Wildflower Review: A Fine Dining Experience Celebrating Wa’s Flavours

Perched on the rooftop of one of the country’s top luxury hotels, Wildflower has lofty standards to live up to.

As the fine-dining venue of The State Buildings precinct – one of Perth’s best hotels and highly regarded as Perth’s ultimate luxury venue – expectations for Wildflower have always been high.

Add to that the A-team behind the scenes, including property developer Adrian Fini (the genius behind breathing new life into the precinct) who has an OAM and Western Australian of the Year award to his name for his contribution to Perth’s culture; Director of Food & Beverage Robbie McGowan, who comes from the ultimate hospitality pedigree including Matt Moran’s Aria and Peter Gilmore’s Quay in Sydney; wine aficionado and award-winning Emma Farrelly as Group Sommelier; and Head Chef Paul Wilson, who has worked everywhere from Copenhagen to Fiji, and even cooked for Oprah Winfrey.

All that to say – does Wildflower live up to the hype?

Location

Wildflower is located on the rooftop of COMO The Treasury within The State Buildings precinct, which is a collection of three interconnected heritage buildings in the heart of the CBD.

The buildings have a rich history spanning over 140 years, where they served various functions from a Post Office and Police cellblock to WA’s Treasury and office of the Premier and Cabinet.

the COMO The Treasury exterior — COMO The Treasury is home to Wildflower Restaurant.

After being vacant for many years, the State Buildings have been meticulously restored and reimagined by Adrian Fini as a vibrant luxury precinct. Today, they house a mix of lavish accommodations, bars, cafes and fine dining restaurants – the fairest of all being Wildflower.

the rooftop dining at Wildflower Restaurant — Head on up to the rooftop and dine in style.

Style and character

Wildflower capitalises on its sublime location with its floor-to-ceiling windows that flaunt sprawling views of Perth City and Swan River. As you expect from a fine dining venue, the restaurant sashays between refined elegance and contemporary charm.

The white polished marble floors are offset by deeply-hued velvet chairs, a rich oak arch that frames the chef’s pass, and murals of native trees that blanket the walls – no doubt serving as a nod to the local seasonal produce that informs the menu.

Wildflower is without a doubt the finest of dining, so the clientele is expectedly diverse – from business professionals and couples celebrating special occasions, to food enthusiasts and well-heeled locals who appreciate the restaurant’s commitment to showcasing the best of regional produce.

the contemporary interior of Wildflower Restaurant — The dining interior is contemporary in design.

Food

The food at Wildflower is a celebration of Western Australia’s rich heritage and seasonal produce, guided by the Indigenous Noongar calendar of six seasons.

Each season – Birak, Bunuru, Djeran, Makuru, Djilba, and Kambarang – brings different local ingredients and flavours, which are reflected in the food served.

a bowl of chocolate with river mint, yoghurt and mandarin at Wildflower Restaurant — Delight in chocolate with river mint, yoghurt and mandarin.

Expect dishes like line-caught snapper with native ginger, lemongrass and curry myrtle; Wagin duck with apricot, jarrah honey and lime; and south-west lamb with native salsa verde, celeriac and bush tomato.

Manjimup Marron dish, Wildflower Restaurant — Manjimup marron with pumpkin, curry leaf and nasturtium.

Diners choose from a four, six or eight-course tasting menu, with the option of a champagne and sparkling, wine pairing or a non-alcoholic drinks pairing. The restaurant also offers vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.

Whichever dining option you choose, don’t just expect food – expect a culinary journey that includes beautifully plated courses, each telling a story of the land and its bounty.

Drinks

Emma Farrelly is highly regarded in Australia’s wine circles for good reason – her taste and expertise are simply impeccable. The wine list at Wildflower is extraordinary, with all wines on the menu a true statement of the land in which they were grown and are sustainably produced, with integrity and respect.

The champagne and sparkling pairing is, unsurprisingly, predominantly French, while the wine pairing is a real global journey – all the way from Portugal and Japan to Margaret River and the Adelaide Hills. The restaurant also offers classic and seasonal cocktails, beers and local and international spirits.

a cocktail with hand-carved artisanal ice — Sip on an exquisitely crafted cocktail with hand-carved artisanal ice.

As fun as it is to peruse the seemingly endless wine list, we suggest relinquishing your right to decisions and leaving everything up to Emma by way of getting the degustation with wine pairing. The staff will bring each new drop to the table, explain how it pairs perfectly with the next dish, and leave you to enjoy.

a glass of Lemon Aspen Spitz, Wildflower Restaurant — Lemon Aspen Spitz pairs well with the Manjimup marron.

Service

The service at Wildflower is without a doubt superb. The waitstaff are attentive without being overbearing, professional without being pompous, and are only too happy to offer their advice – when asked – on food and wine selections. They quite literally personify hospitality, in the finest, most decadent way. You’d be hard-pressed to find another restaurant in Perth delivering this kind of top-tier service.

Access for guests with disabilities

Wildflower has an elevator to ensure accessibility for all guests, and the dining area is spacious enough to allow for extra space if required.

Family-friendly?

Wildflower is fine dining and the price tag reflects that – so if you have little ones in tow, it might be worth organising a babysitter so you don’t have to shell out for small humans who would prefer chips and toast anyway.

Details

Address: Wildflower, 1 Cathedral Avenue, Perth

Cost: Mains hover around $48, entrées $33, sides $14 and desserts $24. Cocktails are $20–$28, and wines by the glass range from $15 all the way up to $50.

Discover the best restaurants in Perth

WA might be enormous, but the right insider knowledge brings its mysteries a whole lot closer.

“Western Australia is a land of record-breakers,” says Carolyn Tipper, a Travel Director working on AAT Kings Western Australia tours. “It has the second-longest fault line, the second-largest meteorite crater, the second-fastest flowing river—it just keeps surprising you. And every area has its charm.”

From tropics to deserts, Australia’s largest state is a land of extremes. You can’t see all of Western Australia in a lifetime, but with the right guide, you can discover its hidden pockets of magic.

Carolyn wishes to reach her guests’ hearts. “I want them to enjoy and be in awe,” she says. “I want them to have the holiday of a lifetime.”

1. Mimbi Caves

You wouldn’t expect a Great Barrier Reef in the outback – but that’s what you’ll find at Mimbi Caves. Once part of a 350-million-year-old reef, these caves hold marine fossils, ancient Indigenous rock art, and Dreamtime stories shared by a Gooniyandi guide.

“That’s when the real connection happens,” says Carolyn, who has taken guests through on the AAT Kings Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour . “When guests connect, not just with the land, but with the people who have called it home for tens of thousands of years.”

Eye-level view of traveller exploring Mimbi Caves. — Walk through ancient limestone passages. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

2. Kalbarri National Park

Nothing prepares you for the Kalbarri Skywalk: a 25-metre platform jutting over Murchison Gorge, 100 metres above the red cliffs and river below. From July to October, join the AAT Kings Untamed Pilbara and West Coast tour to see over 1000 wildflower species paint the park, and listen as an Indigenous guide shares their uses, bush foods and medicine plants.

“I want our guests to have an emotional experience,” says Carolyn. “It’s not just about seeing the land, it’s about stepping into the stories.”

An aerial view of the Kalbarri Skywalk, one of the secret places in Western Australia, with visitors on the edge. — Stand on the Kalbarri Skywalk in Western Australia. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

3. Hamelin Bay Wines

Margaret River isn’t just a top wine region – it’s a winner in every category. Where the Indian and Southern Oceans collide, granite cliffs rise, limestone caves sprawl and Karri forests tower. It almost distracts from the world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

Almost.

Out of over 100 cellar doors, AAT Kings pick Hamelin Bay Wines as a favourite. Hosted tastings of small-batch wines on the Western Wonderland tour end with a group meal. The menu shifting with the seasons.

“Get off the beaten track to one of WA’s most relaxed venues for some amazing red and white signature wines,” explains Carolyn, “accompanied with upmarket pub food.”

Spectacular views.

A person raising a glass of Chardonnay against a glowing Western Australia sunset. — Sip world-class wines at Hamelin Bay in Western Australia. (Image: Getty)

4. Wildflower Guided Walk, Kings Park

Western Australia is home to 12,000 native plant species – 3000 bloom in Kings Park’s Botanic Garden. Stroll past Kangaroo Paw, Banksia and blooms from the Goldfields, Stirling Ranges and Kimberley. “The diversity of Western Australia is immense,” says Carolyn, who leads guests through on the South Western Escape tour .

Couple enjoying the view from the Lotterywest Federation walkway at Kings Park and Botanical Garden. — Wander among thousands of native plant species. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

5. Hoochery Distillery

Did you know that between Kununurra and Emma Gorge lies the state’s oldest continuously operating distillery? Well, the oldest legal one. Set on a family farm, Hoochery Distillery was hand-built using materials found on the property, conjuring up award-winning rum from local sugarcane, wet season rainwater and yeast.

Today, visitors can sample a hearty nip of rum, along with whiskies and gins – all crafted using traditional, labour-intensive methods. It’s the ideal way to soak up the ‘spirit’ of the Kimberley on the AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour .

People enjoying a rum tasting at one of the secret places in Western Australia. — Sample award-winning rum. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

6. Geraldton

The wildflowers of the Midwest will make your heart blossom. In Geraldton, the Helen Ansell Art Gallery brings the region’s botanicals to life in vivid colour and intricate detail. In nearby Mullewa, wander bushland trails lined with everlastings and native blooms. Further afield, Coalseam Conservation Park bursts into carpets of pink, white, and yellow each spring. Do it all on the Wildflower Wanderer tour with AAT Kings.

woman walking through Wildflowers, Coalseam Conservation Park — Chase vibrant wildflower trails. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

7. El Questro

Wake up after a night under the stars at Emma Gorge Resort, ready to explore the mighty beauty of the El Questro Wilderness Park. With deep gorges, thermal springs, and cascading waterfalls, time slows here.

Join the AAT Kings’ Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour to drift through Chamberlain Gorge, where sheer sandstone walls glow burnt orange in the sun, archer fish flick at the surface, and rock wallabies peer down from ledges above. Then, step into Zebedee Springs, a secret oasis of warm, crystal-clear pools among prehistoric Livistona palms – a moment of pure, wild stillness.

Emma Gorge Resort at El Questro. — Wake to adventure at Emma Gorge Resort. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

8. Lake Argyle

Once vast cattle country, Lake Argyle now sprawls like an inland sea – Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake, created by the damming of the Ord River. Scattered with over 70 islands, its glassy waters teem with life, like freshwater crocodiles, barramundi, bony bream, sleepy cod and over 240 bird species. That’s nearly a third of Australia’s avian population.

Glide across the lake’s surface on a cruise as part of AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour , where the silence is only broken by the splash of fish and the call of birds. For Carolyn, this place is a perfect example of how WA’s landscapes surprise visitors. “Lake Argyle is a big puddle of water that became a game-changer,” she says. “Seeing it from a boat, coach, and plane is mind-blowing. It puts time, isolation and the sheer scale into perspective.”

Aerial View of Triple J Tours on the Ord River, near Kununurra. — Glide past islands on Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake. (Image: Western Australia)

Discover more of Western Australia’s hidden gems and book your tour at aatkings.com.

A fine dining experience celebrating WA’s flavours