Though Camberwell is a suburb with plenty of personality, its food offering hasn’t always hit the mark. In 2021, local Italian joint La Perla came about to shake things up and has been serving up pizza pies, tasty drinks and groovy tunes to Camberwell locals ever since.
Former Denton Wine Bar chef Kieran Hoop joined forces with business partners Stefan Moon and David Cooper to make it all happen, bringing together their common passion for music, food and wine to create the now buzzing neighbourhood spot.
It’s the perfect amalgamation of rustic Italian with inner-suburb hip, with an interior that celebrates breezy tones and unpretentious intimacy. The menu is fairly simple but is done well. Snack on pickles, cheeses and cured meats, before diving headfirst into a pizza menu that features both the traditional and the inventive. Expect a margherita with fresh fior di latte and basil, wagyu bresaola with sugo and dressed bitter salad greens, and a pumpkin, pine nut and sage version for the veg lovers among us.
If you’ve got room for dessert after all of that dough, get your hands on a classic tiramisu or a boozy and rich babà cake soaked in liquore della Giamaica. As for drinks, choose from one of the many classic cocktails, a crisp beer or local wine.