Some restaurants are perfect for a special occasion, while others are the places you return to when you simply want good food, a welcoming atmosphere and a table full of people you love. Sandrino manages to bring all three together, making this long-standing Fremantle favourite one to keep in mind next time you're deciding where to eat.
Tucked along Market Street, Sandrino has been part of Fremantle's dining scene for more than two decades, building its reputation around Italian-inspired cooking, generous plates and the kind of relaxed hospitality that makes settling in for another course an easy decision. It's a place where you can keep things simple with a pizza and a glass of wine or turn dinner into a proper occasion with a spread designed for sharing.
Seafood lovers have every reason to take note. Sandrino's menu brings together the flavours of the coast with dishes such as chilli mussels served with garlic bread, creamy garlic prawns with steamed rice and a seafood combination pizza topped with prawns, fish, calamari and chilli mussels. For a table that can't decide on just one thing, the seafood platter brings together a selection of ocean favourites, making it a natural centrepiece for a leisurely meal with friends.
Then there's the pasta, which more than deserves a place in the conversation. Sandrino's mari e monti combines prawns, fish, squid and scallops with spaghetti and a rich tomato sugo, while the handmade gnocchi ragout pairs tender pillows of pasta with slow-braised beef, red wine and Italian herbs. If comfort food is what you're after, the fettuccine carbonara, with bacon, mushroom and cracked pepper cream sauce, is another reason to arrive hungry.
Of course, no Italian-inspired outing would feel quite complete without pizza. Sandrino's traditional wood-fired selection covers familiar favourites alongside more adventurous combinations. The Amalfi brings together mortadella, pistachio and fior di latte, while the seafood combination offers a taste of the coast on a crisp, golden base. There's also a traditional Margherita for those who know that sometimes the simplest things are exactly what you're craving.
What makes Sandrino particularly easy to recommend is the choice. Meat lovers can settle in over lamb cutlets or a grilled Angus scotch fillet, while vegetarians have options including golden pumpkin and ricotta ravioli and a green risotto with asparagus, spinach and peas. Whether you're organising a family lunch, catching up with friends or planning a relaxed date night, there's enough variety to keep everyone at the table happy.
And that's really the appeal. Sandrino isn't asking you to make a big production out of dinner. It's offering a welcoming place to enjoy familiar Italian flavours, explore a few dishes beyond your usual order and make an evening of it. With indoor and alfresco dining, an extensive drinks menu and space for larger celebrations, it works just as well for an impromptu meal as it does for a gathering worth planning.
So, if your Fremantle dining list needs a dependable addition, put Sandrino on the radar. Go with a few friends, order something to share, leave room for pasta and finish with the house-made tiramisu. Sometimes the best dining discoveries aren't entirely new at all. They're the established local favourites that remind you why you love going out to eat in the first place.
