A Perth spin on a Melbourne-style pub, with classic counter meals and a cocktail list that totally rocks.
For those who can spot the nondescript entrance, Edward and Ida’s offers an experience reminiscent of a Melbourne corner pub imbued with a few British sensibilities. Deco glass lanterns throw dim light over an eclectic assemblage of bottles and breweriana, while the extensive collection of vintage beer ads adds to the sense that this place has been here forever, even if it’s only been a few months. Like the décor, the menu is approachable, with local tap beers (plus pints of Guinness), and a short wine list with a few easy-drinking gems in the mix – Battles chardonnay, perhaps, or amber from Vino Volta. But it’s all about Shirley Yeung’s cocktails, which reinvigorate retro classics once considered passé – think a Banana Daiquiri that’s all poise and balance, or a Midori Splice that recalls disco-era cocktails and summer icy poles all at once. For food, Nieuw Ruin chef Blaze Young oversees a short menu of timeworn classics elevated just a little – a meaty sausage roll with homemade HP sauce, say, or a flaky, buttery beef and Guinness pie complete with bone-marrow chimney. Late night, the jaffle menu clocks on, with the baked bean and confit duck version the headliner. A stellar new opening, with room to grow.