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What Qantas Cabin Crew Do In Perth, Australia

This article is more than 4 years old.

From its kangaroo logo to the addictively delicious Tim Tams served onboard, Qantas Airlines is proudly Australian. Skytrax crowned it one of the world's best airlines, and whether you're taking its longest flight—14,499km between London and Perth—or hopping around Australia, it's easy to see why: good food, the most cheerful cabin crew, and in-flight entertainment that's actually entertaining.

We asked three Qantas cabin crew what to see, do, eat, and drink in Perth. From Thai food and jazz to a day trip to stunning Rottnest Island, here's where to go and what to do in Perth, Australia.

Caroline Elliott — Qantas Cabin Crew

EAT

Il Lido Italian Canteen: On Cottesloe Beach, inside an Art Deco [former cabaret hall]. It's perfect for a long lunch. For a starter, I order Shark Bay [WA] clams with pancetta and, for a main, blue swimmer crab linguine, with capers, tomato, chilli, lemon, and fennel seed.

Garum: Inside the Westin, one of the most stylish addresses in Perth's CBD. I [like] quail with honey, fennel, currants, and pine nuts, and lamb shoulder with a farro cauliflower salad.

Long Chim: In the same building as hotel Como The Treasury, the most delicious Thai-inspired menu. I order cured pork sausage, sour orange fish curry, fried rice with roast duck, and Chinese broccoli with pork. For dessert, it's coconut with banana roti and Rin's Thai tea ice cream with pistachio.

COFFEE

La Veen: [It's] on King Street. They brew their own signature blend, and it’s hands down the best coffee in Perth. Coffee is best drunk black, so I always order an espresso.

BOO Espresso: A cute little hole in the wall with delicious coffee. Off the beaten track from the city hustle and bustle.

NIGHTLIFE

The Ellington Jazz Club: Australia’s best jazz club. An intimate environment, world class music and performers, and the best martinis in town.

Sneaky Tony's: A speakeasy rum bar located in Chinatown where a password is required for entry on Friday and Saturday nights. The piña coladas are sensational.

Mechanics Institute: Beer, burgers, and chips in a smart bar with chic black decor and a split-level deck. The Bloody Marys are ridiculously good.

NEIGHBORHOOD

My favorite Perth neighbourhood is Mt. Lawley. Oozing with cool bars, pubs, great places to eat, and stylish shopping, Beaufort Street is the place to be seen in Perth.

A PERFECT DAY IN AND AROUND PERTH

Burns Beach Cafe. Burns Beach is one of the nicest beaches in Perth. Amazing breakfast and coffee [here], and you can order a puppycino for your fur baby. Walk off breakfast with the most stunning coastal walk. The food markets every Wednesday in summer are the best in Perth.

As I like to keep fit, a perfect day in Perth is [taking] Jacobs Ladder, a 242-step concrete staircase in Kings Park. [It has] the most stunning bird's-eye view of the city skyline, Elizabeth Quay, and the Swan River. From there, walk around the Swan River, taking in the most amazing views of the city and wildlife, including the Black Swan, [Western Australia's] state emblem.

As if the views couldn't get any better, finish off with lunch at Coco's in South Perth. Winning food and a million-dollar view.

DAY TRIP AND WEEKEND TRIPS FROM PERTH

For a day trip from Perth, Rottnest Island is a must! It's famous for its white sand beaches and secluded coves. Your day is made after a selfie with a cute little quokka.

For a long weekend, [go to] Margaret River, a small town south of Perth. [It's] home to some of the best craft breweries and boutique wineries, some of which we serve onboard in both business and economy. My favourites are Wise Wine, Voyager Estate, Clairault Streicker Estate, Hay Shed Hill and, hero of the region, Vinaceous Wines, owned by Mike Kerrigan and my very dear friend Nick Stacey, and part of the new movement of non-traditional wine producers.

Christel Chin — Qantas Domestic Customer Service Manager

EAT

Kung Fu Kitchen: A Szechuan ma la restaurant in Cannington. The food there is spicy and tongue-numbing, but oh so soul-satisfying! I usually order mixed spicy beef, tongue, and tripe, spicy chicken, spicy boneless duck rice, and kung fu milk tea.

I also love Ya Kwang Hawker in Spencer Village, which offers Singapore delights. It’s also a favorite of Neil Perry, Qantas’ Executive Director of Food, Beverage and Service. [Ya Kwang] is famous for its Hokkien noodles, hor fun (wide, flat rice noodles stir-fried), and pig intestine soup.

COFFEE

I’m not a coffee drinker myself, but my husband loves this little barista inside the Fremantle Markets. He orders a long macchiato top up three-quarters. 

NEIGHBORHOOD

I live in the Bletchley Park Estate neighbourhood and I love it. We’re close to a lot of my favorite restaurants and cafes, including a great breakfast café called Timber and Italian grocer Napoli Mercato.

A PERFECT DAY IN AND AROUND PERTH

Pack a three-course lunch in our picnic basket, head to Kings Park, spread out our massive mat, and enjoy beautiful Perth views on the immaculate green lawn under gorgeous, clear blue skies.

DAY TRIP AND WEEKEND TRIPS FROM PERTH

I drive down to Dunsborough and pick up a good piece of Wagyu scotch fillet and Amelia Park lamb rack from Geobay Butchering Company, and a fruit loaf from Yallingup Wood Fired Bakery.  I also love to watch the beautiful sunset at Canal Rocks.

Nkazi Sibindi — Qantas Cabin Crew

EAT

I love Garum, a fine-dining Italian restaurant at the newly opened Westin Hotel in the city. I also like The Standard, which is on Roe St. in Northbridge, right across Yagan Square. Not only does it offer a very modern [Australian] menu with interesting recipes, but it has a rooftop terrace with the city skyline as a nice backdrop.

NIGHTLIFE

The Reveley located at Elizabeth [Quay] offers magnificent views of the city skyline, the Swan River, and Kings Park. The market place located in Kings Square has great music, a good selection of bars and a social atmosphere.

COFFEE

Harvest Espresso in Victoria Park, Tropico in North Beach, Port City Roasters in Fremantle, and Hylin Café in West Leederville. 

NEIGHBORHOOD

Scarborough is one of my favorite neighborhoods and is very up-and-coming. It’s located right next to the world-famous Scarborough Beach, which you see in the current Qantas inflight safety video. Nothing in Perth beats watching the sun set over the water!

South Perth is a near-perfect neighborhood. On the edge of the Swan River, it has some of the best views of the city skyline; it's inner-city living with a quiet suburban feel, and the purple jacaranda tree-lined streets make for perfect scenery. Perth Zoo is just at your doorstep.

A PERFECT DAY IN AND AROUND PERTH

A nice morning walk along the many beaches of Perth with a stop for coffee from one of the beach cafes. Lunch along the foreshore in the city, or fish and chips in the park. Watch the sunset while having a cocktail at Bathers Beach House in Fremantle.

DAY TRIP AND WEEKEND TRIPS FROM PERTH

A perfect little getaway from the bustling city is a trip across to Rottnest Island. It’s a boat ride over the clear blue waters of the Indian Ocean. You can spend the day exploring the island with the easy to hire bicycles, take a quick selfie with the locals (quokkas), or stay overnight at the newly opened luxury tents at Discovery Rottnest Island