Ilma Beach House review: WA’s latest beachside beauty serves delicious dishes with a side of stunning views

Having been fortunate enough to write these food reviews for the past four years, there are a few points I’ve come to feel strongly about. A quick vent if you’ll allow. We no longer need the five-minute spiel about your menu being designed to share — it sank in five years ago. A hair in your food or $10 for a slice of bread and butter is no longer the most contentious part of dining, it’s the existence and debate over QR codes. If a neighbourhood cafe is offering free sparkling water, a pricey restaurant should be too. And under no circumstances bring a second $15 bottle of water to the table unless you ask the diners first. A venue can’t rest on its ocean outlook as its only drawcard. Fish and chips on the grass next door shouldn’t be a more enjoyable experience than dining at your coastal restaurant — especially when you’ve added the unofficial hefty ocean view tax. It was this final point I was pondering when dining at Ilma Beach House recently. Another potentially controversial call, but this new venue would have to boast the best views of any restaurant in Western Australia. If you were to kick off your shoes and step off its front deck, it would be on to the warm sand of Bunker Bay — there are Cool Cabanas set further back on a busy beach than the location of Ilma. Under the same ownership as Meelup Farmhouse, it’s no surprise the space feels effortlessly stylish and inviting with its mix of natural materials, light and airy layout, and textural linen tablecloths. The food — described as modern Australian with a Med influence — follows a similar aesthetic. A prawn cocktail ($27) drapes the crustaceans over an elegant ribbed glass, while a charred octopus leg ($27) artistically curls its way across the plate, the coral tones of a spiced tomato oil offset with fresh green herbs. The look and view is all well and good, but is Ilma more than just a pretty place? Absolutely. Each dish we ordered was excellent. The tenderness paired with the burst of heat and flavour of the octopus rivalled any other occy dishes I’ve had in Perth. The nostalgic prawn cocktail was planted firmly in 2025 with a salad that could stand alone as a tasty side even without the well-cooked prawns. My main of braised lamb ($42) with a smokey baba ghanoush and labneh was decadently rich. A herb salad with a good dash of lemon saved me from needing an afternoon nap afterwards. The chicken Maryland ($38), served on a flavoursome bed of white beans, was perfectly cooked, though we did joke it was a hefty price for two of the more humble and inexpensive supermarket items. Service was friendly and efficient. Dishes came out in ideal time, and were cleared quickly. The only part of Ilma that wasn’t at the top of its game was the bathrooms, but my strong views on restaurant toilets are a subject for another time. The verdict: 18/20 The best views in WA and an excellent dining experience to match. Ilma Beach House Farm Break Lane, Naturaliste OPEN Thurs-Mon, 8am-5pm BOOKINGS Yes CONTACT ilmabeachhouse.com.au