Hillarys Boat Harbour will welcome its first craft brewery this week, with Phat Brew Club finally opening its long-awaited northern suburbs venue.

Doors open on Friday, 18 months after the West Perth institution took over the old Jetty’s building on the Hillarys boardwalk.

The iconic waterfront building has remained empty since The California Pizza Kitchen closed in 2019, but, after an 18-month renovation, Phat Brew Club’s owners think they’ve finally found a stayer for the prime location.

Managing director Travis Moore said he was confident Phat Brew Club could offer a point of difference to the family-friendly hotspot, with the boardwalk’s only brewery and only in-house play area — a 15sqm sandpit.

“We’ve got a really different offering to your standard fare. From a beer perspective, the offering is like nothing else in that precinct,” he said.

“And everyone keeps saying to us the same thing - there’s nothing really for the families there’s nothing set up to do.”

The neon branding is unmistakeable on the boardwalk, along with an enormous mural by local artist Daniela, Phat Brew Club Hillarys will have about 20 tap beers from its popular OG Pale Ale and Hazy Mid to a coffee porter and even a bubblegum sour.

The modern Australian menu, which is different from the West Perth venue, will include pub classics such as a chicken parmigiana and steak sandwiches, cooked on a charcoal grill.

And, given the suburb’s popularity with British and Irish ex-pats, the menu will also include dishes including fish and chips and bangers and mash as well as an Irish stout, described by Mr Moore as “absolutely banging”.

But at the top of the list of must-try items at Hillarys, Mr Moore recommends its “The World’s Best Beer” — a 4.5% citrussy offering created with influencer Perth Dude Food as well as the steak sandwich, with peppercorn sauce and candied bacon.

Mr Moore admitted the renovation wasn’t without its challenges, with the venue throwing up “a few surprises” ahead of its planned opening before the end of summer.

Perth mural artist Daniela Guevara, known as Rose Angel, has created a huge mural on the side of the building as well as a wall of painted beer kegs in the venue.

Paid for using $1 million in crowdfunding, the owners were able to create their vision before the end of the Easter holidays.

“The location is obviously amazing, there’s a real vibe around the place and we want to be a part of that,” he said.

“Hopefully there’s still some of the good weather out there too.”

Phat Brew Club opens at Hillarys Boat Harbour on Friday.