After switching ownership, it's been fantastic to watch Juanita's in Subiaco flourish into the boozy equivalent of the corner shop we never knew we needed. Their Instagram posts are signed off with a signature #comeasyouare, which translates directly into the relaxed and homey vibe you’ll find here. It’s a popular watering hole for the locals, but definitely worth the journey if it’s not in your neighbourhood.
Open from 2pm Tuesday to Saturday and from 3pm on Sundays, we recommend getting in early as it fills up real fast, which should tell you everything you need to know.
When you arrive, you’ll notice the colourful booths inside, which are fantastic for small groups, with lounge room style seating available for bigger groups. For the fresh air fanatics, there's plenty of outdoor seating too which is great while it's still light until 8pm. During winter, the inside couches you can sink into while sinking a few will be calling your name.
The welcoming venue is perfect for everything from a chill date night to boozy group dinners. Or if, like me, your parents can’t hear when the music surpasses two decibels and use their phone torch to look at the menu with a fully outstretched arm, Juanita's is the perfect place to take them. There's plenty of natural light from the windows that look out to beautiful, leafy Subi and you can jive in your seat to the soft jazzy tunes.
They focus on quality over quantity when it comes to their cocktails, offering some of the best Negronis and Aperol Spritz’ in the area. The wine list is a different story. Their fridge is overflowing with reds, whites, pinks, yellows and oranges as far as the eye can see. It can be a little overwhelming but luckily their knowledgeable and friendly staff are more than happy to point you in the right direction. We’re a sucker for the expertly curated selection of pet nats, chilled reds, and orange wines on offer, but you can also find some good craft beers on tap too.
On the topic of expertly curated, the chef's menu is the perfect accompaniment to your glass of wine or beer. In terms of eats, the menu contains next-level riffs on the charcuterie classics (I know, we didn’t think this was possible). It’s hard to not recommend each item on the menu, but the buffalo mozzarella with prosciutto, chorizo croquettes and of course the salt and vinegar fries are particularly great. The pâte was even a hit amongst the liver-phobic ladies, so add that to the order too. Between the old school Italian cinema posters, foreign disco, dining al fresco with soft cheese and negroni in hand, we really felt like it wasn’t our 24th consecutive month in Perth.
If this doesn’t already send you running right over, you should also note they do phenomenal functions. So if you’re looking for somewhere other than your Mum’s backyard for your next birthday, engagement or bridal shower, we’ve found your guy. They cater for functions between 15 and 100 people and offer full range food and drink packages, as well as corporate catering.
Juanita's is open for walk-ins at 341 Rokeby Rd Subiaco, so start organising your next night out.
Then, why not scope out more of the awesome places to eat and drink in Subiaco and organise a crawl.
Image credit: Juanita's