I like food and food likes me.....well, sometimes it likes me, other times it gives me crazy gas…read moreand I have to sleep on the couch, but you get the idea! As much as we all have to head to the supermarket and pick up our stock standards to cook our daily meat and two veg, sometimes we just can't be stuffed.... shopping or cooking! Answer = Sfera's Gourmet. Most know Sfera's as the function centre/restaurant near Tea Tree Plaza. The Gourmet Centre on Lower North East Road has an amazing array of noshables that will probably shorten your life expectancy, but your mouth will be stoked! From pre-packaged pasta wonders to hot and ready to munch stuffed capsicums, lasagne and other options I will hold back from mentioning in case your drool shorts out your keyboard! There is also plenty of Seafood, fresh and frozen in case you do want to cook when you get home...why would you want to cook when it is all done for you? Eh, whatever.

This is one of the best places outside the Central Markets to pick up a variety of goods, from…read moreseafood and meat, chicken, game, and a whole range of pre-prepared meals including pastas and roast meat dishes, ready to cook or reheat products - they have just about everything. You can pick up a fresh meal ready to reheat for as little as $6, and it's not a skimpy meal like a frozen tv dinner from the supermarket, either. One of my favourite guilty pleasures from here is their crumbed calamari - prepared fresh on the premises, $10 worth of it feeds my family of four, and it's so crisp and light when fried well. The handmade tartare sauce they do finishes it off well, too. Everything is so fresh - I guess that comes from also handling a lot of catering - handling product well must come natural to them by now :)

I have been to countless special occasions celebrated at JDF and all have been executed perfectly…read more The venue has two different halls, one large and one for smaller functions both rooms can be used quite easily as they are. However, the neutral colour tones also allow you to really dress up and play with this space to suit your event! The food has a strong Italian influence, it is always delicious and they have huge servings so I can't imagine anyone EVER leaving hungry! The staff are helpful and events seem to always go on without a hitch!

I don't think I have ever been to a Skippy celebration here, nor ever will I be, but these guys…read moreknow their market and they cater to it damn well. From an all Italian inspired, yet limited, menu I have only ever had the giant sized cannelloni or king prawn (that's just the starters), the beef/chicken main and a bring your own cake dessert here - but I think that's all that is on offer. The food is very well flavoured and cooked as they couldn't get away with doing anything lesser quality for all those nonna's in the audience of their grandchild's 18th birthday. From two 21st's an 80th, a christening and a wedding I think I now know this venue and their stock standard party agenda back to front. It's a simple and predictable space that provides consistently good food, great facilities, plenty of booze (bottles on the table no less) and has just renovated it's smaller function venue to be more spacious and with a nicer reception/entrance area. Needless to say I think it's mandatory if you are of Italian descent you have to have at least one significant celebration here in your lifetime for 100-200 people.

I adore this place .... one of the reasons I wouldn't move from NE Adelaide! You walk in, and…read moreimmediately you want to start buying produce and pasta-making equipment (all the while knowing I'll likely never make my own LOL). The coffee is great, the pastries are divine and they have pizza I will only eat from here!

I grew up in this area, and have driven past Mercato on my way to friends' houses but had never…read morestopped in until last week. A few Italian people I know say it's a bit overpriced compared to the western suburbs, and I can see that it may be for some items, but I think they are not too bad. The layout of the store is typical Italian grocer, with as many items as they can fit and everything grouped logically, which I like. They have flour sections with descriptions of what the particular flours are best for (e.g. pizza/bread/pasta). They have a great range of cheeses and cold meats, fresh pasta, coffee, Italian wines and spirits, biscuits, cakes, sweets, antipasto and canned and jarred tomatoes, passatta and marinated everything. They also sell wholesale to caterers and event organisers and have delivery and a catalogue that can be requested from their website, where they also have recipes and events notices, such as wine tastings. On one end of the store there is also a bakery/pizza bar with barista coffee, authentic Italian pizzas and panini and freshly baked bread and pastries at a good price. It's worth checking out just for the bread. I bought a great large sourdough for about $5. Bellissimo.