Here’s where to get the best coffee in Perth

Kirsty Petrides Kirsty Petrides
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You can’t plan a day of travelling and exploring without first finding your coffee fix.

Melbourne might be renowned for its vibrant coffee culture, but Perth certainly gives it a run for its money. From coffee bars tucked down laneways and arcades, to late-night coffee haunts serving caffeine by candlelight, Perth has some impressive places to get your coffee fix. Here are 15 you have to try.

1. Giant Coffee

Arguably one of the coolest coffee spots to grace this fair city. Perhaps an ironic name given its small size, Giant Coffee is a tiny coffee shop tucked down Kakulas Lane in the hip suburb of Northbridge. A few benches and milk crates line the alleyway for those who’d like to sit and enjoy their coffee.

the cafe exterior of Giant Coffee, Perth
This hole-in-the-wall cafe is one of the coolest coffee spots in the city.

While still a good spot for winter coffee, their summer specials are where it’s at – they do cold brew and orange, and collaborate with local gelaterias for house-special affogatos.

Giant Coffee Perth
Grab one of their signature brews.

Address: Nick’s Lane (off James Street), Northbridge WA

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7am-2pm, Sat & Sun 9am-2pm

2. Max + Sons

If you’re catching the train to Perth CBD, as soon as you emerge from the underground platform you’ll be greeted by Max + Sons. Pair your coffee with one of the delectable sweet treats from their cabinet and take a seat in their alfresco area.

Address: 140 William Street, Perth WA

Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 6.30am-2.30pm, Fri 6.30am-2pm

3. Howard’s Groove

This underground coffee bar provides a quiet sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the busy St Georges Terrace. A full array of hot and cold coffees are on offer, as well as some slick merch that the Howard’s Groove team collaborate on with local designers.

the cafe interior of Howard’s Groove, Perth
Head to Howard’s Groove to enjoy your solitude with a cold brew.

Address: 22 Howard Street, Perth

Opening hours: Mon-Fri, 6.30am-2.30pm

4. Parkside Coffee

This gorgeous little hole-in-the-wall coffee spot is a neighbourhood favourite. Perched on the edge of the lush Stuart Street Reserve, it has coffees, juices and freshly baked treats for you to sit and enjoy in the sunshine. Grab a milk crate, sit down and bask in the Perth sun with your coffee.

Address: 2 Church St, Perth

Opening hours: Mon-Sun 7am-4pm

5. Smooth Operator

Smooth Operator is a specialty coffee shop located in one of Perth city’s beautifully restored character buildings. Their usual brew is local Twin Peaks coffee, but they also feature a carefully selected rotation of guest coffees. Unwind in their relaxing and friendly environment and enjoy your coffee alongside toasties, treats and some very good tunes.

a cup of coffee at Smooth Operator, Perth
Enjoy your usual brew at Smooth Operator.

Address: Shop 4 / 938 Hay St, Perth WA

Opening hours: Mon-Fri, 6.30am-2pm

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6. Little Soho

The light-filled, pastel-hued Little Soho is a treat for the eyes and the taste buds. Their two intimate city locations pour Micrology coffee, plus have pastries, croissants and bagels. The spaces are small so are designed for takeaways but they do have a smattering of streetside tables on the sidewalk to sit with your brew and watch the morning go by.

Address: 182 St Georges Terrace & 555 Wellington Street, Perth WA

Opening hours: Mon-Fri, 6.30am-2pm

7. Mo Espresso

Tucked down the historic Trinity Arcade in the city, Mo Espresso is a teeny yet sophisticated coffee bar. Grab one of their small tables in the arcade and sit down to your coffee and a slice of their melt-in-your-mouth banana bread.

Address: Trinity Arcade, Perth WA

Opening hours: Mon – Fri, 6.30am – 3pm

8. Lowdown Espresso

The bustling Lowdown Espresso is one of Perth’s most popular coffee spots, loved by city-dwelling locals and CBD workers looking to start their day.

a cup of coffee at Lowdown Espresso, Perth
Start the day right with a cup of coffee from Lowdown Espresso.

You can grab a takeaway coffee (and a pastry from their cabinet) and stroll through the city or take a seat at one of their tables.

people lining up to order coffee inside Lowdown Espresso, Perth
Lowdown Espresso is well-loved by the locals in Perth.

Address: Cloisters Arcade, Perth

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 6am-4pm 

9. La Veen Coffee

La Veen now has four locations across Perth (an ode to its popularity) but the King Street venue is a favourite. Its exposed brick and industrial chic vibes make it an atmospheric and inviting place to sit and enjoy your coffee with one of their scrumptious morning treats.

Hot tip: order their famous breakfast brioche, with bacon, egg, spinach, relish and pickles.

Address: 79B King Street, Perth WA

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 6.30am-2pm, Sat & Sun 7.30am-12pm

10. Voodoo Cafe

The team at Voodoo take their coffee very seriously. They create their own roasted blends which you can enjoy in all the usual ways, as well as via a siphon, pour over or cold brew. Plus, they’re one of the few Perth coffee spots open late (until 10pm) for those who enjoy a nighttime coffee – with the dim lighting and candles adding a touch of evening ambience.

a glass of coffee in black background at Voodoo Cafe, Perth
Enjoy a nighttime coffee at Voodoo Cafe.

Address: Raine Square (Wellington Street entrance), Perth WA

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 6am-10pm, Sat & Sun 8am-10pm 

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11. Telegram Coffee

Inside the iconic State Buildings is Telegram Coffee. All the coffee they serve is roasted by the team themselves. It’s a small little set-up – actually like a tiny (but gorgeous) wooden box – but they still manage to have an array of coffee options on offer as well as a small cabinet of baked goods.

Address: State Buildings, Cnr St Georges Tce and Barrack St, Perth WA

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 6am-4pm

12. Cheerio Coffee

In Perth’s west end is Cheerio, a humble little neighbourhood coffee window. It’s a family-run operation, and the team whips up fresh bread and baked goods on site each morning. Everything is designed to takeaway, or enjoy at the long table out the front (if you can nab a seat, that is.)

Address: 50 Cleaver St, West Perth

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 5.30am-12.30pm, Sat 7am-12pm

13. Drip House

Another hole-in-the-wall coffee spot, Drip House’s Perth CBD venue is a popular place for a caffeine hit. The dark wood interior of the small space makes it a cosy spot to sit at one of the (very few) tables and enjoy your brew.

people outside Drip House, Perth
Make a beeline for this quaint coffee spot in Perth.

Address: 772a Hay St, Perth

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7am-2pm

14. Bench Espresso

A stalwart of the Perth coffee scene, Bench is an iconic spot for locals. They bake all of their treats fresh on-site, and have ample seating for those who want to sit and enjoy. Be prepared to wait a little because this popular spot gets busy.

Address: 191/471 Hay Street, Perth

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 6.30am-5pm

15. Standing Room Only Coffee Bar

Down Piccadilly Arcade is this hip coffee bar. If the pink neon signs and 70’s music don’t put you in a good mood, the coffee definitely will. As the name suggests, there is no seating – you stand at the spacious bar and sip your coffee (and nibble your croissant) Italian style.

Address: Piccadilly Arcade, Perth WA

Opening hours: Mon – Fri 6.30am-3pm, Sat 8am-3pm

Discover the best Fremantle cafes to kickstart your day.

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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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Your Mandurah guide: art, dining & dolphins await in WA’s coastal gem

    Monique Ceccato Monique Ceccato
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    Discover the perfect road trip stopover between Perth and wine country.

    Western Australia punches above its weight when it comes to coastal hot spots, but no other town or city has seen a tourism boom quite like Mandurah. Named Australia’s Top Tourism Town in 2023, it’s the relaxed, beachside break you’ve been searching for. And it’s perfectly placed, sitting between Margaret River and Perth, as it’s just a 55-minute drive from Perth’s CBD. Which is why we’ve put together your ultimate Mandurah guide.

    Aerial view of Mandurah.
    Plan your perfect coastal escape to Australia’s Top Tourism Town of 2023.

    The best things to do in Mandurah

    Wetlands and rivers, ocean and inlet; Mandurah’s laid-back lifestyle centres around the aquatic. Its waterways cover twice the ground of Sydney Harbour – measuring some 134 square kilometres in total – and form a unique environment for oceanic and estuarine flora and fauna to thrive.

    In the city’s estuary lives perhaps the region’s most famed inhabitants – a resident pod of 100 bottlenose dolphins – and the inlet’s silty bottom is home to the prized blue manna crab. Spot the former breaching and playing on an hour-long dolphin cruise through the channels, or try your hand at catching the latter by wading through the estuary’s shallows with a scoop net in hand.

    While swimming at the circular Kwillena Gabi Pool, chance encounters with the local wildlife aren’t uncommon. The sheltered estuarine pool takes its name from the traditional custodians of the land, the Bindjareb people, and directly translates to ‘dolphin waters’. Jutting out of the eastern foreshore, it’s enclosed by a ring of net-free floating pontoons, which allow the dolphins to swim freely through the attraction.

    If that’s a little too close for comfort, book a kayak tour with Down Under Discoveries. The dolphins have been known to cruise beside the paddle-powered crafts, which are a fun, family-friendly way to explore the city’s inner waterways.

    Dolphins swimming in Mandurah.
    Watch dolphins glide by as you explore Mandurah.

    You don’t have to be on the water to appreciate the coastal city’s aquatic beauty, with 600 kilometres of cycleways and scenic walking trails traversing Mandurah’s estuary, inlet and coast.

    Follow the 30-kilometre coastal trail and you’ll come face to face with one of Thomas Dambo’s headline-making ‘Giants of Mandurah sculptures, Santi Ikto, along the way. There are five sculptures around Mandurah in total, hidden among gum-filled reserves or sitting sentry over the water.

    Head to the Mandurah Visitor Centre to pick up a map to pinpoint their exact location and download the traveller’s companion to learn more about the sights along the way. Or join a three-hour e-bike tour from The Bike Kiosk and you’ll stop by two of the giants – Santi Ikto and Yaburgurt Winjan Cirkelstone – as you sightsee central Mandurah.

    The towering Santi Ikto, one of Thomas Dambo’s iconic Giants of Mandurah.
    Meet Santi Ikto, one of the legendary Giants of Mandurah.

    Where to eat in Mandurah

    Mandurah’s culinary scene reflects its laid-back lifestyle, with large, honest meals and locally brewed beer. After visiting Lake Clifton’s 2000-year-old thrombolites, head to the peppermint and gum-shaded beer garden at Thorny Devil Brewery. Tuck into a platter of house-smoked meats and an ale pulled fresh from the tanks. Closer to town and right on the waterfront is Boundary Island Brewery; here, woodfired pizza, pub-style seafood dishes and easy-drinking brews are centre stage.

    On a Murray River Lunch Cruise, the focus is as much on the environment around you as the food you’re filling up on. Help yourself to the colourful salads and freshly cooked meats on the buffet as you meander up the winding, jarrah tree-lined waterway, stopping at the heritage Cooper’s Mill for a quick walking tour along the way.

    Keep your eyes trained on the Creery Wetlands as you pass – you’ll spot much of the region’s migratory birdlife, and, as always, might see the playful bottlenose dolphins in the inlet.

    The most memorable meals aren’t necessarily always the fanciest, and lunch aboard a self-skippered Mandurah BBQ Boat is a testament to that. All food and beverage prep is left up to you as you cruise through the canals, sausages and steaks sizzling away on the central hot plate.

    If seafood is more your kind of fare, board the Wild Seafood Experience, where dolphin cruise meets long table lunch. Eight courses of crab, crayfish and scallops await.

    A table filled with plates of crab, crayfish, and scallops.
    Dine on the water with eight courses of ocean-fresh fare.

    Where to stay in Mandurah

    With so many waterways comes abundant waterside stays. Like the self-contained Seashells Mandurah on the shores of Comet Bay. The calm, oceanic outlook from the one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and villas is as close to Maldivian as Mandurah gets. Families especially enjoy the property, bouncing between the protected cove and the beachfront pool for endless hours of fun.

    Seashells Mandurah; on the shores of Comet Bay.
    Stay right by the sea.

    The Sebel Mandurah, just a hop, skip and jump from the Mandurah Ocean Marina, has a different outlook entirely, overlooking the estuary and lively foreshore on the other side. It’s also within walking distance of the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, cinema and a swathe of waterfront bars and eateries.

    But you can’t get any closer to the water than on a vessel from Mandurah Houseboats. You don’t need a skipper’s ticket to hire one, nor do you need comprehensive boating experience; just a full driver’s license and your undivided attention during the pre-departure tuition will do. Then you’re free to take to the estuaries and tributaries for a few nights of peaceful rest, surrounded by the very element that makes Mandurah so special.

    A houseboat cruising in Mandurah along the river
    Captain a houseboat to explore Mandurah at your own pace.

    Plan your next WA getaway in Mandurah.

    Where To Get The Best Coffee In Perth | Australian Traveller