Sal's Pasta Deli

The distinct arched brick facade isn’t the only thing that draws you into Sal’s Pasta Deli, a delicatessen and cafe on the quaint Napoleon Street in Cottesloe. There are also the smells of crunchy porchetta, fresh fettucini and tomato sugo; as well as the sounds of Andrea Bocelli carrying out onto the shopping strip.

Sal's does feel like a corner of Italy in Cottesloe, and there's good reason why. Founder and chef Paul “Sal” Salmeri spent eight years cooking throughout Italy, before doing a two-year stint at London’s The River Café (where he worked exclusively on pasta). He returned to Perth in 2014 and opened his namesake deli in 2018, continuing his devotion to fresh pasta and seasonal Italian fare.

Pasta is made fresh each morning, using flour that comes from a third-generation family mill in the foothills of Piedmont, Italy. In the front cabinet you might see pappardelle, rigatoni, casarecce and tortellini, plus gluten-free options.

While pasta may be the main event, it’s not the only specialty. The crowd favourite Pinsa romana (a Roman-style ovular-shaped pizza) might be topped with mortadella, stracciatella, pistachio and fennel; or smoked eggplant, burrata and basil. While baguettes might be filled with pesto, tomato and mozzarella; sliced deli meats; or crunchy porchetta. There are also pre-prepared meals, which you can order ahead or take from the fridge, including lasagne and eggplant parmigiana.

If you want to recreate Sal's at home there are Italian pantry items and local produce from southwest WA, which is displayed casually in boxes near the open kitchen. Or if you’d prefer to stick around, you can perch at a table out front and enjoy an espresso and sandwich for lunch.