Subiaco (or Subi, to everyone) owes its name to a band of Benedictine monks, who moved to the area in 1851. They called their monastery “New Subiaco” to commemorate Subiaco, the Italian town where the Benedictine Order was born.
From then, Subi’s population continued to climb (it increased dramatically at the onset of the gold rush) – by the 1970s it had one of the highest population densities in Perth. In the ’80s the suburb was a blend of older houses and an increasing number of warehouses.
We have an urban-renewal project called “Subi Centro” to thank for making Subiaco the thriving hub for dining and nightlife it is now. The project – established in 1994 – recognised the potential of the municipality’s inner-city location, and sought to demolish and repurpose the industrial sites along the railway line.
After that, a new train station closer to the centre of the suburb was built, and Subi was given a new life. Now, walk a couple of blocks down from the train station and you can watch a show at the Regal Theatre, one of Perth’s few remaining live theatres; grab a coffee at Blacklist; or have a long lunch at Lulu La Delizia, one of the best Italian restaurants in the country. If you’re after something more casual, Jus Burgers offers some of the best burgers in town.
