The Thirsty Travellers were lucky enough to stumble across the vibrant Perth suburb of Northbridge on a recent visit.

The area, which was once the equivalent of Sydney’s Kings Cross or Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley, has shed its seedy reputation to become what’s been described as “a hipster’s paradise”. It’s streets are filled with small bars, cafes, bookshops, designer boutiques and Asian restaurants, as it hosts the city’s main Chinatown area centred around Chung Wah Lane.

It was a fascinating place to wander on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

We were ambling through Perth CBD wondering how to spend a brief stopover in the city when we saw a footbridge and crossed over, past the vibrant, crowded Shoe Bar to discover the thriving entrance to Northbridge.

We started our sipping at Shadow Wine Bar (pictured main and above), a stylish space in a converted former National Bank building. Our glasses of wine were paired with a delicious white bean and Turkish chilli dip, together with Bread in Common ciabatta.

A group of people at the next table recommended we head up the hill to Vincent Wine, a French-themed bar and a great spot to sip a Provencal rose. French and Italian winemakers make up 80% of the wine list, while the menu is filled with French classics. The bar also produces the most delicious charcuterie boards, together with piles of freshly baked bread, which are perfect for sharing with friends on a relaxed afternoon. Well worth a visit.

We window shop past so many enticing bars as we wander back through the suburb. Among the venues added to our bucket list for our next visit to Perth are Neon Palms (above), with its Latin American menu and Miami-inspired decor; and the famed Mechanic’s Institute (below), which has won a swag of awards over the years.

But we a little jet lagged and disoriented by our flight from Sydney, so we head into a boutique bottle shop, Peter’s Cellars on William Street. It stocks a wide range of Australian and imported wines, plus limited released wines from family owned vineyards the owner has known for many years. With the friendly owner’s help, we choose a WA red for a nightcap and catch an Uber back to our hotel to reset our body clocks with a good night’s sleep.

Shadow Wine Bar, 214 William St, Northbridge; Vincent Wine, 465 William St, Northbridge.