Di Mare Steak & Seafood

A vacation within itself, this elegant seafood restaurant is a gem in Parnell village. Tucked away up a suitably European cobbled street, Di Mare Steak & Seafood has been everyone's favourite family-run restaurant for 24 years.

Reminiscent of endless evenings along the Mediterranean coast, Di Mare has transformed its dinky little villa into a European love story. Complete with a terracotta roof, this is the real deal, showering diners with hundreds of romantic fairy lights, serving up a whole lot of style and class with chequered and white tablecloths and living for cosy nights on the veranda, cicadas accompanying your idyllic European escape.

The uncomplicated rustic menu does everything it sets out to do; delight and indulge. Take your time with some lush starters, enjoying the rich fruits of the ocean with a seafood soup, New Zealand green-lipped mussels and smoked fish mornay smothered in a devilish cheese sauce.

For mains, pasta and traditional Mediterranean dishes preside. Fresh from the pasta maker, lose yourself to creamy carbonara, spaghetti bolognese and Italian meatballs, all humble flavours made with an expert hand. Alternatively, opt for a stellar cut of meat. Perhaps a marinated lamb shoulder with comforting mash, chicken Frangelico stuffed with cream cheese or a fine Denver leg served with grilled mushrooms? Simply put: what does your Mediterranean escape look like?