Subiaco discovered & rediscovered
What do a pair of red-tailed black cockatoos, an old man smoking a pipe, and a fruit bowl full of pears have in common?
They’re some of the giant murals that greet me when I open the curtains of my ninth-floor premier suite at the Vibe Hotel Subiaco.
A world of street art unfolds before me through one window, while the Perth skyline is visible from the king-size bed. These windows also provide a front-row seat to a dazzling summer thunderstorm.
The hotel opened in late 2020 and maintains a fresh, new hotel feel.
The bright bathroom has a deep soaking bath, double vanity, and a separate toilet and shower, each tucked behind glass privacy doors.
Crowning the hotel is possibly Perth’s most underrated rooftop bar and restaurant, The Storehouse. Stunning sunsets on one side, sparkling city lights on the other, and plenty of seating inside and outside on the wraparound balconies.
The contemporary design uses liberal splashes of gold and full-length windows to create a luxurious and bright space to dine or relax. The dinner menu is concise but well executed with quality produce, such as a 300g Donnybrook pink Angus beef scotch fillet.
After pounding the pavement, the hotel’s rooftop pool is just the spot to cool off and watch the sun set.
A friend asks why I want to stay in Subi, to which I reply: “why wouldn’t I?” Subiaco is back, baby!
It’s three stops and less than 10 minutes to the city by train, has great weekend markets, and is close to major hospitals and the University of WA.
The Vibe Hotel is the perfect base for a weekend of exploring the suburb’s mix of retail, dining, art and culture that leads my daughter to reflect: “It’s a bit like Paddington.”
Strolling down Rokeby Road there is no shortage of stylish alfresco dining decks, chic boutiques, gift shops, wine bars, pharmacies, cafes, beauty salons and book stores.
Old-school record shop Sound One moved to Subiaco in 2021, after 20 years in Yokine. Nosh Gourmet has every local treat or condiment you could need for a gift hamper. Further up is the beloved Chez Jean-Claude Patisserie.
The Subiaco Hotel and Regal Theatre face off majestically on the diagonally opposite corners of Rokeby Road and Hay Street, but don’t overlook the laneways.
Having viewed the murals from my hotel window, I set out to find James Giddy’s red-tailed black cockatoos on a wall facing the Forrest Street carpark.
The old man mural turns out to be a startled train driver in Dan Bianco’s Unexpected Journey, honouring Subiaco’s railway station, built in 1924, while the bowl of fruit is Jarad Danby’s Still Life With Pears in Xanthis Lane. Graeme Miles Richards has created a fun and detailed mural in Walmsley Lane near Bar Amelie featuring an astronaut and penguins.
The City of Subiaco has downloadable art trails on its website and local walking tour business Oh Hey WA runs themed art tours during the year to coincide with events such as school holidays, Subi Spritz and Subi Blooms.
There are also sculptures dotted throughout Subiaco, such as by Ayad Alqaragholli’s Arrive To Paradise in the leafy Forrest Walk. There’s plenty of shade, a public toilet tucked into a wall, and a water fountain.
The captivating strings of lights that sway in Hiddlestone Lane are the work of Hiddlestone Electrics, a family business that has been around since 1920. Its lighting shop on Rokeby Road next to the lane has been open for two years, stocking a mix of dazzling and eclectic lighting, from chandeliers to lava lamps.
Another spot I spy from my hotel window is Nippon Fare, which has been serving traditional Japanese food since 1990. This is where we have affordable poke bowls for lunch. I later discover strawberry soy daifuku desserts at Fuji Mart in Subiaco Square.
Subiaco also has Perth’s first bricks-and-mortar empanada bakery, Pinos Empanadas, opened by former mechanical engineer Axel Pino to give Perth a taste of South America. The beef brisket and caprese are favourites, served alongside coffee and sweets that can be enjoyed in the alfresco parklet.
Staying on a Saturday affords the opportunity to visit the Subiaco Farmers Market at Subiaco Primary School in the morning and the Subiaco Night Market at Market Square at night.
Among the fresh produce at Subiaco Farmers Market, I spy colourful pastries from Corso Francia that look and taste as good as the photos on social media. Originally from Rome, pastry chef Giada Guida and her husband Marco Andruccioli have been at the market since September.
On the way back, I come across the Earthwise Community Op Shop and permaculture gardens, set in and around a distinctive pink former Uniting Church building dating back to 1897.
The Subiaco Night Market is one of Perth’s best. Not only does it have a range of global food and drink to choose from, but the organisers set up cute bistro tables and chairs, cane lounges, giant games and picnic rugs for patrons.
Over two visits I try Greek doughnuts, American lemonade, Filipino skewers and a French bulldog-shaped takoyaki. The freshly rolled onigiri from Oni Oni, with flavours named after Japanese cities, are worth the wait.
If ever there was a sign of Subiaco’s ongoing renaissance, surely it is The Embassy by Devlin’s. Located in the century-old former home of the Witch’s Cauldron (which for a spell in between, was Italian restaurant Dilly Dally), it now boasts an inviting front deck adorned with faux wisteria.
A couple of nights after my stay at the Vibe Hotel, I find myself here with a friend eating premium steaks and a 100-layer potato pave. It’s a Wednesday night, and the booths and tables are packed.
The venue’s tagline is “a place where you will always feel home”, and it seems to be working.
It’s not until we are sharing the New York cheesecake that I realise The Embassy is the new home of awarded head chef Charlie Vargas, whose cooking I first encountered around the corner at the groundbreaking New Normal.
Sometimes, you don’t need to travel far from home for an urban getaway.
+ Sue Yeap was a guest of the Vibe Hotel Subiaco. They have not influenced this story, or read it before publication.
fact file
Deluxe king rooms start from $329 for bed and breakfast.
Premier suites start from $499 for bed and breakfast.
Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.
Sign up for our emails