House Favourites: What We’re Eating, Drinking, Booking and Buying This June

Welcome to winter—and welcome back to House Favourites, a monthly series where the WAGFG team shares what we’re loving right now.

From standout snacks to new openings, upcoming getaways and the drinks we keep going back for, think of it as your go-to list for what’s worth eating, drinking, booking and buying to keep cosy this June.

Some are hot tips, others are long-time favourites, and all of them are worth your time.

Georgia Moore, Editor-in-Chief

Agak Agak by Shu Han Lee

This cookbook is a nostalgic hit for anyone who grew up with Southeast Asian flavours. I remember childhood trips to Singapore with my dad—sweaty nights at the Satay Club and Newton Circus, feasting on spicy skewers and chilli crab. Agak Agak brings those bold, home-style recipes back to life with simplicity and heart. Singaporean cuisine doesn’t often get the spotlight, but it absolutely should. If you’re a Perth local, Jom Kopitiam in Perth does a visit-worthy Singaporean chilli crab.

Pappa al Pomodoro

This Tuscan tomato and bread soup had slipped my mind until we revisited it for The Good Grocer’s soups and stews series. For around $14, you can whip up a generous pot that’s loaded with vitamin C, deeply comforting, and surprisingly satisfying. Top it with stracciatella or ricotta and crack over plenty of pepper—rustic, affordable, and perfect for winter.

Everything at Long Chim Perth

Winter sees certain venues really shine; stepping into Long Chim is like diving into a hug of hospitality—chaotic in the best way, with a fun, warm welcome. The menu is a series of left and right hooks of spice and flavour. Every dish tells a story, and the cocktail list is still one of the best in WA.

Nieuw Ruin’s Greatest Hits

From warm house-made sourdough with cultured butter to golden bitterballen, Nieuw Ruin nails the art of the delicious snack. Their comté gougère, pickled mussels, and curry fries stand strong on their own—before you’ve even added the now-iconic cauliflower pie with French onion gravy. Under our 2025 Chef of the Year Blaze Young, the kitchen keeps pushing out dishes that impress through presentation and creativity alike. Build your meal around the sides.

Belo Sea Moss Gel

I’m a huge believer in the gut/mind connection, but I get fatigued from eating ferments every day and remain suspicious of probiotic capsules. Enter this new product, made fresh to order in WA using organic ingredients, with zero nasties. Ethically sourced from the Caribbean and Timor-Leste, it’s packed with nutrients and backed by science. They publish independent lab reports, so you know exactly what you’re putting into your body. It’s clean, potent, and refreshingly transparent.

Jon Hopkins’ Music for Psychedelic Therapy

Jon Hopkins’ Music for Psychedelic Therapy has become my morning ritual. Listening to the final four tracks—Ascending, Dawn Sky, Arriving, and the transformative Sit Around the Fire—gives me a grounding start to each day. The album is inspired by Hopkins’ journey to Ecuador’s Tayos Caves, and I think any album inspired by nature resonates differently. Sit Around the Fire, featuring the late Ram Dass, serves as a poignant reminder to maintain perspective amidst life’s chaos. Jon Hopkins’ whole catalogue is worth checking out; it’s more than music—it’s a meditative experience.

Tessa Gallagher, Managing Director

Crying In H Mart

I just re-read Crying In H Mart and yep, I’m still crying in H Mart. A beautifully gutting reminder of love, loss and the comfort of food. If you haven’t read it yet, this is your sign.

Sonny’s Bread with Koji Butter

If you know, you know. The house-made bread with koji-cultured butter is worth the trip to Sonny’s alone—warm, fluffy-centred and perfectly blistered. The butter is the completely addictive cherry on top.

Bali Dreaming

The countdown is on for a Canggu girls’ trip in July and my brain is 98% occupied with where we’re going to eat, obviously. On my hit list? Mei Mei, Shelter, Sazón, Yuki and Bar Vera. I’ll report back.

Kim Tran, Perth’s Skin Whisperer

Between the red wine and rich meals, my skin needs a seasonal support act and Kim Tran is my go-to. Her La Belle Peau facials are magic, her extractions are wizardry and she always sends me home glowing.

Little Palma ‘La Mer’ T-Shirt

It’s barely winter and I’m already manifesting spritzes by the Med. Until then, I’ll be wearing this tee and pretending I’m somewhere balmy with a beach club playlist in the background.

Max Brearley, Guide Editor

Truffle Season

I’ve eaten more truffles in the last 10 years than most, as a former festival director of Truffle Kerfuffle and part of the original team for our own Truffles Unearthed (which supported the industry during the pandemic). You’d think I’d be over it by now, but as each season rolls around, I’m hankering for that first taste, whether that’s in a restaurant or getting it straight from the source via Australian Truffle Traders.

What We Call Masala by Sarina Kamini

Out in July, this is one to pre-order. I first chatted to Margaret River-based Kamini over a year ago about the book and also the story of it being commissioned. Then again, after it had been shot on location in India with Patricia Niven (I’ll buy some books purely on the basis that they’re shot by Niven). A true labour of love, I’ve said before that few can articulate spice as well as Kamini. Like I said, hit the preorder.

Andy Cooks

For those who didn’t get to the Big Don’s Smoked Meats x Andy Hearnden (AKA Andy Cooks) collab a few months ago, Hearnden and his team have just dropped an hour-long behind-the-scenes of his 48hours in Perth. I have to say I loved the reference to them scooping the Casual Restaurant of the Year gong.

Broome Time

As I write this, the rain is drumming the roof with crashes of thunder thrown in for good measure. It’s too early to say I’m over winter, but I am looking forward to Broome sometime soon. Obviously, I’ll raise a pint or two of Matso’s and Spinifex, and who knows, maybe even set the out of office.

Hunger Like A Thirst by Besha Rodell

I’m a keen reader of food memoirs, and especially so when they’re written by people whose work I follow so closely. Rodell is the chief critic at The Age, formerly of LA Weekly and The New York Times, and also a regular fixture in the ranks of our own senior reviewers. Hunger Like A Thirst charts her own journey in food from front of house to one of the most respected critics going. Out in print on 17th June or available on some audio platforms now.

Anna Franklyn, Managing Editor

The Lodge Wadjemup

The Lodge just unveiled its new Poolhouse precinct—and it’s stunning. Due to open 1 July, the rooms look dreamy, but it’s the heated pool that has my full attention for a mid-winter escape.

Papi Katsu’s Miso Roasted Cabbage

Tender isn’t a word most people associate with cabbage, but it fits perfectly here. Roasted and drenched in miso butter, this dish is rich, savoury, and full of unexpected joy.

Melt Sauna and Cold Plunge

Founded by ex-hospo pro Scott Taylor, Melt is all about what they call hosvitality—think expansive saunas, moody lighting, and Micrology coffee on tap all day, every day. They’ve just launched Sweat Sunday Sessions with a live DJ for those who like their sauna with a soundtrack, and they also run a free daily 5am session in collaboration with Beyond Blue, promoting the mental health benefits of saunas and cold plunging.

Yeseco Dish Brush

I never thought I’d be putting a dish brush in my top picks, but here we are. Sleek, sustainable, and more stylish than any cleaning tool has the right to be. The best part? It sits neatly in the sink instead of sitting out on the benchtop. I’ve already bought three of these as gifts, and everyone is raving. They’re sold out online, but you can support local and get them at Empire.

Old Bridge Cellar’s Non Alcoholic Selection

After one too many nights out in May, I decided to dip into the 0% section at Old Bridge Cellars—and was seriously impressed. The standout so far? Dayse Easing: a ginger-forward, whiskey-ish drop that’s deliciously addictive… even for someone who doesn’t like whiskey.

Abbie Kinsella, Content and Partnerships Executive

The Margaret River Wagyu Bahn Mi from Le Vietnam

I’ve just booked flights to Vietnam, so maybe that’s why I’ve been on a serious banh mi kick lately. Le Vietnam has long been my go-to, especially for lunch when working from Lawson Flats. Their special Margaret River Wagyu Banh Mi for this month’s Plating Up WA campaign from Buy West Eat Best has taken things up a notch. Slow-cooked for almost 24 hours, the wagyu melts as soon as it hits your mouth.

Mane Specialist Bottle Shop

There’s always something exciting happening at Mane—whether it’s a Friday tasting, a kitchen takeover, or a full-blown wine showcase like their recent Great Southern Deep Dive. I love buying wine after tasting and hearing the story behind the drop—from grape to bottle—and Mane’s events make that easy, all under one roof. The team are true champions of local and interesting bottles you might not find anywhere else.

Paté en Croute at Nieuw Ruin

Simply put, Nieuw Ruin’s Paté en Croute is a work of art. A buttery pastry frame encases a mix of minced dry-aged pork, chicken, and pistachio. It’s a labour of love and a god-tier plate to have alongside a glass of Chardonnay. Sit alfresco and pretend you’re in a bistro in a country French town.

Princi Butcher

It’s hard to know where to look first when you enter the meat mecca that is Princi in Bicton Central. Cabinets brim with fresh cuts of meat of all varieties, house-made sausages and charcuterie as well as ready-made meals straight out of Nonna’s kitchen. Saturdays are the day to go, with rotating lunch specials like vodka pasta with stracciatella or the now-iconic steak sandwich making the weekly meat shop the highlight of your weekend.

Beaconsfield Wine Bar

After interviewing Drew Dawson last year, I’ve been dying to try his cooking at Beaconsfield Wine Bar. As Drew cooks just across from you on a bench, with a shelf of cookbooks behind him (which yes, I absolutely scanned), and you sip wines from a stellar, unpretentious wine list, it feels like you’ve dropped by a mate’s place for a glass of vino and some good food—except said mate is probably not serving scallops with beurre blanc, confit leeks with goat’s cheese, and a rotating selection of handmade pastas.

Stephanie Di Falco, Design and Events Intern

Dark Chocolate Mousse in Food You Want to Eat by Thomas Straker

Like the Gen-Z I am, I find myself scrolling TikTok way more than I care to admit, however, it is worth it when you get to stumble across cooking inspiration such as Thomas Straker’s Dark Chocolate Mousse—a rich, smooth, and absolutely decadent dessert number—topped with a drizzle of olive oil, roasted hazelnuts and a sprinkle of sea salt. This is serious dinner party material.

Grandpa Nino

Walking into Grandpa Nino’s feels exactly like stepping into Nonno’s house for lunch—everyone’s welcome, the more the merrier. At this little Nedlands boutique you will find an incredible range of authentic sandwiches as well as pre-made classic Italian meals and desserts. It’s a dopamine-filled lunch stop that’s hits both your heart and your taste buds.

Simple Beautiful Things Sepia Mug

A simply beautiful homewares piece I first spotted at Kith. It’s one that I’ve added to my wishlist—amongst other pieces from their curated collection on their site.

Kilo Bakery

Here’s a new northern suburbs gem you need to know about. Kilo Bakery just opened in Padbury and the Kilo Brothers are absolutely killing it. Their loaves and pastries are incredibly fresh, you can’t leave without trying the Kalamata Olive Sourdough—it didn’t even make it to lunch in our house.

Guinness

A new joy for me. I’m not typically one to reach for a beer, but the creamy, coffee-like richness makes it different from the rest. $10 pints on Wednesdays at St Brigid taste even better alongside a $25 steak served with chips, salad and Massaman and green peppercorn sauce.

Want more? Check out Off Menu for the latest news in WA’s dining scene.