Perth is becoming the place to be more and more each day.

With new hotels opening, reinvigorated heritage buildings and a slew of restaurants and bars serving up high quality and delicious food and drink, there really are so many reasons to visit Perth’s city for a weekend stay. As the days are becoming warmer and longer and Fringe World Festival is making its way over, we suggest you start filling out your diary with things you can do with your family and friends in this beautiful city of ours.

EAT

Brika

Welcome to the home of Greek-style entertaining in Perth! Brika is a place for communal and meze dining where guests are encouraged to order a number of small dishes so that they can be shared and enjoyed by all those at the table. Although, when the food is this perfect, we really don’t blame you if your order a number of plates for yourself! The warm pita bread with tzatziki and hummus is a must, as is the Saganaki ($12) served with Greek figs and the Souvla Chicken ($23) with smoked paprika and lemon pepper mayonnaise. If you follow this up with a plate of barbecued Fremantle Octopus ($25) and Slow Roasted Amelia Park Lamb Shoulder ($34), then you are definitely set for a traditional Greek feast. To finish off the experience, the Baklava ($13) or Loukoumades ($13) will be the sweetest Greek dessert treat. Home to Filos and Yiros, Brika’s coffee and street-eats takeaway window – so you can enjoy some perfectly made Greek eats even when you are on the go.

Brika – 3/177 Stirling St, Perth, WA 6000

Hibernian Place

Hibernian Place is a multi-purpose central plaza in the east end of the city which was designed to bring people together throughout the day and night. The grand architecture of the building is extremely beautiful especially with its large open spaces, restaurants and bars, hotel and wellness spas – we can see why this is a place where people come to relax, unwind and catch-up with friends. Not only is Hibernian Place home to the luxurious The Westin Perth, but it also houses Garum, an Italian masterpiece by Guy Grossi. If there is one person who knows how to highlight Western Australian produce and turn it into something that you will never stop talking about, it is this man. The menu is refined and fancy, but you can be rest assured that this will be one of the best meals to have ever graced your presence.

Hibernian Place & Garum – 480 Hay St, Perth, WA 6000

Mary Street Bakery

Mary Street Bakery isn’t just your average bakery – it is the place of all your pastry dreams. With five venues across Perth, there’s no denying that doughnuts are their speciality so expect to see classic flavour combinations such as cookies and cream or their passionfruit curd, coffee glaze and choc chip dough doughnut which was part of the bakery’s weekly special. They also have all your baked favourites like croissants, tarts, cruffins and pies. It doesn’t just end with the treats though; Mark Street Bakery also has a food menu which is praised by all Perth locals who have had the privilege of eating at the bakery. The Fried Chicken and Buttermilk Pancakes or the Boiled Egg and Buttered Soldiers are a fan favourites. With single origin coffee and cold brew on offer, this is the place where you will leave feeling full and happy.

The Mary Street Bakery venue at QV!. Image supplied.

Mary Street Bakery – QV1 250 St Georges Tce, Perth, WA 6000

DRINK

Hyde Perth Kitchen & Cocktails

We can almost guarantee that warm summer afternoons will be spent happily sitting in this Miami-inspired restaurant and bar alongside a couple of good friends, a plate of Mediterranean bites and a fruity cocktail. Inside, Hyde Perth Kitchen & Cocktails is styled beautifully with plush green chairs and rattan adorned ceilings with a luscious mix of hanging green plants. Heading outside, Hyde also features an outdoor pool, sun loungers and a DJ playing some funky beats well into the night. The cocktail list is impressive which we can pay thanks to Australia’s most awarded bartender and mixologist, Tim Philips-Johansson. The Hyde Poolside and Piñata Swizzle are definitely worth a try, but if you are hanging out with a large group of friends, the Tropicana Punch served in a large punch bowl is the best option. With an extensive drinks list including wines from the southwest of Western Australia, there really is no other place we would rather be.

Hyde Perth Kitchen & Cocktails – Level 1, The Adnate Art Series Hotel, 900 Hay St, Perth, WA 6000

Tiny’s Bar

What is better than a bar that serves a unique range of boutique beer, seasonal cocktails and a specially curated wine list? A bar that has an adjacent liquor emporium that allows you to buy its range of alcohol, glassware, cocktail equipment or even the record that is playing at the time to take home with you. That’s when we point you in the direction of Tiny’s Bar and its neighbour Tiny’s Liquor Emporium – a place that understands its guests and alcohol, so you can be assured that you are in the trusted hands of bartenders who know what they are talking about. This is what you would expect when the masterminds behind the two venues are also the founders of Mary Street Bakery. Tiny’s Bar is definitely the place to head to for after-work drinks or a catch-up on the weekend, especially if you long for a good glass of wine or beer.

Tiny’s Bar – QV1, Cnr Hay & Milligan St, Perth, WA 6000

Petition

In the heart of Perth, within the confines of the heritage-listed State Buildings is Petition Kitchen, a relaxed inner-city restaurant that is committed to offering guests local and seasonal produce. The kitchen’s menu includes plates such as Casarecce with Prawn and Honey Bug Butter and Espelette Pepper ($34) as well as Slow Cooked Crisp Pork Shoulder with Sweet Chilli Vinegar ($60). But it is the drinks menu that is worth noting, and with cocktails made with lemongrass and ginger kombucha, lime olio, gin and thyme and a blueberry infused gin, you really can’t go wrong. The Petition Kitchen is adjoined to Petition Beer Corner and the Petition Wine Bar, which offer a diverse selection of boutique, organic and biodynamic wines as well as a unique selection of beers.

Petition – State Buildings, St Georges Tce &, Barrack St, Perth, WA 6000

DO

Fringe World Festival

At the beginning of each year, the Fringe World Festival makes its way over to Perth by invigorating the city with an uplifting level of excitement and buzz. Perth is the host of the third largest Fringe in the world, so it can be said that Perthlings really love the unique and fun vibe the festival brings. We understand that one of the hardest decisions to make when Fringe World Festival arrives is which shows to attend especially when the shows range from comedy, cabaret, theatre, dance and visual art performances – which is why we recommend attending Railed and PreHysterical. At Railed, you can expect a western-themed comedy circus that displays incredible acrobatic skills mixed in with some 18+ humour. PreHysterical is more family-based and follows the story of three Neanderthals trying to survive the natural world. While these are our top picks, there really is something for everyone at Fringe World Festival.

Fringe World Festival – Railed & PreHysterical

Bodhi J

Your weekend in Perth’s CBD isn’t complete until you have booked yourself in for a spa date and a massage. Lucky enough, the Perth is home to one of the finest and most luxurious spa’s: Bodhi J. Located inside the five-star The Westin Hotel, Bodhi J offers relaxing experience treatments such as the Sodashi Sodashi Rejuvenation and the Island Escape which includes time in the infrared sauna and a full body aromatherapy massage. Bodhi J only uses natural and organic products from either the Sodashi range which is handmade in North Fremantle as well as products from Li’Tya – so you know the spa has your wellness at the top of their mind.

Bodhi J – Level 5, The Westin Hotel, 480 Hay Street, Perth, WA 6000

 STAY

The Adnate

Boutique hotels are quickly becoming the preferred accommodation option in Perth and if the latest one to make its stand in the city is anything to go by, then we can understand why. When The Adnate, located on Hay Street, opened its doors in October, it surprised guests with its beautiful and extensive display of artwork by famed street artist Matt Adnate. Each of the 250 rooms feature colourful pieces of artwork that document Matt’s travels and the people he meets which aim to inspire and connect people that visit the hotel. The beauty of this space however, stands with its 25-storey mural – one of the tallest murals in the Southern Hemisphere and a piece that took Matt Adnate one month to complete. The mural represents diversity with its three portraitures, showing the faces of a Noongar man, an Indian woman and a Mediterranean woman. Alongside its dedication to displaying beautiful art, the hotel also boasts a gym, a pool and Hyde Perth Kitchen & Cocktails. If you are wanting a relaxing place to stay where hospitality is at its finest, then this is the hotel to be.

The Adnate – 900 Hay St, Perth, WA 6000

Alex Hotel

The Alex Hotel is another boutique hotel that has established itself as a prime accommodation hotspot for those visiting the city or for Perth locals looking for a stylish and hip place to unwind. The hotel was built in 2015 in Northbridge, otherwise known as the cultural epicentre of Perth, and its location puts it within walking distance of the Perth Cultural Centre, the State Theatre, the train station and a number of bars and restaurants. This was purposefully done, as the hotel owners wanted guests to immerse themselves in the entertainment and liveliness of Northbridge using Alex Hotel as a sanctuary to rest in at the end of a jam-packed night. The hotel is not hard to miss with its black and white exteriors and green coloured door– and this just hints at the beautifully curated spaces on the inside where there is floor to ceiling windows, Turkish towels, crisp linens and brightly painted walls in the rooms. This is definitely a place to stay for an immersive Perth experience.

Alex Hotel – 50 James St, Perth, WA 6000

The Westin Perth

Providing guests with a relaxing stay is the ultimate goal at The Westin Perth and it excels at doing so. Home to Bodhi J, an outdoor infinity pool, a slew of quality restaurants and bars and of course 368 rooms which all are all filled with plenty of natural light and luxury amenities. It really is like stepping into another world where all the activities that make for a perfect stay are all found in the one building. As well as this, The Westin is located in the reinvigorated east end of the Perth city in the luxurious Hibernian Place, which means it is a 10-minute walk from Elizabeth Quay, a short walk to the Art Gallery of Western Australia and a 25-minute walk from the new Optus Stadium. With beautiful artwork from Australian artists filling the rooms, The Westin Perth is really the ultimate escape.

The Westin Perth – 480 Hay St, Perth, WA 6000

Feature image: Brika. Image supplied.