Community Always | KITH Eatery | Episode 54*
Hospitality at its best relies on a simple premise: building the kind of space you genuinely want to spend time in yourself. For Perth’s KITH Eatery, that meant creating a venue that balances specialty coffee, thoughtful food, and warm service without leaning into rigid formality. Built as an easy drop-in for a quick morning espresso, a lingering lunch, or a milestone gathering, Kith was designed from the ground up around familiarity and connection, a definition reflected directly in its name.
Rather than relying on standard cafe tropes, the menu introduces distinct yet approachable flavours meant to fit naturally into a routine. That same straightforward standard carries across their drinks list, interior space, and day-to-day service. Beyond morning coffee, the team is expanding their Aperitivo Afternoons, shifting the room into a slower gear with shared plates, spritzes, and wine built for unwinding late into the afternoon.
At the heart of the operation is a genuine commitment to the surrounding community. From working alongside local producers and suppliers to building a team that enjoys the environment they work in, KITH treats hospitality as a human-first venture. For Joel and Jess, success comes down to how the room feels when it is full, keeping the focus on seasonal menus, collaborative projects, and unpretentious quality.
What inspired the creation of KITH Eatery and what makes it unique?
KITH Eatery started with the simple idea of creating the kind of place we’d want to spend time in ourselves. We felt there was room in Perth for a venue that combined quality food, specialty coffee, thoughtful drinks and genuinely warm service, without feeling overly formal. Somewhere you could drop in for a quick coffee, settle in for a long lunch or celebrate something special, knowing you’d be looked after every time.
The menu was one of the biggest opportunities to do something different. We wanted to introduce dishes that weren’t common in Perth cafes at the time, while keeping them approachable enough that people would want to come back and order them again. That same thinking carried through to every part of KITH, from the drinks list to the fit-out and the way our team looks after guests. The name KITH felt like the right fit because it’s all about familiarity and connection. More than anything, we wanted to create a place that people naturally make part of their routine.
Any exciting moments coming up or previous highlights that you'd like to share?
The response since opening has probably been the biggest highlight. It’s always satisfying seeing a room full of people enjoying the space the way you hoped they would, whether they’re grabbing a quick coffee or settling in for the afternoon.
We’re also excited to keep growing our Aperitivo Afternoons. It’s a chance to show a different side of KITH, with a menu designed for sharing alongside a spritz or bottle of wine. The pace is a little slower, people stay a little longer and it creates the kind of atmosphere we always hoped KITH would have. We’re always thinking about what’s next. We’d love to open another venue in the not too distant future but we’re in no rush. It has to be the right site and a concept that feels true to us.
For now, we’re focused on continuing to evolve KITH through seasonal menus, new ideas and collaborations with people and brands we genuinely admire.
How important is community to your business?
It's everything. KITH has always been about creating a space people enjoy spending time in, not just because of the food or coffee but because of how it feels. For us, hospitality has always been about the people, whether that’s our regulars, someone visiting for the first time or the team behind the scenes. That extends beyond our guests too. We love working with local producers, suppliers and businesses that care about what they do, and we always put a lot of energy into building a team that genuinely enjoys being here. If people leave already planning their next visit, we’ve done our job.
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