There’s a lot of water in Mandurah – Western Australia’s largest regional city that’s famous for its beaches and sprawling Peel-Harvey estuary. Of course, that’s not all it has going for it.
From the canals, to the foreshore, to this hit-list of local eating and drinking options, Mandurah offers visitors and locals myriad ways to enjoy life on the water.
EAT
Redmanna
Come for the waterfront views, stay for chef Jason Hutchen’s cooking. While the menu brings together elements of Europe (ratatouille gnocchi, say) and Asia (that’d be the Thai-style yellow curry or the Korean beef salad), Redmanna is a restaurant that pretty much demands seafood dining, and so it is with tempura fish and chips, towering seafood platters and local crays available in classic mornay or thermidor sauce. For something a little more casual, consider Hutchen and wife Brittney’s second venue, the seven-day The Bridge Garden Bar & Restaurant.
Lily Paris
France comes to the Dolphin Quay precinct at Mandurah Ocean Marina via this cafe specialising in handmade sweets and pastries. In addition to classic French
Viennoiserie including croissants, escargot and pains aux raisins, team Lily Paris also does a healthy trade in macarons. The sweet stuff aside, this cafe also serves toasties and coffee, making it an option for breakfast and brunch.
Pinjarra French Hot Bread Shop
A good bakery is a thing of gluten-based beauty, especially when it does all the childhood favourites including lamingtons, custard tarts and vanilla slices. The pie selection adheres to similarly classic lines and features steak and kidney, and bacon and egg fillings. But what sets Pinjarra French Hot Bread Shopfrom other bakeries in the region is its selection of pan-Asian comfort dishes including fried rice, rice paper rolls and a crisp pork belly banh mi to be reckoned with.
DRINK
The Peninsula Bar & Restaurant
Known locally as The Pen, this spot combines a broad drinks menu with a waterfront location next to the foreshore. Tap and packaged beer selections cover everything from revered craft producers, such as Feral and Pirate Life, to all the big multinationals. The wine selection is equally diverse with West Australian winemakers and different wine styles well represented. Contemporary pub snacks (cheeseburgers, spiced roasted cauliflower, baked brie with ciabatta) round off a likeable seven-day operation.
Hummingbird Waterside Cafe & Bar
Carly Crouch’s foreshore cafe has something for everyone. Some come to Hummingbird for, naturally, coffee and tea. Others come for smoothies and juices, while the offer of a tap beer or wine tempts alongside the water views. In addition to the drinks, a menu of cafe classics and sandwiches also warrants consideration. A dedicated plant-based spin-off two doors down from the original has the needs of vegans covered.
Three Rivers
There are glossier breweries around, certainly, but Three Rivers Brewing Company’s easy-going approach to beer has plenty of local support. In the glass, it’s all about unfiltered, no-additive interpretations of popular British styles: think brown, Irish red ales and English special bitters. The brewing process is a study in sustainable practices, from the use of upcycled farm equipment and repurposed dairy tanks, to spent grain being turned into stock feed and hops being used as mulch.
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