Sustainable Gardens & Suburban Soul Food: Exploring The Hidden Gems Of Vic Park
Victoria Park and its surrounding streets are practically bursting at the seams with excellent spots for eating, drinking and shopping… But there’s so much good stuff, it’s easy to overlook some gems. Whether you’re looking for a vegan feast or a coffee filled with good vibes, we’ve found some of our favourites in Vic Park for your next visit.
Duncan Street Store
Helmed by legendary food truck Soul Provider’s Vital Syverin, Duncan Street Store merges café classics with soul food comfort. If you can’t get to the suburban spot during the day, weekly West Indian Wednesday dinners are an absolute must-visit.
41 Duncan Street, Victoria Park
Cosy Del’s
While just about everyone and their dog is well aware of local favourite Laika – purveyors of excellent Timely Coffee and some rather delicious brunches – next door you’ll find their other venture: Cosy Del’s. Perfect for date nights, this neighbourhood restaurant is cosy by name and by nature, serving up comforting modern Italian fare (as well as a steak we’ve thought about pretty much non-stop for a whole year).
13 Lathlain Place, Lathlain
Vego Delish
Times have changed, and thankfully, our plant-based pals are no longer relegated to lacklustre menu options. In fact, it’s never been easier to go plant-based, particularly when you have restaurants like Vego Delish. The cosy neighbourhood spot’s menu is filled with Vietnamese favourites (think phở, bún bì chay), pan-Asian starters (potstickers, teriyaki rice paper rolls) and even a couple of burgers to cover all the bases.
25D Gallipoli Street, Lathlain
Grain Bakery
Another neighbour of Laika’s, Grain Bakery has a rich family history of baking, even utilising decades-old recipes today. Their offerings manage to balance nostalgia with some damn good bread – you’ll find retro jam and cream donuts alongside some hefty, chewy, super-sour sourdough.
19 Lathlain Place, Lathlain
The Carlisle Collective
Nestled amongst the leafy suburban streets, the Carlisle Collective is bringing together a unique mix of local small businesses. Within the warehouse co-op you can peruse cute vintage finds, indoor plants, handcrafted childrens wares and more – make sure to grab a coffee from Wild Oats Coffee Co while you’re there!
134 Oat Street, Carlisle
Sonder Coffee
Bringing coastal vibes to Albany Highway, grabbing a coffee from Sonder is like a ray of sunshine in your morning. As well as cheerful vibes, you can expect excellent coffees (brewed with Five Senses beans) – which, along with their bagels and açai bowls, can be happily enjoyed lounging in the sun in the neighbouring park.
484 Albany Highway, Victoria Park
Mei’s Noodles
Venture off Albany Highway into East Vic Park’s more industrial streets and you’ll be richly rewarded – especially if you find yourself at Mei’s Noodles. The low-key eatery is dishing up homestyle Yunnan-style cuisine – influenced by the region’s borders with Vietnam, Myanmar and Laos, their specialties are a distinctly spicy and sour “little pot rice noodles”, as well as a Saturday-only “Crossing-the-bridge” noodles, one of the region’s most iconic dishes.
9/18 Milford Street, East Vic Park
La Delizia Latticini
You may have seen the name “La Delizia Latticini” pop up in visits to many of Perth’s best eateries – particularly their signature burrata and stracciatella – but did you know you can visit the cheese masters in person? Head to their Vic Park store and you can not only pick up some absolutely delicious cheese for yourself to take home, but you’ll be able to watch as they hand craft the cheese in-store.
Shop 47, The Park Centre, 789 Albany Highway, Victoria Park
Woven & Willow
We tend to gravitate towards Vic Park for all of the delicious delights it holds… But you can also leave looking a little more stylish. Woven & Willow stocks a stunning range of Australian labels that will take you just about anywhere, whether you’re at your desk or drinks – including Shona Joy, Staple the Label, Elka Collective and more.
Shop 3 The Vic Quarter, 660 Albany Highway, Victoria Park
Green Bunch
You’re getting a two-for-one with Green Bunch – it’s not just a super lush florist and plant store, but a rather cute café and gift store as well! (Maybe that’s actually a four-in-one?) Our advice? Come for the coffee and delectable treats, and stay for the beautiful blooms.
907 Albany Highway, East Victoria Park
Urban Revolution
A must-visit for any budding green thumbs, Urban Revolution are leading the way for zero-waste gardeners. They’ll take your sustainable gardening journey to the next level – or at least give you a few tips and tricks to get started. If you’ve been thinking about getting a Bokashi composting system or an insect hotel, now is the time to do it! You can also pick up plenty of low-waste household items, or drop off your hard to recycle products to their Terra Cycle recycling system.
284 Albany Highway, Victoria Park
Crow Books
Ok, we’re really pushing the “hidden” part of “hidden gems” here, but we just can’t resist an opportunity to extoll the virtues of the oh-so-excellent Crow Books. This literary treasure trove is open late every night for all your relaxed post-dinner-perusing, and their huge range means it’s also where you’ll often find titles you can’t get anywhere else.
1/900 Albany Highway, East Victoria Park
Rhubarb Records
This family operation has quickly become a go-to for vinyl lovers, expanding to two stores since their humble beginnings at the back of the now-defunct Player One in Northbridge. These guys will hook you up with everything from new and used vinyl, to cassettes, turntables and more.
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4 Basinghall Street, East Victoria Park
Explore more of Vic Park via the Town Of Victoria Park Website.
Header Image: Duncan St Store By Hannah Jones
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This article is sponsored by Town Of Victoria Park and very happily endorsed by us. Please see our Editorial Policy for more info.