Western Australia has no shortage of good fish sandwiches, but the best go well beyond battered fish and tartare. Across the state, chefs and fishmongers are playing with the format, from chilli shrimp crisp and calamansi hot sauce in Gwelup to tuna and American cheese in Bicton and mentaiko-laced bao in Cottesloe. Some stick close to the classic, while others take the fish sandwich somewhere far less expected. Here’s where to find the standouts.
Gwelup Fish & Chips, Gwelup
Gwelup Fish & Chips pairs Anisha Halik’s old-school fish-shop know-how with chef Jacob D’Vauz’s more wide-ranging cooking instincts. The spicy fish burger captures that meeting point: crumbed fish, slaw, cheese and pickles, sharpened with chilli shrimp crisp and calamansi hot sauce. It is recognisably a fish-shop burger, but the pair’s Southeast Asian influences bring more heat, tang and character.
8/707 North Beach Road, Gwelup
Preston’s Deli, Perth
The much-hyped chicken Caesar has competition. Preston’s fish finger sandwich piles crispy snapper, iceberg lettuce, American cheese and house tartare into soft bread. Big, messy and unapologetically rich, it makes a convincing case for pairing fried fish with processed cheese. One sandwich comfortably qualifies as lunch.
223 Bulwer Street, Perth
Fins Bicton, Bicton
Fins takes a different route with its tuna cheeseburger, a fixture since the fishmonger-meets-bar opened. A thick minced tuna patty comes cloaked in American cheese and tucked into brioche. It is one of chef Seth James’s signature dishes, pairing the architecture and indulgence of a classic cheeseburger with the freshest WA seafood.
Shop 10/258 Canning Highway, Bicton
Peggy’s, Fremantle
Peggy’s fish sando stacks crumbed snapper with tartare, onion, pickles, iceberg and American cheese on a soft potato bun. Crisp, rich and sharply balanced, it has become one of the deli’s most sought-after recurring specials, disappearing and reappearing often enough to keep regulars watching the menu. (Right now, it’s back until the end of August.)
35 Market Street, Fremantle
Side Piece Deli, Swanbourne
Side Piece’s fish sando puts panko-crumbed snapper between soft shokupan with tartare, house-made HP and lettuce. Crisp fish and yielding white bread lead the way, with the sauces bringing sharpness and depth. A fixture since the deli opened, it holds its own on a menu stacked with serious sandwich competition.
93 Shenton Road, Swanbourne
Tigerfish, Cottesloe
Steven Ryu takes the fish sandwich in a more intricate direction. House-made fish fingers land in soft bao with do chua, yellow curry mayo and mentaiko, layering crunch with pickle, richness and salinity. Small enough to qualify as a bar snack, but substantial enough to warrant ordering a few.
The Cottesloe Beach Hotel, 104 Marine Parade, Cottesloe
Jetty Bar & Eats, Fremantle
Jetty’s fish burger keeps things straightforward: hoki, tartare and lettuce in a soft bun, with lemon and fries on the side. House-made aioli can be added for extra richness. It’s a simple, well-balanced version, with the river in view from the tables outside.
126 Beach Street, Fremantle
Ocean and Paddock, Albany
Named Best Takeaway Fish and Chips at the 2026 WA Seafood Awards, Ocean and Paddock knows its way around the fryer. Its burger puts golden battered fish on a toasted damper bun with house-pickled cucumber, homemade tartare, leaves and tomato. The damper bun is the point of difference, sturdy enough to hold the lot without overwhelming the fish.
116 Middleton Road, Middleton Beach
Corner 33, South Perth
Chef Khai Hoan Vu brings his Japanese cooking background to the fish burger at Corner 33. A panko-crusted fish fillet lands in a soft milk bun with tartare sauce and cheese, part of the cafe’s after-9am menu. Japanese technique and classic diner sensibilities meet in a burger that is crisp, soft and pleasingly straightforward.
126B Canning Highway, South Perth
Kailis Fishmarket Café, Fremantle
Few places suit a fish burger better than Kailis, with Fremantle’s Fishing Boat Harbour just beyond the tables. The version here keeps things classic: a crisp fish fillet in a soft bun with house-made sauce, served with golden chips. Simple, familiar and well suited to its waterfront setting.
46 Mews Road, Fremantle
Kaily’s Sandwich Shop, West Perth
Kaily’s Fiery Tuna takes a different tack to the fried-fish burgers elsewhere on this list. Spicy tuna mix, American cheese and mayonnaise are pressed between toasted rye sourdough for a rich, punchy sandwich with plenty of heat. It is one of several generously filled, made-to-order sandwiches from the small West Perth shop.
1260 Hay Street, West Perth
Strollio’s Luncheonette, Tuart Hill
Strollio’s gives the tuna melt the same attention it brings to its house-baked bread. Tuna, mayo, cheese and artichoke are layered with fresh herbs and spices on soft white bread, then toasted until golden. Rich and savoury, with the artichoke providing a welcome counterpoint, it fits neatly into the luncheonette’s old-school lunch-bar repertoire.
68B Lawley Street, Tuart Hill