5 Tastes of Fremantle

Get your mouth around some classic Fremantle flavours! If Fremantle had a flavour, it would be… too hard to pick. But in the city where eating and drinking is a favoured pastime, some tastes are quintessentially Freo.

1. Coffee

Of course. And it’s everywhere in Freo, from the stalwart on the cappuccino strip, Gino’s, to the speciality roasts at Hush to the hole in the wall that’s Blink. Caffeine is the fuel on which everybody seems to run, be it as a flat white or a cold brew. If you’re looking to try somewhere new, duck down Bannister Street to the upstairs eyrie at Good Things. You get a side of local quirk with your coffee at Kerfuffle in South Fremantle, and local art to boot. Inspired to take some beans home and recreate the feeling of a Freo morning? Stop in at Roasting Warehouse for a bag roasted on site.

2. Pastry

Bakeries abound in Fremantle, and there’s nothing like a sugar-dusted morning bun, croissant or éclair to put a weekend feel in your day. Culley’s has been at it for decades, baking honest 1950s flavour into their modern day goods. Also famous: the cinnamon scrolls at Little Loaf. And don’t go past the escargot – or savoury treats if it’s lunch time – at Wild Bakery.

3. Pasta & Pizza

The garlic-scented trail wafting through Fremantle? That’s the Italian heritage infusing so many eateries. The Capri, with its home-style dining room and complimentary soups, has been turning out traditional Italian fare since the 50s. Likewise Nunzio's, a more upmarket version with consistently great food. On the strip, head upstairs to La Sosta for excellent homemade pasta. It’ll be a toss-up between pizza and other Italian staples at reliable favourites Ruoccos, Sandrino and Pizza Bella Roma. But you simply must have gnocchi at the little family-run gem, Parlapa.

4. Beer

Lotta pubs, lotta beer. An added bonus for beer lovers is that Fremantle is home to several places brewing their own on site. Take the new Gage Roads Freo, where the beers on tap come with an added local flavour – views of the famous port cranes. Little Creatures remains a favourite on the harbour, and Running With Thieves makes its brews just metres from South Beach. If it’s a more cave-like vibe you’re seeking, you should find something suitable from the 32 beers on tap downstairs at Old Faithful.

5. Fish and Chips

It’s a classic portside flavour, and a meal of fish and chips is a great leveller. Get the traditional hake and chips at South Beach Fish and Chips and head for the grass, or take your seafood with harbour views at Cicerello's, Joe’s Fish Shack or Kailis. Around the corner, Twin Fin is serving the Bathers Beach crowd. Further south, try the fish tacos at Sealane's Seafood Market, the popular adjunct to the long standing fishmonger next door. And Clancy’s Fish Pub will always oblige with a bowl of battered goodness to enjoy with a beer al fresco.

More naughty eateries

Discover more flavours of Freo at cafes, restaurants, traditional Aussie pubs, and gourmet producers and provedores.

Image: Sandrino's, Cappuccino Strip, Downtown. Credit: Jessica Wyld