When Guy Grossi — the Melbourne restaurateur whose Grossi Florentino is one of Australia's most decorated Italian dining rooms — chose Perth for his first interstate opening, it raised eyebrows and ambitions in equal measure. Garum opened in 2018 at Hibernian Place in the East End, and in the years since has established itself as the city's most serious Italian address and a reliable fixture on every WA best-restaurants list.
The name references the fermented fish sauce of the Roman kitchen — a condiment once so prized it was traded like currency. The menu, in turn, is rooted in Roman tradition: carbonara made with guanciale and pecorino romano (never cream), bucatini all'amatriciana, saltimbocca, pork shoulder with mustard fruits. Grossi and head chef Craig Chivers source with intent — Mount Barker free-range chickens, Shark Bay prawns, house-made salumi, imported Italian staples for the dishes that demand them. The pastas are rolled daily and served with the restraint of a kitchen that trusts its ingredients.
The dining room, designed by Carr Design, is a considered piece of CBD theatre. Travertine, terrazzo, and warm timber create a palette that feels simultaneously contemporary and rooted in the trattoria tradition. A marble-topped bar anchors the front of the room — excellent for a solo lunch, a Negroni before dinner, or the kind of drop-in client meeting that doesn't warrant a booked table. The main dining space holds around 100 covers with adequate sight lines; the banquette along the western wall is the most requested booking for two.
The wine list is a genuine celebration of the Italian peninsula — 400-odd bins, with particular depth in Tuscany, Piedmont, and the smaller producers of Sicily and Puglia. Tommaso Loiacono's sommelier team will pair a meal for a reasonable figure, and the by-the-glass programme is unusually strong for a restaurant of this size. Service is Italian-warm without the Italian theatre — knowledgeable, quick to offer, and comfortable recommending the less-obvious bottle.
For a first date, Garum is the unambiguous Perth choice — smart but not intimidating, conversation-friendly acoustics, and food that rewards ordering like an adult. For a client lunch or a considered birthday, it is equally at home. The Westin Perth next door offers valet parking. The complimentary two-hour valet parking for diners is a small detail that signals a restaurant paying attention to its guests.