser spoken about lunch spots as people often forget it’s there. Located at the foot of Allendale Square, there are a few ways you can gain entry into this bar and restaurant — through the Underground Allendale Square food court, walking down the stairs at the front of the building by Mary Street Bakery, or our preferred way, by going through Lalla Rookh Wine Store on Sherwood Court. The Wine Store has one of the best ranges of wine in Perth and is a great place to consider for a casual after-work wine.
Lalla Rookh is the perfect place for one of those indulgent extra-long lunches, whether with the work family or with clients. Chef Calum MacKechnie keeps things fresh with an ever-evolving menu ensuring there’s always going to be something new to try.
This is one of those restaurants where we could literally order any item from the menu and know we’re going to be satisfied. Sometimes, we’ll even just ask them to surprise us, resulting in food just magically appearing for us to devour. Having said that, a couple of our favourites are the Fusilli with porchetta and nduja ragu and the classic Spaghetti with Shark Bay crab.
At this time of year, it’s also truffle season so take advantage and add a little truffle to any of the dishes on the menu. Truffles make everything better, much like chorizo and wine. The wine list here is also quite expansive with a good selection of Italian and French wines that pair well with your chosen lunch dish.
Where: 77 St Georges Terrace
When: Monday to Friday
HQ Bar + Kitchen
HQ Bar + Kitchen will take your Friday lunch experience to new heights. Located on the tenth floor of Quay Hotel, not only will you enjoy expansive views of Elizabeth Quay, you’ll get to experience a menu of shared platters and tapas-style bites that encapsulate a modern approach to traditional Asian cuisine.
The share-style menu will make for some challenging group decisions; however, we recommend you start with the red curry chicken skewers and prawn har gow dumplings. For the next course, try the Taiwanese braised pork pot and the miso-glazed pumpkin.
Where: Level 10, Quay Perth, 18 The Esplanade 6000 Perth
When: Friday
Modu Bar & Kitchen
Modu is another one you’ll want to save for your next long lunch, or that late Friday lunch that turns into after-work cocktails.
We recently wrote an in-depth piece about Modu Bar & Kitchen that will tell you everything you need to know about why Modu is one to add to your lunch list. Whether you choose the Feed Me Please menu or from the menu yourself, you’re going to be in for a treat. Make sure you try some of the Charsiu Berkshire pork with honey and vegemite glaze.
Where: 10 Sherwood Court
When: Tuesday to Friday
Noodle Forum
Some days you want to have a long lunch; others, you have a full calendar and want something quick. But quick doesn’t have to mean you’re sacrificing flavour. Noodle Forum is a place you’ll want to try this week.
As the name suggests, they do noodles — hand-made egg noodles — served in a variety of ways, like with crispy chicken fillets, fresh chilli and spicy mayo or with a spicy Malaysian chicken and potato curry.
Where: Equus Retail Arcade, 580 Hay Street and 9 Shafto Lane
When: Monday to Saturday
Le Vietnam
This one is possibly the most famous one on the list. Le Vietnam is known for serving up the best Banh Mi in Perth. Yep, seriously.
No menu recommendations are needed on this one. Every time you go there, be adventurous and try something different. If you go this August, Le Vietnam is participating in the Plateful Perth Food Festival and has a lunchtime offer of a snack, a bahn mi, and an in-house iced tea for $16.00.
Where: 80 Barrack Street
When: Monday to Friday
Simple Italian
There are a few Italian restaurants in the CBD but none quite like Simple Italian. From the moment you walk in, you know you’re in for something special. It starts with a friendly greeting from one of the staff — all have thick Italian accents which adds to the overall experience — before you’re shown to your table.
The menu is simple which makes it easy to choose what you’re having. It’s one of the few places in the city where you can get a perfect, traditional lasagne that tastes like cheesy goodness. They also serve some of the best pizzas in Perth. If you love chilli, try their challenge pizza, the Picantissima. If you’re able to finish it by yourself, you’ll get your photo on the wall of fame.
Where: 413 Murray Street
When: Monday to Sunday
Roti King
Usually, when people talk about Mauritius, you immediately think of an island vacation, beautiful beaches with bright white sand and crystal clear water. The cuisine is equally as special. Roti King is a little lunch spot on King Street (the official address is actually St Georges Tce) that serves up the best Mauritian food in Perth.
Go there for a quick dine-in lunch or get it take-away and sit in Central Park, a two-minute walk away, and enjoy the sun for a short while before heading back to the office.
Where: 172 St Georges Tce
When: Monday to Sunday
Zensaki Allendale
It’s always a long conversation when it comes to choosing which Japanese place to go to, especially when sushi is what’s wanted for lunch. In the CBD, there are so many options that you may just be tempted to go for the one that’s closest to you.
One of our favourites is Zensaki in Allendale Square. Our pick on the menu is the spicy tuna sushi; however, if you want some, you’ll need to get in early as it always sells out very quickly. They do more than just sushi, though, with a fairly extensive menu of traditional Japanese dishes from ramen and udon to teriyaki chicken fried rice.
Where: 77 St Georges Tce
When: Monday to Sunday
Market Grounds
This is one we, like many other city workers, often forget about. It’s a mere five-minute walk from Central Park, and the walk is well worth it given the quality of the food they’re serving.
A few of our menu favourites are the cuttlefish skewers, char-grilled octopus, and char-grilled boneless chicken.
Save this one for a sunny day — which let’s face it, is almost every day in Perth — so you can enjoy lunch while sitting outside in the beer garden.
Where: 10 Telethon Ave
When: Monday to Sunday
W. Churchill
This Winston Churchill-era-inspired bar is known for its extensive gin selection — the largest in Perth with some 200 different gins in its back bar. It’s also known for its food menu which focuses on quality. W. Churchill has regularly featured in our lists of ‘Best Steak Sandwiches in Perth’ and ‘Best Chicken Parmas in Perth.’
We know this one quite well as it’s one we frequent regularly, to the point where we rarely need to order — they just know what we want. There are a lot of solid choices to order on the menu outside of the steak sandwich and chicken parma — the crispy barramundi is a standout dish as is the La Boqueria chorizo and the homemade pie of the week.
Where: 125 St Georges Terrace (Brookfield Place)
When: Tuesday to Friday
Featured image: Chicken Parma at W Churchill
