Madalena’s

Can a small neighbourhood bar with an even smaller kitchen serve Perth’s best seafood? Madalena’s can (madalenasbar.com.au). Working with lesser-seen species and bycatch, chef Adam Rees is redefining “fish dinner” in South Fremantle: crudo of razorback prawn, tofu, nashi and ginger juice, anyone?

Chef

LIAM ATKINSON, LE REBELLE

Star Anise. Print Hall. Ku De Ta. Liam Atkinson’s CV is peppered with positions at Perth’s most high-powered kitchens. But it’s at Le Rebelle (lerebelle.com.au), a neighbourhood wine bar and bistro Atkinson opened with wife Sarah, who’s also the sommelier, that our man feels most at home. Brioche toasts with crab and celery, duck breast glazed with white soy and frites convey his contentment.

Coffee

BLACKLIST COFFEE ROASTERS

At the Subiaco concept store (blacklistcoffee.com.au), single-origin brews are served in wineglasses, shelves are stocked with specialist brewing apparatus and freshly roasted beans and you can sample all the coffee you can handle for a flat $9 tasting fee.

Business lunch SHADOW WINE BAR

In the hip heart of the city, the Alex Hotel’s Shadow Wine Bar (shadowwinebar.com.au) makes a glam first impression – and that’s before you factor in the elegant European cooking of chef Monika Cook. If the vegetarian gnocchi or crab spaghettini don’t win you friends and influence, the champion cellar will do the trick. For something a little more casual but with the same strong food focus, consider Shadow’s spin-off Lobby Bar inside the hotel.

Regional restaurant

ARIMIA

Down an unsealed road lined with Margaret River bushland, chef Evan Hayter is quietly leading a revolution. His off-grid

cellar door Arimia in Wilyabrup (arimia.com.au) proves that restaurants can – and should – be kind to the planet. Hayter not only breeds pigs, raises trout and grows organic vegies on the property, he also knows how to make his sustainable produce taste delicious.

Trend

THE CONTI

The continental roll is Perth’s very own Italian-Australian sandwich. Although The Re Store (231 Oxford Street, Leederville; 08 9444 9644) is regarded as the city’s spiritual home of the conti (deli meats, cheese and pickled vegies), weekends see Si Paradiso (si-paradiso.com) serve a fun, new-school version in a hot, baked-to-order roll.

Bar

WINES OF WHILE

A casual vibe plus a changing list of European and local natural wines might lure folks to this new-wave Perth enoteca (winesofwhile.com) but it’s owner Sam Winfield’s satisfying Mediterranean cooking (lush white beans, fatty terrine) that makes them linger.

Brewery ROCKY RIDGE BREWING CO.

This Busselton brewery (rocky ridgebrewing.com.au) is a small operator not afraid to think big, whether that means releasing limited seasonal brews or turning a former family home into a swish taphouse.