The best restaurants in Northbridge
Whether you’re starting a long night of partying or you’re popping out for an affordable midweek dinner, Northbridge’s vast offering of restaurants is second to none. From low-key dumpling joints to sexy wine bars, we’ve attempted the mammoth task of narrowing down our favourites:
Double Rainbow
Part of multi-level behemoth venue (and Fringe World hub!) the Rechabite, ground level restaurant Double Rainbow has quietly become one of our go-to spots to start a lively night out. Serving up a mixture of fast and furious Asian fusion with a big Korean tilt, you can expect big flavours and some party vibes.
224 William Street, Northbridge
Authentic Bites Dumpling House
This inclusion can be a surprise to no one, if the lines are anything to go by. Authentic Bites hit on a winning formula from the get-go, with great value, high-quality, house-made dumplings. Cooked to order, you can rest assured your xiao long bao will be juicy and hot, your potstickers crispy, and your siu mai bouncy. Thankfully, there’s also sister store Juicy Bao Bao just up the road so there’s double the dumplings for us to enjoy.
Shop 3, 145 Newcastle Street, Northbridge
Baan Baan
2019 saw market regular Bangkok Jump Street make the leap to a brick-and-mortar location in Northbridge, and while Baan Baan means “comfort and simple”, that’s honestly a bit of an undersell. The menu is full of dynamic, exciting Thai street food, as well as home-style meals – but it’s all perfect for sharing. Let’s hope your date is as hot as some fresh Thai chilies.
172 Newcastle Street, Northbridge
Picabar
Already one of Perth’s best spots for a bev, Picabar has truly levelled up with an expanded outdoor decking area and bar, and even a now-unearthed fireplace inside. Somehow they’ve managed to lose none of their old charm, whilst upgrading everything to make it one of, if not the best watering holes in Northbridge, with a menu packed with crowd-pleasers.
51 James Street, Northbridge
No Mafia
It could be said that No Mafia’s specialty is “Stuff That Goes Really Well With a Glass of Wine”. Which, for the record, is a category we’re well and truly on board for. With its initial, compact location it had all the drop-on-by, buzzy vibes and share plates of a small bar, but the move up the road to larger premises has allowed for an expanded menu that includes house-made pasta. And is more pasta ever a bad thing? We think not. An absolute standout when it comes to Perth Italian joints, but more than holds its own on this list as a must-go dining experience.
252 William Street, Northbridge
S&T Thai Gourmet Cafe
S&T nails everything that we love about Thai food: fresh, vibrant, sweet and tangy with a healthy kick of heat. Their menu strikes the balance between accessibility for those less familiar with Thai cuisine (yes, you can get a green curry, or some pad thai), and plenty that are primed to become your new favourites. We can’t go through a summer without at least one papaya salad followed by durian ice cream – served with sweet sticky rice, creamed milk and roasted peanuts, it’s a game changer.
Shop 3, 347-349 William Street, Northbridge
Edward & Ida’s
From the same brains as Freo’s Nieuw Ruin and well-loved CBD cocktail haunt Foxtrot Unicorn, their latest venture Edward & Ida’s is reviving the old-school corner pub for a new-wave audience. As owner Dimitri Rtshiladze describes: “Somewhere you can get a pint of Guinness, but also get some sick wine, and some sick food.”
That aforementioned “sick food” is thanks to culinary rising star Blaze Young, who is putting her signature stamp on pub classics – think curried scotch eggs, deliciously flakey sausage rolls, smoked fish pie or a beef and Guinness pie with a rather impressive bone marrow chimney.
Price: $$
Address: 269 William Street, Northbridge
Shadow Wine Bar
Shadow Wine Bar has the glamour and intrigue of an Italian film star. The decor is inviting rather than intimidating, with the dimly lit dining room lending an intimacy to your meal, particularly in spite of its grand, industrial, vaulted ceiling. The menu is a choose-your-own-adventure of formality, from the elegant bar snacks (crab, aioli and potato crisp, white anchovy toast) to the sumptuous mains – previous stars include the tortelli with prawn, vermouth and fennel, the veal cotoletta, or the beef fillet with confit leek and onion soubise.
214 William Street, Northbridge
Tak Chee House
Basically an institution at this point, Tak Chee House has become a stalwart of Malaysian food in Perth. Of course, the star of the show if their chicken rice. Served since 1988, this Malaysian staple is done to its comforting best here, with moist, tender chicken and fragrant rice – and the accompanying chilli sauce takes things from great to amazing. Once you’ve had it, you’ll understand the faithful devotion shown to this place over the years. But that’s not all they have on offer – we’re really quite partial to their legendary roti canai with curry beef. Just make sure you get there early, because you won’t be the only one looking for lunch.
1/364 William Street, Northbridge
Vincent Wine
It feels like an eternity ago, but it was only January of 2021 when Vincent Wine opened in the former Meat Candy (RIP) spot on the corner of William and Brisbane Streets. Since then, it’s brought we’re-in-France, we’re-on-holiday vibes in absolute spades. Initially the wine drew in crowds a plenty, but very quickly attention has turned towards their stunning food options. You’ll have to wander in and see what’s written up on the tiles on any given week, but trust us when we say you won’t be disappointed.
465 William Street, Perth
Francoforte
You’re wanting pasta, but maybe your pockets aren’t all that deep… Francoforte is the budget-friendly, post-work, dependable option. With expanded digs, you won’t have to fight quite so hard for a table, and they’re no longer BYO-only, so no stress if you forget to hit up the bottle-o on the way in. Mamma mia! Gimme that guanciale carbonara any day.
4/189 William Street, Northbridge
K Town
K Town is the perfect meeting place between quantity and quality, offering all-you-can-eat set barbecue menus at a quality suitable for more discerning diners. House-made kimchi, generous banchan and attentive service round out the experience. Plus, the courtyard is a super cute and cosy setting for your next date night or catch up.
63 Aberdeen Street, Northbridge
Sinabro
You can’t walk down Francis Street without being enticed by the charcoal-y, barbecue-y aroma of Sinabro. And maybe it’s just us, but we find a certain charm in its unpretentious, unadorned courtyard – but then again, when you’re drinking soju and eating delicious barbecue, does the setting even make that much of a difference? As well as classic fare like pork kalbi and beef ribs, you can also expect to find cuts like pork intestine and ox tongue on offer, for those with a more adventurous palette.
100 Francis Street, Northbridge
Manise Cafe
We may have lost our beloved Sparrow Indonesian restaurant in 2020, but Manise Cafe up the top of William Street is a more than worthy replacement! It’s hard to find anything above $10, almost impossible above $15, the portions are huge and the flavours even bigger. If we can sell it any harder to you, it’s also BYO!
Shop 2/449 William Street, Northbridge
Trà Vinh
If you’ve got even a casual interest in Vietnamese food, you’ve surely hit up Trà Vinh for a feed. This Highgate hotspot (plus their Northbridge and Girrawheen locations) is a favourite for noodle lovers, with plenty of varieties of pho, hu tieu, and other noodle soups available to sate you hunger, no matter your tastes.
149 Brisbane Street, Highgate
3/297 William Street, Northbridge
La Cholita
Another popular and long-standing Mexican haunt along William Street, La Cholita has been slinging terrific tacos, gorgeous guac and succulent sangrias since way back in 2011. Their tequila and mezcal offerings are plentiful (like, in the hundreds), and they also serve what we reckon is Perth’s tastiest spicy michelada, so make sure you stock up on plenty tostadas and quesadillas while you imbibe.
279 William Street, Northbridge
Thanh Dat Vietnamese Noodle House
It’s hard to resist the magnetic pull of the many amazing Vietnamese restaurants along William Street, but if you can stay strong, you will be richly rewarded with a visit to Thành Dat. One of the newer spots, these guys specialise in beef short rib pho – but they’ve also just come out with a “Pho the Lot” that is having us dream of beef… And while their bone broth is practically medicinal, we’ve got to start the night right with some crispy, moreish chả giò rế.
425 William Street, Northbridge
The Standard
Not only is The Standard home to one of Perth’s best beer gardens, their menu is home to a seriously fantastic selection of options for various dietary preferences and requirements – including heaps of vego and gluten free goodies. Their Lazy Weekends are also legendary, with a huge feed for only $65, served “Northbridge-style”: on a lazy susan, of course.
28 Roe Street, Northbridge
Tosaka Ramen Bar
Tosaka are specialists in tori paitan ramen: instead of pork-based tonkotsu, tori paitan features a chicken broth that is rich and creamy, yet light. For plant-based ramen lovers, you can finally get in on the action, too! Tosaka has plenty of vegetarian and vegan options available, made with a vegetable and soy bean broth. Plus, they also have shirataki konjac noodles available – a gluten free and low calorie alternative to regular egg noodles. No matter your dietary preferences, Tosaka has you covered.
305 William Street, Northbridge
Good Fortune Roast Duck House
As the name of this stalwart of the Perth Chinese restaurant scene may attest, they know their way around duck. It’s been running the game in Perth for over 20 years now thanks to head honcho Mr. Jin Shou Chen, whose special prep techniques have made his restaurants world-renowned. If it’s duck you’re hunting, Good Fortune should be where you aim.
354 William Street, Perth
Hong Kong BBQ
If Good Fortune is our go-to for roast duck, Hong Kong BBQ has to take the crown when it comes to roast pork. Open since 1997, they’ve had decades to perfect the art of Cantonese barbecue – with crispy and tender roast pork, perfectly salty-sweet char siu, plus moist and flavourful duck.
76 Francis Street, Northbridge
Is Donburi
2020 saw this low-key Japanese favourite move up the road to a new, fancier dining room – but any delightful new fit out just can’t compete with just how pretty those chirashi bowls are. As well as some picture-perfect chirashi, you can also find some bento boxes and sushi bowls that are just as aesthetically pleasing, and just as delicious.
227 William Street, Northbridge
Bonsai
One of our favourites for a lively dinner with friends, Bonsai‘s contemporary izakaya-style menu offers you the opportunity to enjoy all they have on offer. Settle in for the evening with their blowout 16-course tasting menu – as they say, it’s the ultimate Bonsai experience!
30 Roe Street, Northbridge
My Bayon
Cambodian fusion restaurant My Bayon has earned legions of fans with its well-loved laksa, inspired by over 18 years in Darwin’s markets and a unique family recipe. While we find it hard to resist laksa any day of the week, the rest of their menu – filled with fusion and Khmer cuisine is hard to beat.
313 William Street, Northbridge
Ramen Ichiraku
Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of William Street, you’ll find Ramen Ichiraku. These guys are passionate about bringing the comfort of ramen to everyone: as well as their signature 12-hour tonkotsu broth, they also offer a vegan broth made with a combination of vegetables, mushrooms and kombu. But that’s not all – they also offer an entire! Vegan! Menu! That’s right, an entire vegan menu, covering all the bases from faux chicken karaage and gyoza to bento boxes.
43 Monger Street, Perth
The Moon
Ah, The Moon. Our faithful stallion, carrying us into the wee hours of the morning. Open from midday until the early hours of the morning, they’ll sort you out with a tantalising plate of pasta, a towering burger, a boozy cocktail or a cosy cup of coffee. Sitting in one of those booths (or out the back in the courtyard with some tunes), sharing the hot goss with mates over a late night coffee? There’s no better way to while away an evening.
Shop 2, 323 William Street, Northbridge
Neon Palms
Slap-bang in the middle of the Northbridge action, Neon Palms is continuing the night-out-vibes with their tropically-infused, cocktail-oriented venue. As well as plenty of drinks that are sure to raise the decibel level, you can dig into Latin-American inspired eats by Vice Burger – think Cubanos and Frita burgers. If your date is extra chatty, you can jump into one of those cosy booths to insulate fellow diners from your chinwagging.
245 William Street, Northbridge
Subscribe to our free newsletter!
Chopsticks
One of our favourite spots for a midweek bún chả, Chopsticks ticks a whole bunch of boxes: it’s a relaxed setting for both chill weeknights and more lively weekend dinners, with a big ol’ table of friends, casual date night or a long-overdue one-on-one catchup. Paired with big flavour and its easy proximity to Northbridge’s night life? We’re sold.
168 Newcastle Street, Northbridge
Peasants Paradice
Peasants Paradice has built something of a cult following since opening in 2021 – although they had a head start with years of pop-ups and kitchen takeovers prior. The favour-packed global menu is a winner from start to finish, whether you’re popping in for a few snacks or diving into their absolutely legendary special seafood boil events.
197 Brisbane Street, Perth
Cover image credit: Double Rainbow