Chris Howard, North Bird’s former Head Chef, impressed us with the venue’s sophisticated, exciting, and damn delicious share plates and wine-friendly eats when they opened last year, so when we heard he was planning on kicking off 2021 with The Humble Onion, a brand spanking new venue (in an iconic old urban space), we were beyond stoked.
For this new venture, Howard has teamed up with his partner, sommelier Caitlin Johnson, and is heading back to a place where he spent plenty of time as an apprentice; the old Greenhouse site, which was most recently home to 100 Cups by Fiori.
They opened up for take away earlier this year, but they’ve only recently finished the full fit out and got the dine-in menu rolling so we thought we better drop by to check it out—and let's just say we're pretty devastated our office isn't walking distance.
The rustic yet refined brunch menu is loaded with tantalising, flavour-packed dishes that showcase the freshest seasonal produce available—some of which is grown on the rooftop above. We’re not too sure how Howard quite does it, but somehow he makes even the simplest of ingredients taste mind-blowingly delicious.
From the silkiest oat milk pudding flecked with pieces of crunchy baked granola and fresh berries (honestly, who knew oat milk could taste this good) to the moist yet fluffy zucchini bread topped with a yummy muhammara (a Middle Eastern style roasted capsicum dip) and ripe tomatoes, it’s all pretty heavenly and surprisingly different to every other cafe offering around Perth.
If you’re dropping by for lunch, take a look at the oh so light crab and leek quiche, served up with a rich mushroom agrodulce and delightful bottarga cream—it’s absolutely divine, especially when paired with something equally nice from the wine list (which is also exceptional). The house smoked sausage, which comes served with the creamiest polenta ever, is another real winner—think bangers and mash but way better.
Aside from the killer food and drinks, the vibe is seriously cool. With art pieces hung on the walls, industrial style concrete floors combined with light timber and pops of fresh greenery, not to mention the laidback indie tunes playing througout the indoor-outdoor dining space—it's easy to lose track of time and let your lunch meeting run over time.
For now, it's open for dine-in and takeaway from 6am ‘til 3pm Monday to Friday, but keep an eye out as Howard and Johnson also have plans to make the most of the stunning rooftop and have already started lining up special Friday night events. Given how good the food and drink is here, we're more than ready to raise a glass to these two legends and lap up those inner city rooftop vibes.
The Humble Onion is now open at 100 St Georges Terrace.
Check out more of Perth's most exciting food news.
Image credit: Elle Borgward