Andiamo

Like any good neighbourhood stalwart, Andiamo has broad appeal. Inside the modern Italian restaurant, the tables are spaced just far enough apart while maintaining a cosy feel – enhanced by a serene, sandy colour palette on the walls and furnishings. You’ll likely be sharing space with families with young kids, couples on date night, a group of old friends having a catch-up and colleagues out after work.

Walk past on any sunny afternoon, and the street-front tables will be full of people spilling out onto the footpath. Andiamo’s been going for over 30 years, and its cross-generational charm clearly pays off – as does the reliable, seasonal Italian menu.

It’s divided into several sections to include antipasti, various meatballs, pizzettes, pasta, fish and other sharing plates and sides. You’ll always find the signature chilli fried calamari – served on a creamy bagna cauda base with chilli oil and lemon – and macaroni with fontina, cheddar, parmesan, truffle, bacon and chilli.

The house cocktail list includes classics such as the Bellini and Mai Tai, while the Andiamo Fizz is a quenching mix of gin, elderflower, lemon, cucumber and prosecco. There’s a generous champagne list, which suits Andiamo’s affluent location, and the wine list is underpinned by New Zealand bottles on the white wine side, with more Italian and French drops coming through in the reds.