Osteria Padella

I took a group of 11 people here on a Sunday night and I could not be happier with how things went. The service was fantastic (despite a few language barriers), the drinks were flowing and the food delicious. Massive shout out to the brilliant waitress whose name i never caught but who was french, from Nice, she was very quick, very patient with the large group and very accommodating. She never stopped smiling and made sure to say good bye at the end of her shift.
We tried and completely recommend the following:
Polenta Chips — excellent to nibble on
Salsiccia e fagioli — delicious!
Home-​made bresaola — perfect
Prosciutto e gnocco fritto — i’d never tried this before and it was incredible
Home-​made pappardelle — Slow cooked lamb & mushroom ragu with fresh herbs — half the table ate this and it was beautiful, the lamb melted in your mouth and was so tasty
Home-​made osteria gnocchi — full of flavour
Brodetto & polenta — smelt amazing, bowls were licked clean (there was no sharing here!)
Fish of the Day — Barramundi — fresh and tasty
Surprisingly despite the menu being a little pricy the total bill for the 11 of us was not that terrifying.
Definitely recommend for anyone visiting Port Douglas — do yourself a favor and go!

First meal in pt Douglas and a memorable one. Beautiful Sardinian style with fresh local ingredients and the morish bread is baked in house. Easily up there with the best Italian in my hometown Adelaide. Attentive friendly service and outdoor footpath dining that suits the weather now (sept). We had spaghetti Napoletana with cheese– easily the best I’ve ever tasted. A gnocco for starters was a delicious deep fried pocket with a sliver of tasty pork fat. Next we had the special a scallop risotto served in the iron pan it was cooked in. Delish! Wit lof salad to accompany with a James squire Pilsner worked well together. Freshest Bread and olive oil just couldn’t stop eating it! Deserts were just as light and fresh tasting ricotta and chocolate creations with loving attention to detail. Espresso martini was topped with foamy cream and balanced. Everything on the menu sounds just as delicious leaving me thinking I might only need to visit one restaurant during our 6 days here but we are booked into zinc tomorrow. The frequent changes in menu and warning that cooking times are a little longer for some things just prove their love.

Best Italian food I have had in Australia and I have lived here almost 4 years. We went there two days in a row. The service is excellent, the wine is beautiful and the food is absolutely divine! The dishes are a bit pricey but worth it.
Highly recommend–
–Gnocchi with gorgonzola, walnuts, pear and crispy sage (⁵⁄₅)
–Fish of the day (ours was with eggplant)… best fish ever! (⁵⁄₅)
–Home made spaghetti w braised baby octopus (⁵⁄₅)
–Pomodoro tomato onion salad (⁵⁄₅)
–Dessert… can’t remember the name but it was a chocolate mousse with orange crumbs (⁵⁄₅)
I wish I could go back to Port Douglas just to eat here!

Osteria Padella is a nice spot serving authentic Italian food right on the shores of Port Douglas. It seems like it wouldn’t work in the tropical climate, but it is a great place to dine — hot weather and all.
We stopped in for dinner when other places were full and were seated quickly and told the specials. Plus we were given some complimentary garlic and herb bread, which was light and fluffy.
I had the squid ink tagiatelle with prawn, crab, preserved lemon and mint, which was a light fresh dish. My husband had the authentic lasagne which was so good he didn’t want it to end.
A broad selection of Italian wines and a virgin mojito for me and then we rounded out our meal with a rich little gianduia to share for dessert.
A nice option for a night out in Port Douglas.