Perth has an established reputation for its vibrant bar culture, but regional Western Australia has its own gems to discover, too, from south-west wine country and the wild Great Southern to far-flung Esperance.

Liberté, Albany
A major draw to the Great Southern port city of Albany, chef Amy Hamilton’s bar-cum-restaurant Liberté offers a mix of exemplary Franco-Vietnamese cooking and the best booze around. Bar manager Keryn Giles oversees a wine list that showcases some of the most interesting labels in Australian wine (think Brave New Wine and La Violetta) and founding wineries of Australia’s largest wine region. Giles is also a gun mixologist.

Yarri, Dunsborough
Many were surprised when Aaron Carr, at the time executive chef at Vasse Felix, left his post of 20 years to set up a more casual affair. But Yarri has quickly forged a reputation as not just a good place to eat, but also drink. Part-owned by Carr and the team behind Snake + Herring winery, it has a healthy wine list largely featuring their own wines, but also a broad roll-call of friends’ labels. What’s more, the ever-reliable Eagle Bay Brewing Co is on tap, too.

Morries, Margaret River
Now a firm fixture on the Margaret River strip, Morries has grown a reputation over the years for its cocktail game under award-winning barman Billy Phillips – a welcome point of difference in a town synonymous with premium wine.

Swings and Roundabouts, Margaret River
A canopy of vines wraps around the outside of this Margaret River restaurant from the Swings and Roundabouts label. While some head for the winery’s cellar door close to Yallingup, the Taphouse & Kitchen has the benefit of being in town. A solid tap list of local breweries sits alongside wine from Swings and Roundabouts, also on tap and served by the glass or carafe.

The Fire Station, Busselton
This small bar is housed in what was a working fire station from 1936 until 1990. In its new incarnation the focus is craft beer and natural wine, with a rotating selection that celebrates the winemakers and brewers of the Margaret River region. You’ll find drops from further afield, too, as well as pizza and share plates from the busy kitchen.

Stomp’d Wine Bar, Denmark
For many, Denmark is the ideal base for an exploration of the Great Southern region, and not least the wineries. Stomp’d is something of an oasis for those looking for an extensive wine list that’s expressive of the local sub-regions. The small kitchen turns out rustic plates that demand another round.

The Cordial Bar, Katanning
The Premier Mill Hotel in Katanning is an impressive boutique hotel restoration, and a surprise for many used to travelling in the Wheatbelt and finding functional motels and hotels. No boutique stay would be complete these days without a well-chosen drop or two, which you’ll find in the basement bar. Over its life the building has served as a flour mill, power station and the site for the production of aerated water and cordial, hence the name. A piece of Great Southern history. 

Taylor St Quarters, Esperance
Whether you fly or drive, the trip to Esperance is long, and there’s no better place to unwind once you’ve arrived than Taylor St Quarters. This converted nurses’ quarters looks out from the foreshore to the Southern Ocean from wide verandahs and a grassed lawn. Beer from the local Lucky Bay Brewing is the top tip, as is the menu under chef Dean Wood.

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