Sunsets

Properties like The Lodge Wadjemup, herald something new for Rottnest Island.

Food on Rottnest hasn’t always been something to write home about (yes, we know there are those iconic pies), but in the last several years culinary interests have been piqued. No small feat, considering the logistical issues with running a restaurant on the island (high-cost supply chains, seasonal surges and strict waste management requirements to name a few). The vibe here is restaurant-cum-pub, designed to feed and water the masses island-wide, but especially for guests at The Lodge. Chef Mathew Powell guides a Mediterranean menu, occasionally detouring Down Under. In season, think Albany rock oysters, octopus straddling the flavours of Greece and Spain or Shark Bay crab linguine. Equally, prepare for holiday romance: the free-range half chook, with chips, gravy and robust slaw, is a real looker. Taste-wise, you’re getting full benefit of it being brined, dried and rotisserie-cooked. Care is carried through to the kids’ menu, with the little people getting a roast chicken dish of their own, with hummus and veggie sticks, and crowd-pleasers like fish and chips. It’s impressive, logistical challenges or not. The bar does solid business. Yes, this is beer territory for many, but lychee mojitos and a stellar wine list gently encourage jokes about yardarms and ‘it’s 5 o’clock somewhere’.