Top stops? Try a crème brulee coffee from Coffee Connection, accompanied by a European-style doughnut from Levi's. For lunch, head to Fluffy Lamb for mouth-watering Indonesian fare, and finish up with a waffle cone from Muffle. Trust me, it's worth the calorie count.
Then it was on to the sweep of colonial architecture flanking High Street, Western Australia's oldest street. It's a movie-set-perfect streetscape of richly embellished heritage buildings with ornate iron railings, brimming with independent retailers, fashion designers, artists and inviting venues. Enjoy a thirst-quencher and the convivial post-work ambience of the National Hotel, a grand old watering hole ambitiously revived, at a cost of $7m ten years ago, after falling victim to multiple fires. A trove of 150 buildings enjoy heritage protection. Throughout the city, the passion for heritage preservation is inescapable.
Great eats? Head for Moore & Moore Café, situated in Henry Street. Kitted out with chandeliers, vintage water fridges and cosy nooks, this place oozes urban cool. Exposed limestone walls through the laneway entrance lead you into a large and leafy open courtyard with communal tables. I sampled this fabulous café for brunch, noshing a divine serving of avocado and poached eggs on toast, with greens, tomato salsa and mushrooms. It's feel-good food in a feel-good venue, regularly enlivened by local musicians.
One of Michael's favourites is Bread in Common, with a menu inspired by locally sourced, seasonal produce based all around — you know it — bread. And it's not just garden variety bread, but wood-fired, preservative-free bread. With long communal tables and an open kitchen, it's a seductive venue. Michael confessed he often goes there just to eat their bread and sip coffee, while catching up on work emails.
Like Perth, liquor law changes a decade ago has powered the proliferation of small bars, intimate speak-easies now speckling Fremantle. Strange Company opened back in 2015 and quickly established itself as one of Fremantle's best bars. The interior is an architectural dream—a glass-encased bamboo garden lines the bar area and the rest of the industrial space is studded with eye-catching design features. Head here to sip on a Rum Side Car or familiarise yourself with their extensive wine list and tasty bites, including a lip-smacking tapas menu.
Jungle Bird in Fremantle has brought laid back, beachy vibes to the west end. They specialise in Caribbean delights like jerk chicken with Jamaican rice alongside boutique rums, whiskeys and dark spirits, as well as kick-ass cocktails, craft beers and a few wines. This High Street haunt is just what the Fremantle doctor ordered. Speaking of that fabled wind that delivers sanity-saving ocean breeze respite in the sticky heights of summer, Michael mentioned that many Indian visitors head to Fremantle to feel for real the Fremantle Doctor, that infamous sou'wester wind which has tested many a batsman at the crease of the pitch at the WACA in nearby Perth.
Down at Fishing Boat Harbour, head to Little Creatures, the craft beer king that led the micro-brewery charge over 25 years ago. Stroll over to Bathers Beach House, a popular diner specialising in seafood and share plates. The woodfired pizzas are hard to pass up. If you can, tuck into a seafood platter, stacked with whole reef fish, mussels, marinated octopus, oysters and garlic prawns, and wash it down with an Eagle Bay ale. Grab a spot under an umbrella and watch the sun sink into the Indian Ocean, leaving in its wake a streaky crimson trail.
Down at the port, Gage Roads is giving Little Creatures a run for its money, opening up a massive portside venue in a repurposed warehouse. Grab a pint or a tasting paddle and whistle up a Fremantle lobster roll. Hungrier? Larger plate options include Rottnest Island swordfish schnitzel with caviar bearnaise, Harvey beef striploin or Single Fin battered local fish and chips. The place boasts a variety of seating areas, from the conventional table-service restaurant to the more laid-back lounge, and is a sparkling new venue that is absolutely making a splash.
