Assaggio Ristorante over in Hyde Park has to be one of my favourite Italian restaurants in Adelaide. I always knew they had a cafe over in Newton and it was only until now that I had a chance to check them out.

The menu at Assaggio Cafe is as extensive as it gets with soups, appetisers, pizzas, pasta, risottos, salads, mains and desserts. On top of that, they have specials as well as a lunch menu. There was so much choice I really had a hard time deciding.

The cafe itself is sleek, modern and spacious with a combination of bench and normal seating. It has floor to ceiling windows along two frontages which allows plenty of natural light to flow in.

For lunch, I ordered the Penne con Salsicce. The dish came out after a 15 minute wait and was very nicely presented, although the serving size was moderate. I was disappointed to find that the pasta was slightly overcooked. The rich flavour of the tomato and herbs was well infused into the pork and chilli sausage and the dish itself was well seasoned.

The staff here were friendly, attentive and not overbearing. The atmosphere was relaxed, and with the build up of people during the lunchtime period, it didn’t seem to make much difference. As far as pricing goes, I thought it was higher than average, especially considering the moderate serving size.

If I were to choose between the restaurant and the cafe, I would probably go to the restaurant everytime.

WHERE: 84 Newton Rd, Campbelltown