Specialist small bar, restaurant scene explodes in Perth at expense of older-style venues
The appetite for good food in Perth has never been greater, with new venues opening up at a rapid rate and traditional venues being forced to adapt or die.
Dutch Trading Company part-owner Andrew Bennett said diners were more adventurous than ever before.
(ABC News: Robert Koenig-Luck)
In the 2013-14 financial year 86 new restaurants opened in Perth, up from 57 the financial year before and 41 in 2011-12.
Many are offering a diverse range of foods and dining options which break the structure of traditional eating styles.
The Dutch Trading Company (DTC), which recently opened in Victoria Park, is an example of the kind of diversity Perth consumers are now demanding.
DTC part-owner Andrew Bennett said consumers are now more willing to make more adventurous eating decisions.
"The average consumer is now far more savvy about A, what they like and B, what they expect," he said.
"We're travelling more, we're experiencing other restaurants, bars and cafes throughout the country and overseas and we are naturally bringing higher expectations to what we demand from our local operators."
The type of food is not the only thing that is changing, according to Mr Bennett.
"People want a unique experience and an affordable experience," he said.
"Going out and being entertained without the shackles of entree, main and dessert kind of structures are what people want, what people are turning to.
"I think it really spe
All-encompassing menus 'outdated'
Hospitality Group Training general manager Iain McDougall, whose firm trains apprentice chefs, said Perth restaurants are now choosing to specialise rather than offering an all-encompassing menu.
"A lot of the cafes are going beyond what used to be the generic cafe and having a wide-ranging menu trying to cover all tastes," he said.
"Nowadays if they are good at a particular area, they concentrate on that.
"Whether that be bread, whether that be raw food, whether that be Greek or deconstructed Mexican — the advantage now is restaurants concentrate on it and do it very, very well."
He said social media also threw up challenges.
"With the advent of social media any trend anywhere in the world is instantly recognisable to the punter," he said.
"So all businesses need to keep up with what food is on trend at the moment and being able to provide for it."
The shift away from traditional forms of dining is forcing older venues to either evolve or risk losing business.
More than 20 restaurants cancelled or surrendered their licenses in 2013-14, with almost twice as many shutting their doors the year before.
Australian Hotels Association Bradley Woods chief executive said it was a competitive industry and vendors must keep up with trends to survive.
"We have seen some well-known names disappear but we have also seen new entrants come into the market, who have taken up that space," he said.
"The key thing in food and beverage [is] it is a constantly evolving market as consumers' tastes and preferences change, so does the industry meeting that demand."
aks to how we are eating more communally and with more diversity as well."
Source: ABC News, Kathryn Diss, 14th September 2015
Originally published as: Specialist small bar, restaurant scene explodes in Perth at expense of older-style venues
