Located on Angelo Street in South Perth, Nextdoor appears to be, at its surface, just another casual neighbourhood joint. The kind of place where locals might end up with the fam for a weeknight feed or birthday dinner. But look a little closer and you'll find much more to get excited about here.
The restaurant and bar is an offshoot of the neighbouring family butchers located literally 'next door' (get it) and offers up a unique butcher-to-plate experience, so a next-level meat selection is kinda expected—I mean, it's pretty hard to ignore the open flame and waft of wagyu steaks sizzling on the wood fire grill as you walk in. But what you might not expect is the more sophisticated eats Head Chef Ashleigh Pattison and her team are putting up alongside the quality cuts. Seemingly simple bites are stripped back to reveal some seriously clever (and downright delicious) cooking incorporating international flavours, delicate plating and waste minimisation (tick, tick, tick).
Walking in, you’ll find the New York-inspired interior (think exposed brick, concrete, mood lighting and white tablecloths) is split into three spaces, each catering to the unique experience you’re chasing on the night. Book ahead to secure one of ten seats at the exclusive fire-grill bar and watch closely as the team whip your creations up right in front of you in the open kitchen, get the group together for an a la carte dining experience in the main dining hall, or walk in for a casual after work drink and some tasty bar morsels—either way, you’re in good hands with the menu.
Everything’s seasonal and they’ve got a heavy focus on working with the butcher next door to reduce waste across both venues, so expect the menu itself to change regularly. For now, though, you can look forward to lip-smacking morsels like crispy chicken skin served up with creamy avocado and chicken butter with a dusting of tamarind salt (I mean…you can’t argue with chicken skin, right?), beautifully smoked duck pastrami filled with morcilla (Spanish blood sausage) and plum, and some lovely little charcoal dough empanadas which we could happily devour a dozen of.
The main star for us was that perfectly charred 400g wagyu steak served with black garlic, chimarrao bearnaise and dark jus—it’s up there with the best steaks in Perth. But the humble side of creamed corn, mashed potato and avocado topped with a runny egg yolk definitely made a run for dish of the day in my books…honestly, I could find comfort in that bowl any night of the week.
To finish we ended with a delish dessert featuring sour plum, olive seed ice cream and pistachio (trust us, it works). Despite being beyond full at this stage, we were glad they talked us into having one each.
We're still drooling over each and every dish from this epic butcher-to-plate dining experience, and while some menu items may be a little on the pricier end, it's definitely worth it. If you're still not convinced, we should also point out, Head Chef Pattison's no stranger to dishing up the kind of high calibre dishes you can't stop thinking about. Her extensive career includes competing as part of the Australian Culinary Olympic team, working in two Michelin star Restaurant D.O.M in Brazil, and cooking alongside plenty of influential chefs in kitchens here in Australia.
If you’re serious about food, Nextdoor needs to be on your must-try list. Book here.
Then make your way through more of the best restaurants in Perth.
Image credit: Supplied