City of culinary culture

However, the owner of The Flour Factory, Luxe Bar and Varnish on King said it was not always that way.

‘It was hotels with lobby bars and a couple of stifling white linen-style restaurants,’ Mr Freeman said.

‘Now it’s much more fun, there is much more flavour and more attraction for the younger market.’

One such attraction is the much-anticipated annual food and beverage festival Eat Drink Perth, which starts tomorrow.

Perth’s first ever Night Noodle Market will officially open the festival, followed by a smorgasbord of events, including the addition of a dessert garden to the Friday night Twilight Hawkers Market, Yum Cha in the Park, locally grown produce market Perth Home Grown and the new free Healthy Food Theatre.

Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi said food culture had expanded enormously in recent years and the City wanted to cater to the craving.

‘The City invests more than $200,000 in Eat Drink Perth to showcase existing and new city food and beverage businesses, and to ensure there are many events that are free for all ages to attend,’ Ms Scaffidi said.

Eat Drink Perth ambassador Scott Taylor said the City’s investment had helped make Perth’s restaurant scene what it is today.

‘It used to be big corporations running the joint, it was fairly formulaic and there was not that level of love you feel when you walk into, say, one of Andy’s venues where the guys who are totally invested in the product are here,’ the owner of The Trustee and Beaufort Street Merchant said.

‘Andy and I get to create what we are passionate about and invite customers in like you do into your house and share that passion with them, instead of us being a staff member and you being a customer. These kinds of restaurants and events help to blur those lines.’