Young George Restaurant East Fremantle WA 5

Dine

Young George

By day, it's a bright and airy restaurant, perfect for a sit-down lunch or mid-day bevvy on the covered veranda. Come night, it turns dark and moody, with ambient lighting setting the tone for a romantic dinner or foodie night out on the town.

By Sophia Holl

The venue has a colourful history.

From its humble beginning as a corner store built in 1905, to The Wine Store with the original basement cellar, all lime-stone walls and red-brick archways, still used today. To a pizza parlour before Susan Whelan and Meliss Palinkas took over Young George in 2014.

"Owning our own place was always the plan," says Susan. "Before YG [Young George], we were doing pop-ups at small bars and other venues, trying to make a name for ourselves." And that they have, with a loyal fanbase of customers filling the seats in this bustling restaurant, drawn by the allure of Head Chef Meliss Palinkas's award-winning food.

Growing up with Hungarian-German roots, Meliss employs her root-to-shoot, nose-to-tail philosophy in the kitchen, where no part of the vegetable or animal is thrown away. Ever tried octopus heads? Meliss finds good use for them on her made-to-share menu. Said heads are charcoal-grilled served with a bacon vinaigrette and become a staple on the YG menu. As is house-made sourdough with kosho butter, beef tartare, and heirloom mushroom terrine. Smoked lamb neck with miso, honey and Jerusalem artichokes and Ricotta dumplings with duck salami, roasted capsicum, brown rice with a black pepper gravy are current mains star attractions. A seasonal menu means you can expect new and unexpected dishes each visit.

Young George Restaurant East Fremantle WA 3

Young George also delivers with an extensive wine list.

“Our wines are predominantly Australian based, prioritising WA bottles first. However, I do try to bring in a few French and Italian varieties to diversify the list,” Susan reveals. Not forgetting its roots as a small bar, craft beers and creative cocktails are also served, like Peaches’ n ‘Cream, with coconut tequila, chilli, lime, and peach and a salted rim, a current favourite.

Minimising waste is at the heart of Young George. Hence the octopus heads, an uncommon part of the sea creature that usually goes to waste. This attitude also extends beyond edible items. “We started by eliminating all single-use plastic from the kitchen and working with local suppliers to deliver produce and meat that wasn’t wrapped in plastic,” Susan explains. It's a philosophy they have also brought to their most recent venue, Ethos, just a few doors down on George Street.

Next up at YG, Susan and Meliss host a smattering of dinners with local wine producers, pairing a menu to WA labels, ending the summer with a long table lunch under the veranda. Plus, inside tip: Wednesday’s “Pizza Party”. Paying homage to the venues previous incarnation as a pizza joint, they light up the original wood-fired oven serving pizza with wine for $16.