Perth's Optus Stadium is set to host a blockbuster Italian football match when AC Milan play AS Roma on Friday, 31 May in an Asia Pacific-exclusive. To inspire an Italian-themed long weekend whilst the champions of Italian football are in town, we've put together a list of 7 not-to-be-missed Italian restaurants (plus an iconic favourite) for an Italian-themed long-weekend in Perth.

Perth's top Italian restaurants

• Alba – Perth's latest hot new opening located at the newly redeveloped Stories mega-venue at Yagan Square. Offering a modern Italian menu in a premium location in the venue, Alba embodies the essence of 'sunrise' in Italian with both indoor and alfresco dining options.

• Garum at The Westin Perth hotel – a Roman Osteria headed up by celebrity chef Guy Grossi, housed in stunning surrounds of historic Hibernian Hall in the Perth CBD, and the signature restaurant for the hotel. The name originates from 'garum', a Roman fish sauce made by salting and fermenting fish in small clay jugs or vessels, commonly used throughout ancient Roman cooking. Garum's menu focuses on just that – authentic Roman Italian cuisine, with both ancient Roman techniques and modern Italian classics delivered in a stylish and relaxed atmosphere.

• Santini Bar and Grill at QT Perth – the award-winning restaurant celebrates classic Italian dining, pairing it back with everything that is loved about WA. It is a CBD icon in one of the many new Perth hotels. Santini Grill's open plan kitchen shows off the smoky wood fire coals and hanging handmade pasta, while bold terracotta and turquoise hues of the dining room transport guests to the Mediterranean. Local aged Parmesan, custom made burrata and freshly-picked San Marzano tomatoes make the bold menu cunning in its simplicity, letting the locally foraged produce take centre stage.

• Lulu La Delizia – this osteria has become an institution in Perth's inner-city suburb of Subiaco. Opening in 2016, Lulu La Delizia was named by celebrity chef Marco Pierre White as his favourite restaurant in Australia. Nigella Lawson also dined there during her visit to Perth last month. Joel Valvasori and his team specialise in the premium fresh pasta and delights of Friuli and the Venetian spice route.

• Vin Populi – translated from Italian as 'wine for the people,' Vin Populi opened its doors on the historic High Street in Fremantle in early 2023. This wine barslash restaurant serves up antipasti and fresh made pasta, and has been turning heads in Perth's hospitality scene since opening. Fremantle sardines, octopus and the famed Western Rock Lobster are prized local seafood delicacies that standout on the menu.

• Il Lido – an Italian-inspired espresso bar and restaurant overlooking Perth's iconic Cottesloe beach. Once a seaside 1930's art-deco cabaret hall, Il Lido (which literally means 'the beach' in Talian), draws on the site's heritage as the original 'Lido Cabaret.' Offering breakfast, lunch or dinner – it's the ideal location to channel the coastal towns of Italy and enjoy a coffee or aperitivo whilst overlooking the beach.

• Post – located in Perth's stunning State Buildings, Post is an Italian osteria sharing the tastes, tales and traditions of Italy. With a nod to European simplicity, the menu follows the season and the terrain and features the highest quality of local produce. To celebrate the Italian rivalry of AC Milan v AS Roma in Perth, Post will be offering pasta specials influence by Milano and Roma from May 25 to June 14. For Milan-inspired cuisine, savour the Risotto Milanese with slow-cooked osso bucco and gremolata, and for a taste of Roma, indulge in our Rigatoni Cacio e Pepe.

Also not-to-be-missed is a visit to Fremantle's iconic 'Cappuccino Strip.' Many cafes and restaurants have come and gone along this iconic strip since the 1970s – however one café has stood the test of time. Gino's Café is a Fremantle institution – having operated on its corner location for 30 years. Hailing from a small Italian village, founder and tailor Gino Saccone opened up the trattoria in 1983. Fed up with the poor coffee in Perth, Gino decided that if people couldn't make a better brew, he would open up his own cafe – which he did in 1983. It is now one of the most popular cafes in Fremantle to stop for a coffee and sit outside on the 'Cappuccino Strip' to people watch and soak in the delights of the eclectic port city.