Food spread
Photograph: Supplied | No Mafia
Photograph: Supplied | No Mafia

The best Italian restaurants in Perth

From silky pasta to sugo-topped pizzas, great Italian is ubiquitous in Perth

Danielle Austin
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With its sunny climate and impeccable wine and produce offerings, Perth could lay claim to being Australia’s answer to Italy. It’s no surprise, then, that Perth’s Italian dining scene is rich and extensive. From wine bars offering aperitivo and pizza, to intimate restaurants where you can share pasta over candlelight, you’re guaranteed to be saying saluti to a stellar meal. 

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The best Italian in Perth

  • Italian
  • Wembley

What is it? An Italian wine bar and restaurant with refined plates and tableside pizza delivery.

Why go? For simple yet stylish Italian-inspired plates and a fantastic wine list. Mummucc is the second Italian dinery helmed by the Monsterella pizzeria team, and the experience shows. Here, you get the best of both worlds. A sumptuous menu of Mediterranean dishes, with flashes of Australian influences, plus the added option to order steaming hot Monsterella pizza straight to your table from its location just next door.

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Danielle Austin
Contributor
  • Italian
  • Mount Lawley

What is it? A neighbourhood osteria offering a non-traditional take on Italian food.

Why go? For the charmingly jumbled and ultimately delicious, take on Italian fusion. Testun combines known and loved Italian classics with global influences. Think a confit tomato topped crostino finished with crunchy furikake, or lamb spiedino (skewer) seasoned with Szechuan. The menu is ever-changing, but always creative and inviting of adventure.

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Danielle Austin
Contributor
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  • Italian
  • Highgate

What is it? Open-air bar and restaurant where Perth’s young elite gather over Italian aperitifs and pizza.

Why go? From a seat in Si Paradiso’s main outdoor amphitheatre to the warmth of the sun permeating through the striped umbrellas that cover the tables, it’s easy to get swept up in the Italiana vibes. The venue has become synonymous with great food and equally impressive entertainment, often hosting live music in its courtyard and raucous DJ-led nights in its basement. From the venue set up to the menu featuring share-style dishes, Si Paradiso invites conversation and connection over food. The small plates are fresh and thoughtful, and the pizza comes out hot and with a gorgeously charred crust.

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Danielle Austin
Contributor
  • Italian
  • Perth Central

What is it? Upscale Italian that doesn’t veer far from tradition.

Why go? For a fine dining experience and comfortingly classic Italian flavours. Housed in the very swanky COMO the Treasury hotel, Post Osteria and Bar is a luxe option for a meal out. Despite this, the menu reads as a list of comfort dishes, proving fine dining and wholesome dishes aren’t mutually exclusive. The menu is all about high-quality produce and flavours with mass appeal, and takes cues from all over Italy, from Roman-style amatriciana to Milanese cotoletta. The wine list, fittingly, combines great drops from both Australia and Italy.

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Danielle Austin
Contributor
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  • Italian
  • Subiaco

What is it? A humble local Italian experience and family recipes, with award-winning prestige.

Why go? A well-established Subiaco favourite, Lulu La Delizia dishes up Northern Italian cuisine inspired by the family recipes of chef Joel Valvasori-Pereza. Despite its claim to an extensive list of awards and accolades, the restaurant continues to feel like the best-kept secret of Perth’s in-the-know gourmands. Here, pasta is king, and a short menu allows the team to give each bowl the care and attention it deserves.

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Danielle Austin
Contributor
  • Wine bars
  • Perth Central

What is it? Southern Italian-inspired cuisine in a casual wine bar setting.

Why go? A sizeable antipasti menu offers a perfect way to experience thoughtful flavour pairings and enjoy the social experience of share-style eating. You can’t go wrong with a selection for the table, with burrata and beetroot sharing menu space with heirloom tomato salad and hazelnut pistachio. Fresh pasta is also on offer and the menu leans towards southern Italian specialties, so expect fresh flavour and plenty of seafood. The fit-out is fun and funky, a new take on the eclectic and colourful restaurants found in Italy’s populous coastal towns.

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Danielle Austin
Contributor
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  • Wine bars
  • Perth Central

What is it? Upscale Italian in an inner city location. 

Why go? Embodying Italian cooking traditions that put great produce front and centre, Lalla Rookh is one of the more authentic options for Italian food around Perth. Descending a staircase into the restaurant’s lounge, you’re immediately taken by the sense of intimacy the space inspires. The menu reaches beyond a list of tried and true pasta options, dishing up quail saltimbocca, veal cotoletta and Tuscan-style bistecca alla fiorentina. The gnocchi is a standout, the dumplings consistently light no matter the seasonal sauce accompanying it. 

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Danielle Austin
Contributor
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