Coming Soon: Mr Mario’s, an Old-School Takeaway Joint From the Louca’s Seafood Team

Louca’s Seafood owner Peter Louca has dreamt of opening a cosy takeaway joint for a long time. Part of his motivation was to pay tribute to his father, who ran The Parade Fish Cafe in Norwood for decades. “It was pretty well known,” Louca tells Broadsheet. “People would come in for takeaway mostly, but we had a few seats out the back. My dad was a bit of a character. He would call everyone mister.”

Mr Mario’s – Louca’s take on the classic fish’n’chip shop – will open mid-August. Making use of a “lean-to” area at the back of the Louca’s restaurant and using the same kitchen, it will serve grilled and fried fish, homemade burgers, chips and fresh salads.

Fine dining this ain’t, and intentionally so. “It’s meant to be a bit of fun,” Louca says, explaining the menu will be “pretty old-school,” so as not to compete with the higher-end experience Louca’s Seafood is renowned for.

His aim is to attract a younger demographic, rather than those looking to splash out on a fancy feed. Despite the price tag, the offering is high-quality with great seafood and an experienced team including Louca’s head chef Eddie Noble.

Beyond nostalgia, the venture will help keep the venue financially stable in the face of continued struggles in the hospitality industry.

“You've got to have some sort of other income stream,” says Louca. Since Covid, Louca’s Seafood has increased its takeaway, but “it’s not an easy setup with people having to come to the [restaurant] counter [to collect their food],” he says. Mr Mario’s will provide a dedicated take-out location, six days a week.

Early enthusiasm on social media proves there’s certainly an appetite for what Mr Mario’s will be cooking up. And it’s not just the kids that are keen for a burger spot. “A lot of older customers from The Parade that I haven’t heard from in years have got in touch too,” he says.

Accessible, quality food is something that transcends even the biggest of generational divides.

Mr Mario’s will open mid-August at 242 Pulteney Street, Adelaide.

@mrmarios_adl