Bivouac Bar and Canteen

Fine food and fine art mix at this small but punchy restaurant. Anthony and Amanda Princi devised Bivouac (a temporary campsite where soldiers rest and recuperate) as a meeting point for diners among the hustle and bustle of Northbridge.

Here groups of smartly dressed folks gather to enjoy food and cocktails such as the biting Tom Yum, a whiskey sour built with fresh lemon, chilli saffron syrup and cooling coriander.

The Princis lead a team of fun young waitstaff. It can also help you choose a wine to suit the Middle Eastern-inspired offerings.

Be sure to ask what the “secret menu” dish is for the day. Direct contact with West Australian farms means Bivouac creates some of Perth’s most unusual dishes, such as Gingin goat chops and wild-caught Great Sandy Desert camel fillet. Flavours are balanced and fresh. Care is also taken in presentation.

The restaurant champions local artists with one of its walls serving as a rotating showcase of art. Bookings are available for lunch but dinner is on a walk-in basis. If you enjoy yourself, treat the chef to a beer for $5 – it’s listed in the menu.