It’s no longer almond flat whites or frothy cappuccinos waking Perth up.
Instead, cafes across the city report colourful and creative beverages are becoming the new morning ritual.
Camera IconGather Bakehouse owner Lucy Long. Credit: Grace Tooze
You’ve probably spotted them on social media, or being sipped by the person next to you — maple sea-salt lattes, coconut hojicha clouds, vibrant strawberry matchas and protein-packed pumpkin espresso smoothies.
And whether it’s for the aesthetics, a conscious turn away from caffeine or a push to be more health-conscious, their popularity shows no sign of slowing down.
Nowhere is the trend more evident than at Gather Bakehouse in Leederville, where drinks including a coconut collagen iced matcha and the sea salt latte are drawing daily crowds.
Following a trip to China, where butter lattes and smoked coconut iced lattes dominated menus, owner Lucy Long was inspired to expand Gather’s traditional coffee offering last November. They became an overnight hit.
“We announced our new drinks menu via social media on a Monday night, and from the moment we opened on Tuesday morning we had people waiting to try it,” Long said.
“I can confidently say social media, in particular Instagram and TikTok, have been crucial to the growth and success of our business since we opened 18 months ago. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone say, ‘I saw you guys on TikTok and now I’m here!’ — it’s amazing.”
Kith Eatery in Nedlands has seen a similar response. It opened in September 2024 with three signature drinks — a Kith mont blanc, tropical iced matcha and Kith soda — and has expanded the list as demand has grown.
Its director Jess Chisari said customers are quick to embrace something different to their usual flat white.
Camera IconKith Eatery owner Jess Chisari with a strawberry iced matcha. Credit: Carwyn Monck/The West Australian
Inspiration similarly comes from travel, but Kith’s head barista Dan Martin is a bit of a wizard when it comes to creating new flavours or putting a spin on the classics.
Its latest beverages are the hojicha cloud and ube iced matcha, while the strawberry iced matcha remains a crowd favourite.
Over in Swanbourne, speciality drinks are around 25 per cent of everything new cafe Side Piece Deli pours.
Co-owner Sam Kaye — who also has Daises in Cottesloe and The Other Side in Swanbourne — said the rise comes both down to taste, social media and global cafe trends.
“When we opened Daisies ten years ago, soy was the go-to alternative milk; now it’s all about almond. People are always looking for the next thing,” he said.
Its biggest seller is the iced strawberry matcha, made with house-made strawberry syrup, Simara matcha, and strawberry cold foam, closely followed by the banana, caramel iced latte.
And with some drink posts reaching more than half a million views, Kaye said social media has become one of their strongest marketing tools.
The shift also mirrors Perth’s broader wellness wave, with saunas, fitness studios and health-focused venues popping up across the State.
Camera IconBlendcraft owner Andrew Browne. Credit: Ian Munro/The West
At Bicton’s Blendcraft — a healthy, super-food spiked cafe described as Perth’s Erewhon (a cult-favourite organic market and cafe in Los Angeles) — owner and former Fremantle Dockers player Andrew Browne saw a gap for nutrient-dense smoothies packed with functional ingredients such as collagen rich broth, activated charcoal and wild blueberry extract.
Since opening in October, the protein-based range has been the most popular, but customers are also willing to try something unexpected.
“One example is Pump’n — our spiced pumpkin and espresso coffee smoothie,” he said.
“This combination is actually quite common in other parts of the world, it’s hard to find here. We love that we’re introducing our customers to fresh concepts and we will be continually testing new combinations to add to our menu.”
And while some might dismiss the creative beverages as a fleeting fad, Long said that they’re proving to be more than just a moment.
“Matcha is the perfect example: it entered the scene as a fad, but it’s absolutely here to stay,” she said.
“People now build genuine rituals around their drinks, whether it’s their morning matcha or their once-a-week treat. Plus, life feels very expensive at the moment, so I think for many people a speciality drink can often be that little weekend novelty that doesn’t come with a huge price tag.”
Keeping up with evolving tastes is a part of business, but Long said innovation at Gather comes first from curiosity and creativity over trends.
“Do we feel pressure to keep up? Of course,” she said. “I believe good business starts with being in tune with your market and how it evolves. However, as a team we are naturally quite creative and curious, so generally our ideas come from wanting to offer something that feels uniquely ‘Gather’, as opposed to trying to keep up with trends.”
Perth’s best speciality sips
Kith Eatery, Nedlands
Coconut hojicha cloud
Camera IconKith Eatery’s coconut hojicha cloud. Credit: @kith_eatery
Side Piece, Swanbourne
Banana caramel iced latte
Camera IconSide Piece Deli’s range of specialty sips, including the strawberry matcha and banana, caramel iced latte. Credit: @sidepiece_deli
Gather Bakehouse, Leederville
Maple sea-salt latte
Camera IconGather Bakehouse owner Lucy Long. Credit: Grace Tooze
Sorrento Beach Club, Sorrento
Kit Kat iced latte
Camera IconSorrento Beach Club’s Kit Kat iced latte Credit: Supplied
Two Slices Sandwich Bar, Scarborough
Iced drinks with pistachio or espresso cream
Camera IconTwo Slices Sandwich Bar, Scarborough, iced drinks with pistachio or espresso cream Credit: @twoslicessandwichbar
Blendcraft, Bicton
Spirit Animal smoothie
Camera IconThe Spirit Animal drink at Blendcraft. Credit: Ian Munro/The West Australian