Things to Do in Cottesloe, Perth: The Local Guide

Cottesloe at a glance

Cottesloe is a place to build a day around the coast. The beach is the area’s defining feature, and the best venues understand that: some look directly over the Indian Ocean, others sit beneath the suburb’s pine trees, while a few are an easy stop before or after time by the water. The overall mood is polished but relaxed, with options for a quick coffee, a long lunch, a family-friendly meal, sunset drinks or a more considered dinner.

The strongest concentration of beach-facing dining is along Marine Parade. Station Street, Napoleon Street, Marmion Street, North Street and John Street offer a different side of the suburb, with established cafés, bakeries and restaurants that feel more connected to local routines than to a single visit to the beach. A couple of useful nearby options are in Mosman Park rather than Cottesloe itself, so check the address when planning around them.

Where to eat

For a meal where the setting is central to the experience, Gibney Cottesloe sits on Marine Parade beside Cottesloe Beach. It combines quality cooking and drinks with an outlook over the coast, making it a good fit for a polished but relaxed meal with a sea view. The Shorehouse offers another absolute-beachfront option, with end-to-end windows and a sunlit deck looking towards the Indian Ocean. Its cooking takes a relaxed Mediterranean approach, and the large site suits a long lunch, sunset drinks or a special occasion where the view matters as much as the food.

At 99 Marine Parade, Indigo Oscar occupies the iconic Indiana Teahouse and brings a Latin American-inspired restaurant and bar to one of the suburb’s most recognisable beachfront settings. Its bold, vibrant flavours and front-row ocean position make it especially suited to long lunches, drinks at sunset and meals that carry into the evening.

Longview Cottesloe also puts the coast front and centre, with a sun-soaked deck overlooking the Indian Ocean and views towards Rottnest and beyond. The kitchen focuses on seasonal menus and fresh local produce, so it is a natural choice when you want to sit outside after swimming or walking along the sand. Il Lido Italian Canteen, at 88 Marine Parade, takes a different approach to the beachside setting. Housed in the former Lido Cabaret, a 1930s art-deco hall, it combines an Italian-inspired espresso bar and restaurant with the relaxed culture of the coast.

For Italian food away from the beachfront, COCCODRILLO Pizza & Wine Bar at 19 Station Street keeps pizza at the centre while offering pasta, main courses, sides, salads and desserts. The menu includes tomato-based, white and gourmet pizzas, so it works for a straightforward pizza dinner as well as a broader Italian-style meal. The venue caters for bookings and takeaway, with online ordering available for pick-up. The directory also lists Coccodrillo Pizza & Vino at the same address, with a similarly broad menu covering entrées, pasta, secondi, sides, salads, desserts and pizza.

Wine is the focus at Lamont’s Cottesloe, which brings together a wine store, restaurant and wine bar. Its selection includes Western Australian and Australian bottles, with attention to Margaret River and the Barossa Valley, alongside international wines such as red and white Burgundies, rare bottles, limited releases and cellar selections. It is a useful option when the drink deserves as much thought as the meal.

Two well-regarded venues just near Cottesloe are worth knowing about, while keeping their Mosman Park locations in mind. Samson’s Paddock on Glyde Street is known for quality, flavour-packed cooking, a good drinks offering and a relaxed, welcoming setting. Rodney’s Bait ’n Tackle on Stirling Highway has a characterful fishing-and-tackle theme, good drinks and a relaxed atmosphere. Its personality is a large part of the appeal, making it a distinctive local-favourite-style bar rather than a formal dining destination.

Coffee, bakeries and easy daytime stops

For a proper bakery stop, North Street Store is the standout. On North Street, it has built a following around beautifully made bread, pastries and treats. The focus is firmly on hand-crafted baking, which makes it a good destination for coffee and something sweet, or for picking up bread and pastries for a slower morning.

Daisies is a long-running café, deli and corner store on Marmion Street, at the corner of Grant and Marmion Streets. Its history reaches back to the 1980s, when it began as a corner delicatessen, and its setting beneath Cottesloe’s pine trees gives it a distinctly relaxed western-suburbs feel. It is the sort of place that suits an unhurried café visit as much as a practical deli stop.

At 1 Napoleon Street, Vans has a 25-year history and remains family-owned. It developed from a deli into its current café and bistro format, with food built around seasonal and local produce. The menu changes over time and gives familiar bistro cooking a fresh twist, making it a useful all-rounder when different people want a relaxed meal rather than a narrowly defined café order.

John Street Café Cottesloe, at 37 John Street, is a casual café surrounded by iconic pine trees and close to the beach. It serves breakfast and lunch, welcomes walk-ins and offers gluten-free options. Its outdoor seating, kid-friendly setting and nearby beach access make it particularly practical for families or for a low-fuss meal before or after the coast.

Drinks, pubs and evening plans

For a classic local pub, Albion Hotel on Stirling Highway is a genuine Cottesloe fixture. It combines a characterful pub atmosphere with quality food, good drinks and a warm, welcoming feel. It is a dependable choice when the plan is less about a formal occasion and more about settling in for a relaxed meal or a drink.

The Cottesloe Beach Hotel combines accommodation, dining and drinks, with two spaces that suit different moods. The Beach Club has cosy corners, lounge seating and food and drink designed for long afternoons and warm evenings. The Verandah Bar is the more casual option for visitors coming in from the beach. For a stay, it is one of the supplied options that keeps food and drinks close at hand rather than treating accommodation as a separate part of the visit.

For a more distinctive bar experience, head towards Rodney’s Bait ’n Tackle on Stirling Highway in nearby Mosman Park. Its quirky theme, strong drinks offering and easy-going atmosphere give it a clear identity. Lamont’s is the better fit for a wine-led evening, while Indigo Oscar, The Shorehouse, Longview and Gibney all suit drinks paired with a coastal view.

A simple way to plan the day

Start with coffee and a pastry at North Street Store, or breakfast at Daisies, Vans or John Street Café Cottesloe. Spend time at the beach, whether that means swimming, walking along the sand or simply sitting near the water. For lunch, choose a beachfront table at Gibney, The Shorehouse, Indigo Oscar or Longview, or head to Il Lido for an Italian-inspired meal in its art-deco setting.

As the afternoon moves into evening, Lamont’s is the natural wine-focused stop, while the Albion Hotel offers a more traditional pub option. For dinner, COCCODRILLO’s wider Italian menu gives you more than pizza, and Samson’s Paddock is worth considering if you are happy to travel just over the Cottesloe boundary into Mosman Park. Finish with a beach-facing drink where available, particularly if the day is built around the sunset and ocean outlook.

Getting around and tips

The supplied venues are spread across the beachside Marine Parade strip and Cottesloe’s inland café and dining streets, including North Street, Napoleon Street, Marmion Street, John Street and Station Street. Stirling Highway venues include Albion Hotel in Cottesloe and Rodney’s Bait ’n Tackle in nearby Mosman Park. Checking the address before setting out is useful, particularly for the Mosman Park venues and for the two Coccodrillo listings at 19 Station Street.

Walk-ins are specifically welcomed at John Street Café Cottesloe, while Coccodrillo offers bookings and takeaway with online pick-up ordering. For beachfront restaurants, the view is part of the reason to go, so plan around the time of day and ask about outdoor or window seating when making a booking. Families should consider John Street Café for its kid-friendly setting, while North Street Store, Daisies and Vans are strong daytime choices when you want something casual and established.

Local favourites in Cottesloe

• Gibney Cottesloe
• Rodney's Bait 'n Tackle
• North Street Store
• Samson's Paddock
• Albion Hotel
• Indigo Oscar
• COCCODRILLO Pizza & Wine Bar
• Vans

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Frequently asked questions

What is Cottesloe best known for?

Cottesloe is best known for its beach and Indian Ocean outlook. Many of its standout places, including Gibney Cottesloe, The Shorehouse, Indigo Oscar, Longview and Il Lido Italian Canteen, make the coast a central part of the dining experience.

Where can I get coffee and breakfast in Cottesloe?

North Street Store is known for bread, pastries and treats, while Daisies, Vans and John Street Café Cottesloe cover relaxed café visits. John Street Café serves breakfast and lunch, welcomes walk-ins and has gluten-free options.

Where should I go for pizza in Cottesloe?

COCCODRILLO Pizza & Wine Bar at 19 Station Street focuses on pizza and wine but also offers pasta, main courses, sides, salads and desserts. Coccodrillo Pizza & Vino is also listed at the same address and offers bookings and takeaway.

Are there good bars and pubs in or near Cottesloe?

Albion Hotel is a relaxed, characterful Cottesloe pub with food and drinks. The Cottesloe Beach Hotel has the Beach Club and Verandah Bar, while Lamont’s Cottesloe is suited to wine. Rodney’s Bait ’n Tackle is a distinctive nearby option on Stirling Highway in Mosman Park.