Moana Café – Perth’s new jewel

A good café that has a good vibe and does good coffee is often as deserving of an Oscar as Meryl Streep was after starring in The Iron Lady.

After wondering around Perth and morning the demise of the standard of coffee at King Street Café and its ultimate death I suddenly stumbled on this sign leading the way to a new café that I've never heard of.

So with a quickening step and a vaulting leap up a couple flights of stairs I entered Moana Coffee’s light and breezy space. 

In some ways Moana Coffee (618 Hay Street) is so much like other places in Perth in that it incorporates an arts studio and exhibition space (think Venn Gallery and PICA) and is occupying tiny parts of Perth’s previously used “old” buildings. But unlike Cabin Fever down Bon Marche (although this café is moving to Shafto Lane) Moana Coffee is upstairs in a beautiful room that makes me wonder why this space hadn't been used as a restaurant, gallery or café before.

Moana Café makes great use of the space and turns it into a relaxing, peaceful but elegant venue.

The Coffee was great and staff nice. Enjoying my Long Mac and good book on their balcony that looks out above the hustle and bustle of a busy shopping mall, I could have lingered for hours.

But one of my criticisms is that the space is possibly under used. Maybe because the management want to see how it goes before developing it further but I would love to see it turn from a café during the day to a small bar in the late afternoons.

It would be so cool to enjoy a glass of wine while the fine melodies of a jazz trio punctuate the great conversations that you are having with your date or group of friends.

  

It is also great that they are making use of the rest of the floor and turning it into an exhibition space and celebrating Perth’s older building instead of leaving them to disintegrate.  

My final concern is its opening hours and mid afternoon close. While this criticism isn’t just aimed at Moana in particular (because so many cafés in Perth seem to shut mid afternoon) forgetting that people don't suddenly stop needing coffee at 1600. Maybe Perth wouldn't seem so dead after business hours if there were places to linger and enjoy before heading home.

But really, this café is great and has so much potential. So go a visit and watch it (hopefully) grow into the Jewel in the crown of Perth coffee.