5 best restaurants in Perth

It’s Perth at its poshest. In the heart of the city’s former fashion centre, you’ll find a restaurant with bespoke designer price tags. Don’t worry; you do get your money’s worth. The décor is sublime, with plush red carpets, antique chairs and soft, secluded suede booths which swallow you up. Don’t expect to see prices on the menu though. As the saying goes, ‘If you have to ask how much, you can’t afford it.’ But there are truly unique dishes on which to blow your budget, like marron and mussels steamed in a tamarind broth, with lime leaves and coconut cream.

26 Queen St   Tel: +61(8)9436 0233

From a small produce store to a gourmand’s dream… That’s the journey The Beaufort Street Merchant has taken since its establishment some years back. Now it’s arrived at something which is good at practically everything: the gourmet fare and fine wine which makes up its rustic European menu, an uber-trendy brasserie, bar and café, serving all three meals of the day, and a refreshingly casual vibe. Best of all, they still have their retail section, so buy your wine in the bottle shop and consume it in the brasserie!

488-492 Beaufort St, Highgate   Tel: + 61 (8) 9328 6299

A tasty contradiction, this one. Peasant fare in the ultra-chic inner city. So yes, expect the unpretentious, the rustic, the down-to-earth. But clothe it in sophistication and panache, and you’ve an idea of The Trustee’s unique place on the food chain. Stylish yet modest interiors are matched by food just as accessible. Here, flavour is everything. Gnocchi heaped with rocket, parmesan, basil and sage seems simple but tastes sublime. And with a list of over 500 wines, the cellar is also well worth exploring.

133 St Georges Terrace   Tel: + 61 (8) 6323 3000

The tasting menu is the way to go at Jackson’s. Though they do offer à la carte, the restaurant’s dégustation dining with its modern Australian take is the winner. You’ll embark on a culinary journey, from trademark breads through both classic meaty dishes and exceptional vegetarian fare. Our dish of the night was a remarkable local venison, encrusted in chocolate and coffee and served with a German-style beetroot dumpling. The sommelier is on hand to take you through a varied wine list so be adventurous, go exploring! And at night’s end, you’ll know why this restaurant is so widely applauded.

483 Beaufort Street, Highgate   Tel: + 61 (8) 9328 1177