Indiana, Perth’s premier coastal venue, is located directly on Cottesloe Beach. The architect that designed the modern Indiana has created an amazing building that seems to rise effortlessly from the snow-white beach sand. Indiana offers uninterrupted views from every window, with all tables commanding views of the Indian Ocean and the magnificent sunsets beyond Rottnest Island.

Indiana was once known as the ‘Indiana Tea House’. The original building was a shack-like composite, which originated in 1910, had a quaint tea room and ice-cream parlour. It served as a pit-stop for the playground that was Cottesloe Beach, Perth’s top spot for surf, sand and sun, which was endlessly peppered with folk in their modest bathing suits, caps and trunks.

Nothing much has changed today – except perhaps the (modest) swimwear! ‘Cott Beach’, as it is affectionately known, is still the place to be. Indiana is a much-loved Perth-icon, a symbol of our affable, sun-soaked Australian lifestyle.

The recent spring 2009 renovations have seen Indiana re-open as a Modern Beach Bistro and All-Day Eatery. Indiana is open daily for coffee, pastry and fresh juices from 8am, all-day share food and bistro menu from 11am, and breakfast on weekends from 8am.

Indiana’s General Manager, Garry Williams, says “We’ve always wanted to take Indiana to this level; it was just a question of when. We’re taking a modern, fresh approach to Indiana, and setting it up in a way that we believe best suits the Cottesloe Beach environment.”

The makeover includes a new logo that includes the landmark Cottesloe ‘bell’ buoy just off the beach, as well as a brand new modern ‘Beach House’ look, with cool white walls teamed with bright stripes and furnishings, such as coloured cushions, new curtains, deckchairs, surfboards, towels and candles.

The menu features a lot of ‘share food’ – great for the beach - with a focus on fresh local produce. The addition of a wood fire oven will permeate the menu, and a ‘charcuterie’ with a range of dried, cured gourmet meats served on rustic timber boards. Other dishes will include: oysters, smoked ocean trout, duck parfait, steak tartare, wood-fired pizzas, soft shell crab, calamari, fish and chips, Wagyu beef, wood-fired lamb kofta – and much, much more.