Although Australia isn’t subject to Michelin Star ratings, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a selection of absolutely top tier dining. The Australian Good Food Guide awards chef hats to the restaurants they determine worthy, in a similar fashion to the star system. Modern Australian cuisine has been mastered by the chefs of Perth, as has multicultural cuisine from practically every nation on Earth in an example of our cultural melting pot.
For fine dining, tasting all of WA’s ‘hatted’ restaurants would require a trip to the South West, as the region is famous for its food, wine, and local produce. The CBD, however, contains 25 ‘hatted,’ locations to choose from. Just beware, as the hats certainly bring up the price.
Wildflower is Perth’s highest rated restaurant by the AGFG, rated as ‘worth a detour.’ The menu anchors itself to the six Noongar seasons, and the local flora and fauna available at that time of year. Here, you can immerse yourself in an extraordinary dining experience that isn’t just good food, but a cultural learning experience. Located at COMO The Treasury, it offers Swan River views from its terrace, while you dine on up to eight courses of locally-sourced botanicals, seafood, and wine—depending on what season you visit in.
Wildflower is well-known for their approach to utilising local produce, but we think that all the best Perth restaurants do the same. WA has such a wide variety of produce, flora and botanicals that are unique to our environment, and the hallmark of a successful Modern Australian eatery is the blending of our local produce with the variety of cultures established throughout our cities. Popular restaurants Garum and Balthazar coast off this idea—Garum blends WA products with ancient Roman cultural cooking practices in historic Hibernian Place, where Elizabeth Quay’s Balthazar is broadly European-inspired, serving Swan Valley and Frankland River wines up there with their French and Spanish bottles.
Many of Perth’s best dining locations are bolstered by the gorgeous views they offer in addition to the cuisine. Waterfront restaurants are experienced at every section of coast, including as north as Scarborough and as south as Mandurah. Overlook the Swan River or the Indian Ocean from a rooftop or right on the beach. Matilda Bay Restaurant in Nedlands is a favourite of ours, bringing a chilled atmosphere, delicious food and WA’s iconic black swans on top of river views.