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The best pubs in Perth, according to a local

Gather your mates at these top spots.

There’s something quietly brilliant about Perth’s pub scene. From riverside beer gardens and sun-drenched decks to reimagined heritage pubs with sommelier-level wine lists, the city has mastered the art of the modern public house.

Whether you’re after steak and trivia in Mount Lawley, oysters in West Perth, or a casual pint by the water, these are the venues that define pub culture in Perth.

In short

If you only visit one pub in Perth, make it The Camfield. It’s not just Australia’s largest pub – it’s a sprawling, sun-drenched destination next to Optus Stadium with multiple bars, a microbrewery and a sharp menu of crowd-pleasers like house-made pizzas and Wagyu beef burgers, plus a killer selection of local beers on tap.

1. Steve’s

people enjoying drinks al fresco at Steve’s, Perth
Laze away the afternoon with alfresco drinks by the Swan River. (Image: Steve’s)

A long-standing Nedlands institution reimagined for the discerning drinker, Steve’s offers the best of both cellar and kitchen. Wine lovers will be drawn to the boutique bottle shop, but linger for the menu of modern pub classics. Alfresco seating by the Swan River seals the deal. Head there on a Monday for steak night.

Address: 30 The Avenue, Nedlands

2. The Camfield

people enjoying beer at The Camfield pub in Perth
Immerse yourself in Perth’s elevated pub culture at The Camfield.

A giant with soul, The Camfield’s six bars, on-site microbrewery and prime riverside real estate make it a destination in its own right. The kitchen keeps things elevated yet accessible with pulled beef sliders, chicken parmis and steak sandwiches. It’s Perth pub culture at its most polished and most fun.

Address: 1 Roger Mackay Dr, Burswood

3. The Royal

the Billiard room at The Royal Perth
Dial up the good vibes at The Royal Perth.

A bright, breezy pub perched on the banks of Claisebrook Cove, The Royal mixes deco heritage with contemporary flair. The menu leans fresh and local, featuring pub classics as well as mod Aus dishes. Best enjoyed soaking up the sun on the waterfront terrace, with a WA sauv blanc in hand.

Address: 60 Royal St, East Perth

4. Subiaco Hotel

After a loving restoration, the Subi is back to its full swagger. It’s part heritage hotel, part sleek gastropub and all atmosphere. The menu is confident and crowd-pleasing, with a rotating specials menu for almost every day of the week. Wednesday is Parmi Day, with six different chicken parmigiana options to choose from.

Address: 465 Hay St, Subiaco

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5. The Elford

a glass of cocktail at The Elford pub, Perth
The Elford crafts cocktails with a twist.

Mount Lawley’s newest old pub, The Elford has been artfully reimagined with leafy interiors, a rooftop deck and a firm commitment to craft beer. Visit on a Wednesday night for Perth’s best pub trivia night, with $20 chicken parmi specials and $9 pints of their rotating beer of the month.

Address: 639 Beaufort St, Mount Lawley

6. The Inglewood Hotel

This unpretentious local delivers on all fronts – heritage charm, a sprawling beer garden and a menu that swings from comfort food to contemporary fare. It also has arguably one of the best wine lists in Perth, featuring the who’s who of WA winemakers, with a peppering of other Australian labels.

Address: Cnr Fifth Avenue and Beaufort St, Mt Lawley

7. Mayfair Lane

a look inside the Mayfair Lane gastropub in Perth
Mayfair Lane is one of the best gastropubs in Perth. (Image: DZuks)

A Brit-accented gastropub with serious wine cred, Mayfair Lane is where you go for perfectly cooked steak frites, triple-cooked chips and oysters shucked to order. Their 250+ wine list is curated with sommelier precision, and the Thursday night steak special is worth planning your week around.

Address: 72 Outram St, West Perth

8. The Queens Tavern

This grand old dame of Highgate combines Federation-era charm with modern finesse. Built in the 1880s, it’s one of Perth’s oldest pubs, blending good food, great service and top service. On the plate, expect pub classics, fresh seafood and succulent steaks. The covered veranda is a prime perch come sundown.

Address: 520 Beaufort St, Highgate

9. The Belgian Beer Cafe

people enjoying drinks al fresco at The Belgian Beer Cafe, Perth
The Belgian Beer Cafe is a great spot to gather mates. (Image: The Belgian Beer Cafe)

Charming and a little cheeky, this Euro-style haunt offers more than just an encyclopaedic beer list. The alfresco tables under the shade of umbrellas are a great spot to pull up, cold one in hand, and watch the bustle of the CBD go by.

Address: Cnr Hay & King Streets, Perth

10. The Lucky Shag Waterfront Bar

The Lucky Shag Waterfront Bar, Perth
Secure a prime waterfront table for sunset drinks. (Image: Supplied)

One of Perth’s most laidback waterfront venues, The Lucky Shag is ideal for a casual session with mates. Expect jugs of beer, live music and an easygoing menu of burgers, seafood and pizzas. No frills, just good vibes by the water.

Address: Barrack Square, Perth (located in Old Perth Port)

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11. Market Grounds

clinking wine glasses over dinner at Market Grounds, Perth
Settle in for a share-style plates complemented by wine. (Image: Market Grounds)

Once a fresh produce market, now a bustling bar and eatery, Market Grounds bridges the old and new with flair. Its food game is strong – freshly shucked oysters, beef skewers and ricotta gnocchi are favourites – while DJs and cocktail pitchers keep the party going.

Address: 10 Telethon Ave, Perth

12. Edward & Ida’s

pub grub at Edward & Ida’s, Perth
The extensive menu at Edward & Ida’s features much-loved pub grub.

A charming throwback with a modern twist, Edward & Ida’s is a charming small pub in the heart of Northbridge. In the tradition of great classic pubs, you’ll find a simple yet slick wine list, a good pint of beer on tap and nostalgic counter meals from the mind of esteemed chef Blaze Young.

Address: 269 William St, Northbridge

13. The Stables Bar

Hidden behind a laneway facade, The Stables Bar is a CBD favourite for date nights and after-work hangs alike. The menu is contemporary Australian – think pan-roasted barramundi,  crispy pork shoulder and scotch fillet – and the leafy courtyard is hard to beat on a balmy evening.

Address: 888 Hay St, Perth

14. The Shoe Bar

Set in the heart of Yagan Square, The Shoe is a versatile two-level venue that swings from breakfast to late-night. Expect pub staples like pizzas, burgers and chicken wings, plus a smart selection of local brews and a stellar all-star cast of WA wines.

Address: Yagan Square, 376-420 Wellington St, Perth

15. The Generous Squire

clinking glasses over dinner at The Generous Squire pub, Perth
The Generous Squire pairs hearty fare with house-made beer.

This James Squire flagship celebrates the brewer’s legacy with house-made beer, hearty fare and a warm, communal atmosphere. They pride themselves on their epic burger menu, which has an impressive 14 different pub-style burgers. The Sailor, featuring beer battered fish, pickles, lettuce, ranch dressing and burger sauce is a stand-out. Wash it down with a pint brewed metres away.

Address: 397 Murray St, Perth

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Kirsty Petrides
Kirsty Petrides is a writer, wine-lover and cheese enthusiast. Whether she’s hunting down the best restaurant in Albania, foraging the Marrakech markets for spices or camping in the middle of Patagonian wilderness, she loves to seek out the authentic side of the places she visits, and share that with readers through her writing.
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Exploring an icon: inside the massive upgrade to Broome’s famous Cable Beach

(Credit: Tourism WA)

    Lucy Cousins Lucy Cousins
    With unhurried mornings, long, sun-filled afternoons, evenings shaped around sunset, this iconic beach offers an all-day experience (and it’s about to get even better).

    As the sun slowly rises over the languid waves and fine sand of Broome’s Cable Beach, the morning colours shift from rich apricot to pale gold and frosty pearl. Remnants of life reveal themselves in the subtle shadows – crab claw marks, towel impressions, footprints. Life here is unhurried, but don’t be fooled. This town is continually shifting like the desert dunes that surround it.

    And with a $75 million upgrade – offering easier and more inclusive access for people of all abilities – it’s getting even better.

    Cable Beach upgrade foreshore redevelopment stage 1
    Discover the Cable Beach redevelopment.

    The addition of comfortable and welcoming spaces has begun (and will continue). This means visitors will be able to spend longer enjoying this beautiful environment, while knowing that the upgrade will create a more environmentally protected setting that preserves the natural character visitors come for. Come sunset, soak it in all the better thanks to the already improved foreshore areas, made for lingering while the light changes. And for the kids, a new splash park and accessible dry playground will make it easy to while away the hours.

    Think you know what a day at this beach is like? Think again.

    Morning colours

    car on cable beach at sunrise
    Cable Beach comes alive after sunrise. (Credit: Tourism WA)

    As the sun colours the sky, Cable Beach shows signs of life (and not just the aquatic kind). Locals and visitors alike float in the cool water as it laps the shore, landlubbers explore the coast on foot, runners pace and beachside yoga classes bring quiet movement to the day.

    When the sky is blue and the sun is firmly in position, head down to the well-known Cable Beach House for a long, slow breakfast overlooking the ocean. Think fresh tropical fruit, eggs cooked your way and strong coffee in the warm morning breeze.

    Afternoon adventures

    camel train on cable beach in broome at sunset
    Join a camel train at sunset. (Credit: C J Maddock)

    When you’re ready to explore, carve a path along the Minyirr Park Trail – a gentle 1.5-2km track through coastal bushland with spectacular views of the dunes. Refuel at the nearby Spinifex Brewery for lunch with its low-key, outdoor beer garden. There’s even an outdoor playground if you’re travelling with young humans.

    Walk off your lazy lunch by watching (or joining) one of the beach soccer or volleyball games, or even try Silent Beats Broome – a silent walking disco through the dunes. Or book a spot on the famous camel trains, watching the sun drop below the horizon along the way. They’re a constant reminder of the fascinating history, landscape and cultural mix in this part of the country.

    Evening degustation

    server at Cable Beach Club
    Stop into the Cable Beach Club. (Credit: Tourism WA)

    As the day closes, watch the world-famous Cable Beach sunset from the appropriately named Sunset Grill at Cable Beach Club. This open-air terraced dining spot overlooking the beach is the kind of place where the view takes centre stage.

    While you sip on a lychee, lime & lemonade mocktail or a local beer, enjoy the bustle of life and nature outside as the day comes to an end.

    For dinner, nab a table at the Bali Hai Cafe, where they offer pan-fried crispy barramundi, Abrolhos Island scallops and deep-sea snow crab. When you’re ready for bed, check in to Pinctada Hotel Broome – a lush, tropical resort with palm-dotted gardens and a large, lagoon-style pool to cool off in.

    Beyond the beach

    Beyond the wide, open beach and never-ending sky of Cable Beach, there are many more reasons to visit North West Australia. These are just a few.

    Unmatched experiences

    Shinju Matsuri Festival's popular Long Table Dinner on cable beach
    Join Shinju Matsuri Festival’s popular Long Table Dinner. (Credit: Tourism WA)

    Engage with the history of the land and its people on an Indigenous cultural tour exploring everything from the local wildlife to the tastes of bush tucker. To understand the importance of pearling to this town, take a tour of Chinatown, or head outside of town to the live pearl harvests at Willie Creek or Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm, one of Australia’s oldest pearl farms.

    Learn why Japanese pearlers were central to Broome’s pearling success and visit the largest Japanese cemetery in Australia, where 900 Japanese pearlers were buried – a testament to the risks and rewards of this dangerous profession.

    And book ahead every spring for when communal tables, freshly cooked local fare and festoon lighting fill the beach for the extremely popular Long Table Dinner on Cable Beach. It’s a highlight of the Shinju Matsuri Festival, along with the Floating Lanterns Matsuri, where you can personalise a lantern and gently release it into the sea to honour those you love.

    Dining discoveries

    Matso’s Broome Brewery
    Settle in for Matso’s famous ginger or mango beer. (Credit: Tourism WA)

    Further your culinary adventure at the laid-back Sunday Sesh at Matso’s Broome Brewery. Chow down on smoked crocodile or Aussie barramundi while kicking back to a local DJ as the heat of the day fades.

    For more tunes, the beautiful outdoor Bay Club at the Mangrove Hotel is a great choice for dinner with live music, DJs or an event that stretches on into the early hours. Still hungry? Pop by Johnny Sausage for Italian-influenced meals paired with impeccable wines.

    Natural beauties

    Gantheaume Point cabnle beach broome
    Experience the striking colours of Gantheaume Point. (Credit: Tourism WA)

    Avoid the crowds and head to Town Beach for a quieter vantage point to see the phenomenal Staircase to the Moon – a natural illusion where the rising full moon is reflected on the tidal flats, creating a shimmering ‘staircase’ stretching up to the sky.

    Just south of Cable Beach are the deep red cliffs and dramatic ocean views of Gantheaume Point, where 130-million-year-old dinosaur footprints can be seen, revealed at low tide. Or head to Roebuck Bay to visit the internationally significant wetlands, where vast tidal flats are home to shorebirds and coastal fauna.

    Between October and March, watch turtles nesting and hatchlings emerge from the sand. You’ll be holding your breath as they make their way down to the shoreline, ready to start their life in one of Australia’s most beautiful landscapes.

    For more on Cable Beach and Australia’s North West, visit australiasnorthwest.com.