Grandma always said breakfast was the most important meal of the day, but there is no reason why you should be limited to boring cereal and toast.
Over the past few years I have visited over forty restaurants across the city in search for Perth's best breakfast.
Pancakes with vanilla cream at Gordon Street Garage
Part 1 covers my journey to try breakfasts north of the river and in the central/city suburbs, and you can read Part II to find the best breakfasts south of the river and in the western suburbs.
Click on the titles to be taken to a full review of each restaurant.
CITY OR CENTRAL
Sweetcorn fritters at Blake St Cafe
Blake Street Café – I fell in love with Blake Street during its night time incarnation as No4 Blake Street, and returned in the daylight to see if it was still beautiful. It was. By day, the quality and imagination of the food is no less, but service is a bit cheekier and the room a bit more casual. Try the sweet corn fritters. Recommended.
Open Tues to Sun from 7am at 4 Blake Street, North Perth
Website:
www.no4blakestreet.com.au
Sweetcorn pancakes with guacamole at Gordon Street Garage
Gordon Street Garage – run by one of the best foodie teams in Perth, how could Gordon Street Garage not be a success. It is uber cool, but it seems effortless from the clued-in staff to the vintage enamel water jugs. The menu is inspired and even the more 'normal' sounding dishes have one or two unexpected ingredients. GSG don't take bookings and it is very popular, but the space is huge and worth waiting for if need be. Recommended
Open daily from 7.30am at 16 Gordon Street, West Perth
Website:
www.gsgarage.com.au
Pancakes at Carillon – Located in the heart of the Carillon Arcade in the city, Pancakes has been around forever. Some may consider it gimmiky, but if you love your pancakes, then this place is your ideal breakfast destination – it offers all the standard breakfast options – but with pancakes instead of toast.
Open daily from 9am at Level 1, Carillon Arcade (Hay Street Mall end) Perth.
Website:
www.pancakesatcarillon.com.au/index.htm
Stickybeaks – in the middle of Kings Park, this family-friendly cafe is popular with West Perth workers as well as kids of all ages. Although the full breakfast menu is only in operation Thursday to Sundays, there is a massive cake cabinet full of calorific goodness always available at this ubiquitous café. Popular with parents due to the massive surrounding playgrounds, Stickybeaks offers good breakfasts, perhaps a tad pricey considering you inevitably bring the whole family. The omelettes are interesting and filling.
Open daily from 8am at the Ivey Watson Playground, Kings Park, off Kings Park Drive
Website:
www.bgpa.wa.gov.au/
Breakfast bruschetta at Tarts
– consistently being voted as one of the best breakfast's in Perth, Tarts is a rambling beast in the quiet back streets of Northbridge. With ultra fresh and tasty ingredients, even the old favourites somehow taste new and exciting. But the menu is also crammed with wonderful new dishes you might never have seen elsewhere. Gluten-intolerant diners are particularly well taken care of. Recommended.
Open daily from 7am at 212 Lake Street, Northbridge
Website:
www.tartscafe.com.au
Salmon miso soup at West End Deli
– I had soup here once for breakfast, full on salmon, spinach, miso and egg soup. It was filling and tasty and quite the strangest breakfast I had ever eaten. There are some great options on the brunch menu, which starts quite normally and then works its way through 'something different' to the 'larder'. It also has the biggest and most inspired list of 'sides' you will ever see and the drinks menu is breath-taking. Perfect for non-traditionalists.
Open Tuesday to Sunday from 7am at 95 Carr St, West Perth
Website:
www.westenddeli.net.au
Zamia – If you can look past the cake cabinet brimming with some pretty decadent looking treats, Zamia has plenty more to offer – a large, breezy space, lake views, accessible parking and located across from the Synergy playground in Kings Park. The menu is pricey, and although the serving sizes are generous, over the years I have found the food inconsistent. Zamia is child-friendly and has a dedicated kids menu, but it is not overrun with children. The breakfast menu includes old favourite such as Eggs Benedict plus newcomers such as homemade baked beans with chorizo, egg and feta.
Open daily from 8.00am on May Drive, Kings Park
Website:
www.zamiacafe.com.au
NORTH OF THE RIVER
Amaretto – Located in Osborne Park, Amaretto is consistent and accessible. Its breakfast menu will not blow your mind, on the contrary it's really quite limited but it is still one of the few places reviewed that offer a glass of champagne with breakfast, which certainly scores it some points (even if it's Omni for $7 a glass). Prices are reasonable, service is friendly and serving sizes are generous.
Open daily from 8.00am at Shop 1, 221 Main Street Osborne Park.
Website:
www.caffeamaretto.com.au/
Bada Bing – overlooking beautiful Jackadder lake in Woodlands, Baba Bing is one of those all day cafes where you could easily spend half the day eating and enjoying the space. The breakfast menu is amped up on weekends with some special dishes you won't see during the week, but there are a few interesting options, and if that fails, it has one of the most spectacular cake displays in the West.
Open daily from 8.30am (8am on weekends) at 84 Rosewood Ave, Woodlands.
Website:
badabingcafe.com.au/
Fine bone china at Chapels on Whatley
– despite its very British sounding name, Chapels actually has many Asian influences which show up in the antique shop out back, the exotic décor, and the menu. Although it has some mixed messages such as serving toast with its Asian meals, the meals are tasty, and if you are a tea lover, then you will enjoy the stunning fine bone china tea pots and cups.
Open daily except Tuesday from 8am at 196 Whatley Crescent, Maylands
Website:
chapelsonwhatley.com.au/
Pancakes at Globe Coffee House
– a small and unassuming café in Mount Lawley probably punches above it weight, especially in its attention to vegetarians. So many items on its breakfast menu have no trace of meat, but it's not at all missed. Massive pancakes and friendly staff.
Open daily from 6.30am (7am on Sundays) at 672 Beaufort St, Mt Lawley
Website:
www.globemtlawley.com.au
Hobart Street Deli – Located in North Perth, the Hobart Street Deli is small but packs a punch. It has an intriguing and constantly changing menu with unusual offerings such as haloumi and potato cakes with beetroot pesto. Opposite a park, it is perfect for families and dog-walkers.
Open daily from 7am at 45 Hobart Street, North Perth
Wholoemeal donut and toffee apple custard at Miss Kittys Saloon
Miss Kittys Saloon – yee haw. It's weird, it's wonderful. It looks like a junk shop and there's oysters on the breakfast menu. The menu has to be seen to be believed, and there are things on there you never would have expected to eat before noon. It's crazy delicious. Try the wholemeal donut. Recommended.
Open on weekends from 8.27am at 882 Beaufort St, Inglewood
Mrs S – located in the hot spot of Maylands and with a range of crowd pleasing dishes and some of the best savoury muffins in Perth, Mrs S is a bit like visiting your Grandma's place, if Grandma was a rock star. The menu's are pegged inside Little Golden Books and there is a big communal table if you're the chatty friendly type. Apparently the cornbread is a must try.
Open weekdays (except Monday) from 7am and weekends from 8am at 178 Whatley Crescent, Maylands
Website:
www.mrsscafe.com.au
New Norcia Bakery – as you would expect from one of the New Norcia bakeries (there are few around Perth) bread features heavily on the menu. While some of the other elements of the meals can be a little lacklustre, the breads make up for it with their quality. Tasty and generous. A Carb lover's heaven.
Open daily from 7am at 163a Scarborough Beach Road, Mt Hawthorn
Website:
www.newnorciabaker.com.au/
Potato croquette at Sayers
Sayers – Sayers is one of those places people like to keep secret, but can't help bragging about. If you are lucky enough to get a table on a weekend (it is pretty small) you are guaranteed to be the envy of all the unlucky punters stuck waiting outside. The breakfast menu drips with unusual and appealing options such as maple and cumin sweet potato crepes, or lemon custard filled saffron doughnuts or perhaps smoked spec and parmesan croquettes. Who cares about price when the flavours are so good? Recommended
Open Monday-Saturday for breakfast from 7am at 224 Carr Place, Leederville
Website:
www.sayersfood.com.au/
Toscaninis – Located near the sapphire waters of Hillarys Boat Harbour, Toscanini's is one of many dining options in the northern marina. Although the cake cabinet may prove more tempting, there are a number of standard breakfast options, including the pricey and probably heart-stopping Belly Buster full breakfast. A sweeter and cheaper option may be the variety of pancakes on offer. Okay.
Open from 7am daily at Shop 53, 39 Southside Drive, Hillarys (south side of Marina)
Website:
www.toscaninis.com.au/
Shakshuka at Voyage Kitchen
– Just south of Hillarys Marina, Voyage faces the open expanse of the Indian Ocean, although West Coast Highway and the coastal shrubbery prevents actual water views. It doesn't matter though, because the food is more than worthy of your attention. Inspired by exotic and far-flung destinations such as France, Africa and the Mediterranean, the breakfast menu has unusual offerings that change regularly, although you can easily order a more standard breakfast by combining options from the 'extras' menu. Small and very popular with the locals, Voyage is worthy of being a destination of its own, and you can also enjoy a Mimosa, Bloody Mary or champagne with your brekky. Recommended.
Open daily from 6.30am at 128 West Coast Drive, Sorrento
Website:
www.voyagekitchen.com.au/
Wild Fig Café – one of three 'Figs' the Wild Fig Café at Scarborough is a kooky place with artificial grass on the walls and lamp shades made out of old bean tins. Good thing the food is amazing. It may not have the most generous serving sizes but the quality is excellent and there are some out-of-left-field options such as Eggs on Fire with jalapeno chillis. Directly across from Scarborough Beach the Café is extremely popular on weekends, so utilising their online booking system may be prudent.
Open daily from 6.30am at Cnr Brighton Rd and The Esplanade, Scarborough
Website:
www.thefig.com.au/
