As the official music festival season winds down, it’s time for Perth’s city councils to launch their annual ‘street festivals’. First off the rack, or rather the first we are going to, is the William Street Festival on Sunday the 20th of March. Seeing as William Street Northbridge is one of our favourite Perth haunts we thought we’d give you a run down of what William Street has to offer, whether it’s festival time or not.
Starting at the top, a very good place to start, near Brisbane Street you’ll find a couple of cool fringe art galleries: Last Chance Studio and Mixtape. 
As well as William Topp, a quirky gift shop which sells a variety of goods (often locally sourced). And the ladies who man the till are very friendly and laid-back so you can go and have a browse without being pressured to make a pur-chase.
A little further down you’ll be in the middle of the several Asian supermarkets and restaurants. Lido and The Red Teapot are a couple of our favourites. Across the road from the Lido is the first of the three small bars found on William Street that have set the standard for most of Perth.
The 399 specialises in cocktails and we love their customer service approach; they don’t have a menu, instead they prefer to have a chat to find out what your taste buds would appreciate. Basically they can make whatever cocktail you fancy plus many others that you are yet to think off.
A little further south William Street you’ll stumble on a Perth institution: The Moon Cafe. For several generations The Moon has been the hangout of choice for Perth’s art student crowd. Weekly night meal specials, cheaper drinks and a chilled atmosphere are probably the reasons why this cafe has stood the test of the time.
One of the main developments of William Street is the emergence of small boutique retailers mainly situated between Newcastle and James Streets. There are several clothing shops such as Brave New World and Harry Highpants. 
Two recent new additions are Noise Pollution Records selling vinyl records and New Edition Bookshop. Both shops, like most other Williams Street establishmetns, make the most of their minimal floor space. 
Close by to Noise Pollution is The Butcher Shop. Out front you’ll find clothes for guys and gals, and the back of the shop will sort out any of your street art material needs. They have their own website that’s well worth checking out if you’re interested in street art.
And so we have just about reached the end of William Street in Northbridge. This part of William Street is now dominated by the new State Theatre on the east side of the road which has potentially been the stimulus for the rapid development of the western side of the road. The Bird and Ezra Pound are two small bars that have quickly established themselves and have many loyal followers. They also provide us Perthians with two perfect venues to take our Eastern state friends who are seeking the ‘Melbourne’ feel. 
The Bird is also providing an inner city venue for independent and new local musicians (something much needed since the loss of the Hyde Park hotel). On this side of the street you’ll also find Jus Burgers and the recently refurbished food emporium, Kakulas Brothers.
And like any good recommendation we’ve left the best to last! Little Willy’s cafe sums up William Street revival. Although only open on weekdays (but hey, no one can be perfect) this is the place to go for great coffee in Northbridge and, if you’re lucky, to catch a glimpse of surely Perth’s cutest barista. 
Tags: 399, Ezra Pound, Last Chance Studio, Little Willy's, The Bird, The Moon Cafe, William Street, William Street Festival, William Topp
