Your Ultimate Playbook For A Full-Court Thursday Night Out

It’s all too easy to default to the familiar weekend-night circuit — dinner, drinks, home — when plotting an evening out on the town. And while this tried-and-tested formula can be comforting, it doesn’t pack the same punch as a Wildcats home game. Perth’s most successful sports team is back on the court at RAC Arena this Thursday, and the surrounding bars, late-night restaurants, and boutique hotels make a compelling case for a less-than-ordinary night out in the city. 

With the right warm-up, wind-down, and a little city sparkle, this is one Thursday night that’ll get you off the bench. 

Here’s how to do game night right in Perth.

Step one: Pre-game pleasures

Before the crowds and the courtside chaos, it’s important to warm up your palate. 

If wine is your starting sip of choice, begin with a glass of something special at Copia — the intimate open-air wine bar that sits a breezy ten-minute stroll from RAC Arena. Its leafy courtyard catches the last light of the day, the fridges are full of hard-to-find, lo-fi drops from both our own backyard and far-flung vineyards, and the whole venue buzzes with the pre-game anticipation to get you fired up. 

Prefer cocktails over Chardonnay? March up the stairs to the city’s coolest botanical cocktail bar, Terrarium. Up here, you’ll find floor-to-ceiling windows framing the CBD below, an expansive rooftop terrace draped with greenery, and flawless cocktail concoctions always served with a smile. 

Step two: Enter the Jungle 

With a few confidence-boosting beverages under your belt, it’s time to head to RAC Arena. On game day, The Jungle (as it’s affectionately referred to by the fans) is not your usual sports stadium. From the moment you wade through the sea of red, you’re met with an electric atmosphere that is difficult to put into words. The energy is palpable, and it only increases as the scoreboard does, with passionate supporters moving with the same intensity as the players on the court.  

It’s not only for hoop heads, either. When the pyrotechnics are fired up, the music is pumping, and the on-court action is right there in front of you, you don’t need to know a whole lot about basketball to get swept up in the game. The whole experience is theatrical, high-octane, and addictive.

Make sure you get to the stadium a little earlier than a minute before tip-off, so you can enjoy all the pre-game festivities. It’s a highly engaging production from start to finish!

Next game: Perth Wildcats vs Cairns Taipans.
Game day tickets can be purchased here.

Step three: Refuel like an athlete

The games wrap up at a tidy hour, usually around 8:30 pm, leaving you with a generous slice of the night to play with. 

To keep the tempo up, peel off to The Standard, sitting right around the corner on Roe Street for over a decade. This long-loved multi-level venue now has a Mediterranean-inspired dinner to bring you back to life — slabs of saganaki coated in sticky burnt honey, ricotta gnocchi laced with umami-heavy black pearl mushrooms, eggplant cotoletta topped with generous chunks of fresh mozzarella, and plenty of pastas to fuel the evening — plus tap beers, citrus-forward bespoke cocktails, and a solid selection of vinos. 

If you’re after something a little more polished, wander up Wellington Street to Fleur. Hidden inside the rowdy Royal, Fleur is the elegant but outgoing fine-diner that’ll elevate your evening from courtside to couture. Think complimentary aperitifs on arrival, crisp martinis, French-ish fare (including bumps of caviar), all set in a romantic dining room with teal velvet curtains, moody lighting, and dare I say, Wildcats-red walls. 

Step four: Staycation slam dunk

The fun doesn’t have to end when dinner does. Extend the evening and stretch the night a touch further by checking into one of the city’s luxe stays. Both Murray Street’s boutique QT Hotel and the glamorous The Westin over on Hay offer fluffy robes, room-service snacks, and the rare pleasure of not having to order an Uber to get home. It’s the ultimate slam dunk to a full-court evening.

Upcoming Perth Wildcats home games