EATING OUT in Perth
Perth’s THRIVING food SCENE has family DINING covered from breakfast to dinner, with a few TREATS in between.
HEADING OUT TO EAT IN PERTH is as much about exploring your surrounds as filling your bellies. Some of the best familyfocused eateries call for you to go beyond the confines of the CBD to discover pastural idylls and seaside hotspots, and rub shoulders with the locals in the city’s hip hoods.
KYILLA COMMUNITY FARMERS’ MARKET
Head to this community farmers’ market for an egg and bacon wrap (flipped by fundraising school parents) and let kids loose on the bouncy castle ($3) and free kids’ activity table (from 9.30am). There are also smoothies, doughnuts and gingerbread men, and you can grab fresh fruit and veg. Sometimes there is a petting farm, face-painting artist and puppet show, too. There are no less than four playgrounds surrounding the grassed area. facebook.com/kyillafarmersmarket
CLANCY’S BEACH BAR
Perfect for early risers, Clancy’s Beach Bar opens at 6.30am, serving brekkie wraps, mini waffles and coffee from the open-air site. It’s about five steps to a playground and only 10 metres from the sand. The cafe is off to the side of Clancy’s, a popular fish and chip pub with a casual atmosphere and incredible ocean views. Inside, little nippers will like the colourful beach chairs and decorative maritime-themed ceilings. For a more polished breakfast, head across the car park to the deck at Odyssea (the smashed avo is fabulous). clancysfishpub.com.au
LITTLE CREATURES
Breweries excel at keeping kids occupied, so parents can enjoy their liquid amber, and it’s no different at Fremantle’s famous brew pub, Little Creatures. Head past the steel vats and bustling open kitchen to the rear, which overlooks the fishing harbour. Find a busy play pit with slide, building blocks, truck toys and noughts and crosses. The rustic fries are always a winner, while parents should order the roo skewers. littlecreatures.com.au
MANDOON ESTATE
Mandoon Estate is a lush, spacious Eden on Perth’s outer edges, where industrial blocks give way to vineyards, and where there’s literally something for everyone. Families with young kids will gravitate to the Llawn, which is dotted with picnic tables and faces a contained playground (picnic rugs are also supplied) and art gallery. You can order pizzas, hot chips and picnic goods from the Spit Hut (yes dads, there’s a spit roast on weekends). Alternatively, book a table inside at the bustling Homestead Brewery and feast on burgers, pizzas and pub grub. mandoonestate.com.au
THE CAMFIELD
This enormous pub directly beside Perth’s new Optus Stadium is touted as being the biggest in Australia. Note to self: texta your mobile number on little Johnny’s arm before entering. We tip the Riverside Terrace for parents wanting to dine in
peace while watching their kids on the Burswood Park playground opposite (bring sunscreen). There’s also a grassy, familyfriendly beer garden with Giant Jenga. The kids’ burger and fish and chips are the obvious favourites. thecamfieldbar.com.au
ISLAND MARKET
Here you get a twofer. There’s the refined, pale pink on white and timber restaurant of Island Market, which gazes over the Indian Ocean and serves slick Middle Eastern food, or there’s the casual sister-venue Canteen, emitting aromas of fish tacos and hot chips, eaten al fresco or take-away. Island Market has a sunken area for kids to play in (toys removed since COVID-19) and a contained outdoor zone with dining tables; the toasted flatbread and cheesy chicken kids’ box rivals the fish and chips. Find Canteen under the same roof, adjacent to a playground and coastal walking path. Both spots get you ringside seats to Perth’s beautiful sunsets. islandmarkettrigg.com
THE SUNSHINE HARVESTER WORKS
Hidden inside a former warehouse is a collection of purveyors serving up sizzling burgers, wood-fired pizza, Asian street food and gelato, alongside a microbrewery and distillery (adults need some fun too, right?). Beeline for the silver Airstream caravan: Bumplings Perth is run by former
MasterChef contestant and dumplings-pro, Brendan Pang. Adults will love the Sichuan chicken dumplings, while kiddos will seagull the crispy pork wontons. Check opening hours for the independently run venues and count on a roomy floor for kids to move around in. thesunshineharvesterworks.com.au
THE RITZ-CARLTON, PERTH
Australia’s first Ritz-Carlton hotel is refreshingly child-friendly. As well as offering teepees and a scavenger hunt to little guests, the hotel’s kids’ menu allows adults to justify a special night out. Both Hearth (the fine diner – book a booth) and Songbird (the lounge bar with elevated views of Elizabeth Quay – sit outside on the terrace) share a menu of easy-to-handle lamb chops, easy-please chicken nuggets with fries and spaghetti Bolognese. Should we mention the sauce-smothered banana split dessert? For little ones unlikely to sit still for long, the hotel offers a takeaway afternoon tea hamper with coconut lamingtons, honey mousse and passionfruit madeleines. ritzcarlton.com