I went back home for a week recently and while I was there I was keen to check out some of the new bars in Perth. The small bar scene in Perth continues to improve, with several places opening only a month or two prior to me visiting. Unfortunately Perth’s restrictive licensing laws means that most of these great new places are unable to open past midnight, leaving residents and visitors with a major lack of quality options after this time. Having said that, some operators in Perth are getting creative too in an attempt to circumvent some of Perth’s unnecessarily restrictive licencing laws – think small bars that also serve decent food until the early hours of the morning in order to operate under a restaurant license or basements/rears of venues with existing nightclub licenses that offer something very different that the unsophisticated drinking spots that used to occupy the space.
Should bar owners have to do these sorts of things in order to open up quirky, unique drinking establishments that promote responsible drinking and conversation amongst mature adults? Of course not but alas it is what it is. Kudos for the entrepreneurs who managed to work their way through the red tape to ensure that 2015 was a very good year for people in Perth who like quality spots in which to have a drink and socialise.
For a guide to some of Perth’s hottest new food spots, check out this list New Place To Eat In Perth 2014.
The Standard
The Standard is a perfect example of the direction that Perth’s bar scene is moving towards. Roe street has been unloved for a long while, with memories of a lively street housing great spots such as the old Perth Markets long fading away. With the Perth City Link project and covering of the railway lines finally removing the barrier between Perth and Northbridge, this part of town is undergoing a serious makeover.
Owner John Parker, whose recent experience includes stints at Melbourne’s Gin Palace, Bar Ampere and Madame Brussels certainly knows his stuff and has converted this very 1980s-esque space (can frosted glass squares and pink lights invoke any other era?) into a welcoming venue that contains an impressive bar/interior with a backyard-like outdoor courtyard. A decent array of wine, cocktails and craft beers are on offer, as well as quality food from WA chef Chase Weber.
The Standard
28 Roe Street
Northbridge
Western Australia 6003
Australia
Telephone: (08) 9228 1331
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.thestandardperth.com.au/
Open
Mon – Thu: 4:00pm to 12:00am
Fri – Sun: 12:00pm to 12:00am
Lot 20
Lot Twenty is the latest place to breathe life into Perth’s Cultural Centre. What used to be a no-go zone up until a few years ago is these days an unrecognisable area containing bars, cafes and people young and old. Brought to Perth by the brains behind Bar 399 and Five Bar, Lot Twenty is a surprisingly large venue for a spot with a small bar license. The downstairs and outdoor areas of this saloon-style, wood heavy venue are very casual, while low seats and tables upstairs provide those who want a substantial meal a more sit-down meal focused area.
Decent, well priced local craft beers are offered on tap and the keen pricing also flows through to the cocktail menu which is fun and innovative. Food wise it’s all about local produce and ingredients, with are a variety of snacks and more substantial options on offer.
Lot Twenty
198-206 William Street
Perth
Western Australia 6000
Australia
Telephone: (08) 6162 1195
Email: n/a
Website: http://www.lot20.co/
Open
Mon – Sat: 10:00am to 12:00am
Sun: 10:00am to 10:00pm
Sneaky Tony’s
An unmarked bar that’s located down a lane way at the rear of a building that requires a password to get in? You read it right and no, this isn’t one of my Melbourne posts. Grab the password from Sneaky Tony’s Facebook page and let the mysterious person behind the small slit in the door know what it is. Wait for the door to slide open and step into a low lit prohibition era themed speak-easy that contains a vast selection (over 300 at last count) of rums as well as a few other options for those who aren’t that way inclined. A small bar menu contains options from one of owner Clint Nolan’s other venues, Pleased to Meet You but really, this place is all about the rum.
A word of warning – this place is very popular. I wasn’t able to get in the first time I visited (a Saturday night) as it was at capacity with about 15 people waiting to get in. Try earlier or after work during the week instead.
Sneaky Tony’s
Rear, 38 Roe Street
Northbridge
Western Australia 6003
Australia
Telephone: n/a
Email: n/a
Website: Facebook
Open
Mon – Sat: 4:00pm to 12:00am
Sun: 4:00pm to 10:00am
The Dominion League
The team behind the Mechanics Institute and Mrs Brown are at it again and their latest venue is The Dominon League, named after the Political Movement of the 1930s that came very close to succeeding in having Western Australia secede from the Commonwealth of Australia. Housed in the space formerly occupied by Court Wine Bar, The Dominion League contains a ground level bar with a food and wine focus and a basement bar that puts more of a focus on spirits (over 300 of them) and cocktails.
I was really impressed by the cocktails here as well as the selection of whiskeys, including a few new, upcoming brands that I hadn’t seen before. Although I didn’t eat anything when I visited, the bar menu that chef Kurt Sampson has put together looked very decent, containing things such as Spiced Lamb Belly & Ribs, Moorish Pork Skewers and Ouzo Prawns with Barrel Aged Feta.
The Dominion League
84 Beaufort Street
Perth
Western Australia 6000
Australia
Telephone: (08) 9227 7439
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://dominionleague.com.au/
Open
Tue – Thu: 4:00pm to 12:00am
Fri: 12:00pm to 12:00am
Sat: 5:00pm to 12:00pm
Joe’s Juice Joint
Clint Nolan has been a busy man in 2014 and makes his second appearance on this list with the American dive bar-inspired Joe’s Juice Joint. The last time I was here it was the basement of Bar Open and, while the lane way entrance and stairs leading into the basement were instantly familiar, the interior is anything but. The lights are low, the music is loud and rocking and the space is suitably grungy – anyone who has been to Frankie’s in Sydney will know exactly what to expect. It’s still a bit “clean” feeling at the moment, but that’s to be expected given how new the venue is. I had a lot of fun there and can see it really finding its proverbial groove as the months roll by.
This space has a nightclub license so in a big plus for Perth drinkers who want something better than a club full of drunk kids, it’s open late – until 4:00am on weekends!
Joe’s Juice Joint
Rear, 232 William Street
Perth
Western Australia 6000
Australia
Telephone: n/a
Email: n/a
Website: Facebook
Open
Wed – Thu: 6:00pm to 2:00am
Fri – Sat: 6:00pm to 4:00am
Northbridge Brewing Company
The Northbridge Brewing Company is one of the more extreme examples of the level of unfathomable bureaucracy that exists in Perth. When “a brewery in Northbridge” was first announced I was still living in Perth, my adventures in London and Melbourne still to come. Eight (yes that’s not a typo!) years later and Northbridge Brewing Company is brewing beer as well as serving up food and drinks on Northbridge Piazza.
The beers that are brewed on site are all on tap and contain the usual suspects – a lager, pale ale, wheat beer, red ale. Nothing mindblowing but all perfectly acceptable examples of their style that are easily drinkable. Other beers from local breweries like Mash and Feral are also on offer and there’s a better than average selection of wines and spirits too. Food wise it’s standard pub grub that’s on offer. The main attraction here really is the space, which makes most of Perth sunshine and the piazza.
While the food and drinks won’t win awards, but it’s a great spot to chill out in – hopefully head brewer Ken Arrowsmith starts to experiment with the beers and we see the Northbridge Brewing Company pump out some more innovative beers, which WA breweries are famous for across the country.
Northbridge Brewing Company
44 Lake Street
Northbridge
Western Australia 6003
Australia
Telephone: (08) 6151 6481
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.northbridgebrewingco.com.au/
Open
Wed – Sat: 8:00am to 12:00pm
Sun – Tue: 8:00am to 10:00pm
What are your thoughts on Perth’s 2014 bar openings? Do you have a favourite new spot you’d add to the list?