Live, Love, Laugh: 10 Dinner + A Show ideas for this year’s Perth Comedy Festival

Who says romance is dead? There’s no faster way to our hearts than with a big old belly laugh – except for a delicious meal. The arrival of the Perth Comedy Festival today means the laughs are more than taken care of, but we’ve really gone for gold, finding some suitable dinner and show pairings for you to impress your next Hinge date, your long-term boo or your platonic soul mate.

The Biggest Comedy Show on Earth + Pizza Planet 

The Biggest Comedy Show on Earth deserves a colossal meal… Perhaps even as big as planet Earth? Tuck into a meal as huge as this show without venturing out of Planet Royale, with Pizza Planet’s nostalgia-infused, ‘90s-inspired pizzas, burgers, nachos, jalapeño poppers – not to mention that cheesy bread!

Best of the Fest International + Old Shanghai

While The Rechabite’s ground floor diner Double Rainbow is a more than worthy pre-show dinner (in fact, we’ll go well out of our way for those edamame…), why not enjoy an international dinner befitting the Best of the Fest? Just around the corner, Old Shanghai is our faithful dining destination no matter the day, or the hankering – from nostalgic burgers from Hoodburger to Korean fried chicken, Sri Lankan curries or dim sum any time of day.

Josie Long + Cafe Guilty Pleasure

One part sentimental reflections on motherhood, another part political fury, Josie Long’s Re-Enchantment deserves a sweet escape from it all – and Cafe Guilty Pleasure is just that. Charming interiors will have you feeling like you’re tucked away down a Seoul laneway, while their fluffy cakes and picturesque pastries are a perfect reminder that we deserve a little treat!

Sh!tfaced Shakespeare + Northbridge Bar Hop

We’re great advocates for the responsible serving of alcohol, which is why we’d never recommend you get shitfaced in any circumstance. Nuh uh. What we will say is that the smash hit show Sh!tfaced Shakespeare is conveniently close to a number of Northbridge’s most excellent small bars, ready and waiting for your custom. Picabar, Ezra Pound, The Bird, Mechanic’s Institute, even Hello is temptingly perched atop the roof of the Rechabite…

Nat’s What I Reckon + Solo Pasta

What else could we have paired with Nat’s What I Reckon than pasta? After all, this is the guy that made End of Days Bolognese a certified lockdown smash hit. Beaufort Street boasts plenty of pasta to carb-load pre show, but there’s a certain anarchic quality to Solo Pasta’s spaghetti by the metre that we cannot resist!

Sara Pascoe + Yiamas

Sara Pascoe has an undeniable star power – and she knows it! Her latest show, Success Story charts her own rise through the celebrity ranks, along with plenty of hot goss. So why not hit up one of Subiaco’s own recent success stories, the Insta-friendly, pumping Greek taverna Yiamas before her show at The Regal Theatre.

The Kaye Hole + Whisk

Furiously fiery and more than a little spicy, cabaret superstar Reuben Kaye’s The Kaye Hole brings together all of the festival’s most risque performers… So you may need a little sweet palate cleanser to get you ready for a debaucherous evening. Wander up Rokeby Road and you’ll be able to indulge in a fabulously glamorous sprinkle-topped sundae from artisanal ice creamery Whisk.

Troy Kinne + The Queens Tavern

To pair Kinne with a high-falutin’ fine dining meal feels… Wrong. Which is why this relatable Aussie everyman needs an Aussie classic – a good old fashioned pub feed. Hop down the road to the The Queens: open since the 1880s, the beer garden is just begging for a parmi and a pint.

Joe Avati + Dilly Dally

Poking fun at generational differences and his childhood in a tight-knit Italian family, Joe Avati’s standup pairs well with the intergenerational appeal and Italian-inspired menu of Dilly Dally. The Subi restaurant pairs classic Italian flavours with a thoroughly modern approach that’ll keep everyone from nonna to bambino happy.

Andrew Hansen + Govinda’s

Andrew Hansen is teaching us all how to be thrifty with his budget-friendly show Andrew Hansen is Cheap – and why not take a leaf out of the comedian’s book with a visit to one of Northbridge’s most frugality-friendly restaurants? Stop by Govinda’s for a nourishing curry combo – it’s as easy on your wallet as it is on your appetite!

Perth Comedy Festival officially kicks off today! Start planning your laughs via their website.