PICA Bar & Cafe

Gorgeous courtyard area, lovely staff and the prices are reasonable. Food, though, was incredibly ordinary — I wouldn’t eat there again.

Good selection of wines, beers and cocktails.
Staff super friendly.
Tables with drink coolers??? Super cool!
This is just the start of bar hopping.

We first stumbled across PICA bar a few years ago after attending a show at the Heath Ledger theatre. It’s got a beautifully chilled vibe amongst the trees in the outdoor courtyard.
Weathered brick sits comfortably against twinkling fairy lights as a firm crowd of artists and families alike sit and drink from craft ale tinnies, Pimms jugs and a small selection of tap beers. The interior is also comfortable, with soft couches and ambient nooks available for cooler evenings.
The chef at PICA should also get a nod for the strong selection of share platters, tapas-​style snacks and juicy burgers. I hear the breakfasts are great too, though I’m yet to experience the morning scene.
Despite having no talent whatsoever, I kinda feel cool when I’m sitting amongst rambling performers during their breaks at PICA. It’s a great way to experience the ‘other side’ of Perth’s rich, ever-​changing cultural centre.

PICA Bar is a firm favourite of mine and has been for years.
The outdoor section is people-​watching central at any time of the day or night. It also has a lot of space inside, so even when there are no tables outside, there’s usually a table, patch of sofa or piece of bar to lean against, sprawl across or otherwise claim inside.
The building is pretty cool (although the style reminds me of my old school), and I like all the wood inside. However, I think the thing I appreciate most is how laid-​back PICA Bar is. It’s cool but unpretentious and the staff are too.
Being located in the Perth Cultural Centre makes it the perfect place to meet for pre-​dinner drinks, especially after work when not everybody is coming from the CBD and some are catching the train in. It’s also a nice place to stop between the city and Northbridge.

PICA has quickly become my favourite place to chill out with friends. The pimms jugs made to order are great for sharing and the menu is perfect for grazing throughout the evening.
Outside offers great opportunities to people watch whilst the couches inside provide a comfortable and casual way to relax. The staff are really friendly and fun, perfect atmosphere for a low key night.

Brilliant — only paid $ 9 for a pint on a Friday night, happy days. It’s an unassuming bar with a small but satisfying selection of drinks. One of my faves to catch up with a few friends before kicking on.

PICA Bar and café is a great place for after work drinks or just drinks in general. I’m not too bothered with the food here or lack of options but it is more of a relaxed bar type place.

Very bad service. Waiters should loose their attitude — they think they can be rude and un-​friendly and for it to go in noticed. Suck it up you uptight pretentious princess and try smiling, or at the very least be polite (ignoring patrons etc), unless of course you are afraid you’re face might crack.

Its a nice bar, its located next to an art gallery
Theres an indoor and an outdoor area

This would simply be a cool bar if not for the fact that the chef cares so much about food!
As a location to hang out in the arts precinct in Northbridge it is great, the choice of beers, ales and ciders is good; they have a single price for both their reds and white wines too…
But surprisingly it is their food that keeps me coming bar, the breaking are big and flavorsome and have really attention to details (seriously try the mushrooms they are amazing); similarity the lunches are great too with the steak sandwich and chicken burger being the standout (chef cooks the onions in a caramel for the steak and are simply gorgeous); on Friday and Saturday they have a simple tapas menu and to finish they have far from standard muffins (think salmon, dill and red onion).
To finish the top notch act they also employe great staff who are friendly and hard working, therefore PICA bar has quickly become one of my go to places of 2013.

Many years ago I was introduced to the bar at PICA by a friend who was delightfully arty and left of centre. Yesterday I returned with friends for the first time since. The simple décor and offer remained and the collection of Friday revellers on a warm afternoon was enchanting. A cold German beer served out back and a selection plate of tasty morsels ticked the boxes to the start of our Fringe Festival journey. Can’t wait to return to try b’fast or lunch in the name of something more substantial. Keep it tight PICA, so cool.

I always walk by this place and have meaning to try it so when some fellow Unilocalers suggested meeting for breakfast, the opportunity presented itself.
Being out the previous night, I was running late so I found my companions sitting outside. Now I usually skip breakfast so I looking forward to a good hearty breakfast. In that spirit, I started with a long black. I have to say it was a damn good long black.
When it came time for ordering, the steak sandwich caught my eye. Along with some recommendations, I forgot about breakfast and ordered it.
It was very good. The bread was a good complement and steak was properly cooked. Very enjoyable.
Overall a good spot. The food was good. The coffee was good and the outside seating was a great place to spend a lazy Sunday, have some conversation and do a bit of people watching.
Stay sexy my friends!

This joint has changed names and hands a number of times over the years, but I hope this iteration is around to stay. I haven’t been for a meal yet, but it’s a great venue for after work drinks, especially if you can snag one of the outdoor tables.
They have a reasonably priced and interesting selection of beers, ciders and wine, and the wine list changes fairly regularly. They also have a range of cocktails named after artworks, which sound lovely.
I’ve only had snacky things to eat here, but they’ve been very nice, and they always manage to get the live music just right in the evenings. Always someone talented with a good song selection, but never intrusive.

I was working in the cultural precinct for a week for a special event and I came here for lunch every day, I enjoyed the food that much!
Anything on the all day breakfast menu is amazing (I was just amazed to find a place that still offered all day breakfast). I pretty much sampled the whole breakfast menu but eggs benedict is still my favourite.
The lunches I tried were all good too, my favourite was the caesar salad, very filling with it’s big slabs of chicken, what a salad should be in my opinion.
I don’t drink coffee (yes I know I’m a minority) but the chai latte and peppermint tea I sampled was superb.
The staff could be mistaken as being stand off-​ish when they’re busy but they’re usually warm and welcoming and good for a chat. This place can get busy and when they do the wait for food can be long, but the waiter will normally tell you if this is the case. You can book a table ahead of time if you have your heart set on coming here during busy periods.
All in all, great for a get-​out-​of-​the-​office lunch, filling breakfast or Friday afternoon drinks.
You can also view the PICA galleries next door for free (+1 for bonus culture)

We often walk past PICA but had never stopped in. We have been there twice for breakfast on a weekend now. I’ve been impressed both times. The staff are friendly and helpful. On the last visit I had the full breakfast. I said no tomato and he immediately asked if I wanted more of something else. It is rare to get a place that offers this.
Great coffee, great food, great service. What a way to start a weekend!

Picabar has been a fixture of the Perth bar scene for years. It’s just returned with new owners after a half decade of being little more than a lobby bar for the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts and it may be better than ever. With a tapas menu, café treats and a full bar day and night, it’s my new/​old haunt in the Cultural Centre. A lot of other artists agree; those old enough to have hung out here before its’ closure have flocked back and it’s become a place where you’re likely to see half of Perth’s performing and visual arts scene plotting grand projects together or procrastinating at any given time.
I ran a show here on Saturday night; though at the moment it’s a BYO PA kind of venue and the room has, uhhh, «interesting» acoustics, it’s a very intimate space that fills very easily. We were also able to use their laneway-​style outdoor area out the back, which in some hitherto unseen miracle of Western Australian liquor licencing IS A LICENSED AREA! The bar has a kickass wine list, makes almost orgasmic coffee and have possibly the most helpful staff I have ever experienced. I thoroughly reccomend it for gigs or private functions.
Welcome back, Picabar. I missed you.

This is a cool place to go for lunch and to people watch (if you sit outside). It used to a school and if you look hard enough on the bricks you’ll see some of the names of the kids who went to school here.
The lunch I had here a few weeks ago was delicious and so well presented. The waiter was so enthusiastic and polite — I was really impressed.
And the cakes are unbelievable with gluten free options too.
I’ve been here in the evening too and again, it was a great atmosphere. Get there early though if you want to sit on the cool couches inside!

I loved sitting out amongst the people eating lunch… Coffee was good, service was quick with a bit of attitude, food was pretty good. The setting really takes this to 4 stars, though I wouldn’t make a special visit for the food.

In the past I spent allot of time leaning against the walls of PICA bar, I have been to loads of great gigs here and every night has been a blast especially as the local punters have been pretty friendly, so it was always a great night out.
The last time I came here the locals weren’t so friendly and we just spoke to the people we went out with– which was disappointing, if I only wanted to speak to the people I go out with I would stay at home with them.. That aside, I guess the pints were pretty good value at around $ 8.00– $ 9.00. The location is fab as it is easy to get to and from and its nice to go to a bar that brings back so many great memories.

An extension of the gallery and a feast for all senses!
This «café» is a sly chameleon. While it is lisensed and serves as a café (providing the basic bevvies”), the space primarily offers itself, quite literally, as an extension of the gallery– easily rebranded and exhibited accordingly. More of an art space posing as a café than the other way around!
The «menu» will be tweaked slightly to fit each installation and this can be a tad embarrassing if you don’t know what to expect. Currently it is exhibiting «Yellow Cake Street» which is a great installation transforming the café into a bright and crumb sprinkled world– so convincing infact that I foolishly asked for a menu! To which the «barman» looked embarrassed for me and had to explain that is really wasn’t a genuine café and there was nothing to warrant having a menu for– «(shamefully ignorant, — here was me without a beret to cover my red face!)
The space is full of character, wooden floors and tables with a couple old comfy couches, great for musing. This is a great place for artists to showcase small exhibitions in an interactive, less conventional space.
Very much art impersonating life– (allowing your life to immitate the art) — that’s what I ordered!