Celino's Alexandra Parade

Walk into Celino's on Alexandra Parade and you're stepping into the kind of place that doesn't need to shout about itself. The room's got that warm, lived-in feeling of a neighbourhood Italian restaurant that's actually been part of the neighbourhood—locals come here because their parents did, not because Instagram told them to. You'll find straightforward, well-executed Italian food that respects its ingredients without getting precious about it. It's the sort of spot where you can take your mum for her birthday or bring a date without feeling like you're trying too hard.