Burleigh Heads welcomes new Italian eatery Osteria del Mare
While we never really get much of a winter here in this fine city, the slightly crisp mornings have us dreaming of being on the Amalfi Coast basking in the sunshine with an Aperol spritz in one hand, leaving the other hand strategically free to deconstruct an antipasto spread. Last week Burleigh Heads locals welcomed yet another dining space, this time in the form of Italian eatery Osteria del Mare. Its owner is former Sydney chef Andrea Riva, who is aiming to bring the tastes of the Italian summer to the Gold Coast.
The details
Osteria del Mare is nestled along the Gold Coast Highway in very good company, sharing the bustling strip with the likes of Iku Yakitori Bar, Jimmy Wah’s, Justin Lane, Harry’s Steak Bistro and the newly opened Mr Hizola’s. Taking over from the former Euro Grill burger bar, the new eatery offers classic Italian fare in a casual coastal-inspired setting, serving brunch (hello, truffle bruschetta), lunch (pleased to meet you, pizza sandwich) and dinner (ciao, charcoal lasagne).
The food and drink
Chef Andrea and his wife Simona Focaccia (what a glorious surname) have created a menu that gives classic Italian fare a fresh new face. The duo are rolling out an Italian-style brunch menu, which not only serves a series of tasty bruschetta combinations, it also introduces us all to the pizza sandwich. Yes, a pizza sandwich. It’s basically a super light and crispy pizza-dough bread, which is filled (just like a sandwich) with scrambled eggs, bacon, mozzarella cheese, baby spinach and mayonnaise. The pizzas and pastas roll out for lunch and dinner, alongside a selection of antipasto offerings, fresh Italian salads and share plates like the fritto misto with deep-fried calamari, prawns and zucchini. All of the pizza bases are stretched and hand rolled daily, while the likes of the gnocchi, tagliatelle, pappardelle and activated charcoal-infused lasagne sheets are made from scratch and cut by hand to create a rustic and very authentic pasta offering. It doesn’t end there – you can keep in with the coastal vibe with the chargrilled yellowfin tuna steak with olives, capers and basil, or up the ante with the Tagliata di Manzo, a charred dry-aged black Angus sirloin. The best way to finish? An affogato with vanilla-bean gelato.
The rest
Osteria del Mare is looking to utilise its seaside locale by bringing the ‘in between’ hours to life outside of its lunch and dinner sittings. Not only will you find brunch done well, aperitif time is also being embraced between the hours of 3:00–5:00 pm, where you’re encouraged to stroll in after a day on the beach and enjoy an Aperol spritz (or birra or vino) and a plateful of fried calamari in the sunshine. Bellissimo.
All of the important details like opening hours, location and contact info is over in our Stumble Guide.
The Stumble Guide is our comprehensive Gold Coast dining guide with more than 870 places to eat, drink, shop and play.
