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Spirits & Style: Top 7 Must-Try Cocktails in Perth
Whether you’re looking for a spot to unwind after a hard day at work, a place to catch up with friends, or a venue for your next party, cocktail bars will always be one of the top places to go to. Luckily, Perth is nowhere near short of those!
From rooftop bars that make you feel on top of the world to mysterious and intimate underground speakeasies, Perth’s cocktail scene has a little bit of everything. Here’s a list of the best cocktail bars in Perth you shouldn’t miss.
Bar Lafayette
Address: Brookfield Place, 125 St Georges Terrace Lower Georges Lane, Perth, WA 6000
Website: https://www.barlafayette.com/
Operating Hours:
Wednesday to Friday: 4:00 PM – Late
Saturday: 6:00 PM – Late
Situated in the heritage-listed Perth Technical School, Bar Lafayette perfectly blends old-school charm and modern swankiness. The bar’s dim lights create a moody ambience that’s just the right amount of mystery.
Unlike other bars that can get too loud, Bar Lafayette keeps their music just loud enough to set a mood, making it an ideal place to go to if you want some great-tasting cocktails and long conversations with your friends.
Their menu boasts a long list of artisanal cocktails, with Old Fashioned, Nuts & Berries, and Dark Berry Smash being the top favourites of patrons. Their cocktails cost around $20 to $38, a bit pricey compared to others but very much worth it.
Pro Tip: Bar Lafayette hosts live music at the bar’s alfresco space every Thursday to Saturday, so those days can be the best time to bring a date over.
Foxtrot Unicorn
Address: The Western Australian Club, Basement, 101 St Georges Terrace, Perth, WA 6018
Website: https://www.foxtrotunicorn.com/
Operating Hours:
Monday to Thursday: 4:00 PM to 12:00 AM
Friday to Saturday: 5:00 PM to 1:00 AM
Foxtrot Unicorn serves some of Perth’s best classic and modern cocktails in a hidden and unsuspecting location—a former bank vault built in 1887. Home to some of Perth’s top bartenders, the bar is a go-to place for many cocktail enthusiasts in the city.
The bar is a jarrah-clad haven brimming with up-cycled materials and vintage furniture, giving it a fancy and sophisticated look. The dim lighting and chill music playing inside make it the perfect place to relax after a long, stressful day at work.
The bar’s cocktail menu has five different categories: Highballs, Vintage, Native, Classics, and No & Low. Although every drink tastes fantastic, the Native category, especially the East Maui Hold Up, is really the one that will keep you coming back.
Pro Tip: Foxtrot also serves some of the best whiskey sours in West Australia, so check them out if you’re also a fan of them. Get the New York and Pisco sours if you’re unsure what to order, as they’re sure to make your stay worth it.
Mechanics Institute
Address: REAR/222 William St, Northbridge, WA 6000
Website: https://mechanicsinstitutebar.com.au/
Operating Hours:
Tuesday to Thursday: 4:00 PM to Late
Friday: 2:00 PM to 12:00 AM
Saturday: 12:00 PM to 12:00 AM
Sunday: 3:00 PM to 12:00 AM
Mechanics Institute’s regularly changing cocktail list might just be one of the biggest reasons the bar won the WA Cocktail Bar of the Year 2023 award. The bartenders can even go off the menu and make the drink you want!
This split-level bar offers a good glimpse of Perth’s beautiful skyline, perfect for those who want an urban and laid-back atmosphere for their hangout with friends. The bartenders are fun and friendly, always willing to chat with patrons who came alone.
The best part about this bar besides their cocktails? You can order burgers from the bar, and they will be delivered straight to your table all the way from the burger joint downstairs!
Pro Tip: The bar has one of the best Bloody Marys in the country, so don’t leave the place without trying it! The house’s unchanging Hillbilly Bob’s Ruckus Juice is another bestseller that you’d surely love.
Sneaky Tony’s
Address: 38 Roe St, Northbridge, WA 6003
Website: https://www.lavishhabits.com.au/venues/sneaky-tonys/
Operating Hours:
Monday to Thursday: 5:00 PM to 11:45 PM
Friday to Saturday: 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM
Sunday: 5:00 PM to 11:45 PM
Named after Anthony Cornero, aka “Tony the Hat,” a rum-runner who smuggled 1,000 cases of rum from various countries to the US during Prohibition, Sneaky Tony boasts the biggest rum selection for any bar in Australia, with over 300 bottles to choose from.
If you’re a big fan of rum-based cocktails, this is the place you’d want to be in Perth. The bartenders make banging cocktails that you would’ve never imagined or tried before using rums from all over the world.
It can be pretty hard to find, though, since it doesn’t have any markings and is meant to be hidden somewhere in Chinatown. Look for a steel door on a graffiti-surrounded abandoned building and a long line of people, and that should be it.
Pro Tip: They require a password every Friday and Saturday night, which they’ll publish on their Facebook and Instagram pages. Make sure to check their pages at around 3 PM before going to have the password ready.
Varnish on King
Address: 75 King St, Perth, WA 6000
Website: https://sneakersandjeans.com.au/pages/varnish
Operating Hours:
Monday to Thursday: 4:00 PM to 1:00 AM
Friday: 12:00 PM to 2:00 AM
Saturday: 4:00 PM to 2:00 AM
Famous for its extensive selection of American-style whiskey and bourbon, Varnish on King has gained a reputation for offering a high-quality range of spirits. While whiskey is the bar’s highlight, it’s also celebrated for its expertly crafted cocktails.
With knowledgeable and friendly staff, it’s easy to find a cocktail that would suit your taste with just a bit of conversation. Pair up the bar’s amazing cocktails with their mouth-watering four-style bacon, and you’re sure to have a blast.
The place boasts a stylish brick-exposed aesthetic and welcoming ambience that provides a relaxed setting for patrons who want to wind down from work or have a chill date night with their lovers.
Pro Tip: Don’t be pressured to try their whiskey cocktails if they’re not your cup of tea because they have more delectable spirits to offer. Just ask the bartenders to make your favourite cocktail, and they’ll be more than happy to make it for you!
Bobeche
Address: Royal Insurance Buildings, Basement, 131 St Georges Tce, Perth, WA 6000
Website: https://www.theheritageperth.com.au/bobeche
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Saturday: 4:00 PM to 12:00 AM
With its dim lighting, red silk curtains, antique furniture, wall paintings, and leather couches, Bobeche gives an intimate, cosy, and calm atmosphere that’s perfect if you’re looking for a first-date venue.
The place has an extensive menu of cocktails with a diverse selection of classic and signature cocktails. They also offer limited edition cocktails that change regularly depending on the bar’s seasonal theme.
Head over to the place at 4:00 PM to enjoy their happy hour that lasts until 6:00 PM. If you get hungry, you can order yummy bar food prepared by the award-winning Heritage Wine Bar or enjoy the bar’s free popcorn.
Pro Tip: Bobeche only accepts card payments, so make sure you have your cards in your wallet and not just cash!
Hadiqa
Address: Top Floor, Hibernian Place, 40 Irwin St, Perth, WA 6000
Website: https://sneakersandjeans.com.au/pages/hadiqa
Operating Hours:
Wednesday and Saturday: 4:00 PM to Late
Thursday and Friday: 12:00 PM to Late
If you’re in search of a place to get the most scrumptious Mediterranean food and luscious cocktails, there’s no better place to be than Hadiqa on the rooftop of Hibernian Place down Irwin Street.
The bar is named after the Arabic word for garden, so its rooftop setting is adorned with lots of greenery. It has a very lively and social atmosphere, making it the ideal spot for a casual get-together with friends or a birthday party with your loved ones.
Not only are the bespoke cocktails a perfect match for their food but they’re also presented in a very stylish way. Some are served in Moroccan tea glasses and decorated with flower petals, while others are in beautiful coupe glasses.
Pro Tip: Hadiqa often hosts events, such as Cocktails on the Terrace, Yin & Gin, and the famous long table wine dinners, so stay in the loop. If you’re lucky, you might be able to catch belly dancers and snake handlers during your visit!
