Cottesloe's Beachfront Italian
Cottesloe Beach is Perth's most iconic stretch of coast — long white sand, the Indian Ocean directly in front, the Norfolk Island pines along Marine Parade. Il Lido sits along that strip and has become the Cottesloe Italian that locals book for anniversaries and visitors discover by accident on the way back from a beach afternoon.
The cooking is regional Italian with a confident grasp of Western Australian ingredients: handmade pastas, careful seafood, properly-rendered grilled meats, considered seasonal vegetables. The wine list runs deep on Italian producers and Margaret River; the by-the-glass programme is generous. The bar handles aperitivo as the format demands.
What to Order
Pasta first — the kitchen makes it daily and the seasonal preparations are reliably the most interesting thing on the menu. WA seafood handled in Italian style: vongole, grilled prawns, the day's whole fish. Aperitivo at the bar is a Cottesloe ritual — a Negroni, a few small plates, the late-afternoon ocean light. Cheese trolley if it is on; tiramisu otherwise.
The Setting
The terrace is the table to book. Direct sight-line to the Indian Ocean across Marine Parade, the Norfolk pines providing a natural frame, the late-afternoon light angling in from the west. By the time the sun is low, the room has earned its reputation. The interior dining room handles overflow with the same quality of cooking.
Best Occasion: Anniversary
An anniversary at Il Lido is one of Perth's classic moves. The setting carries the evening before the food arrives; the kitchen rises to the occasion; the wine list lets the dinner ascend at whatever rate the celebration requires. The Cottesloe address itself communicates a particular kind of Perth identity. Few rooms in the city combine this much view with this level of careful Italian cooking.