Lemoncello's Cairns

Lemoncello’s Cairns is an Italian restaurant and pizzeria on the Cairns Esplanade, offering lunch and dinner seven days a week from 11.30am. Its menu brings together fresh pasta, pizza, seafood, steak, salads and desserts, with the kitchen drawing on local ingredients and a style described by the team as simple, home-style Italian food inspired by modern Italy. The range gives diners plenty of choice, whether they are after a traditional Italian favourite or something centred on seafood.

Several of the venue’s listed favourites show the breadth of the menu. The risotto combines prawns and scallops with shallots in a Tuscan rose sauce, while the grilled seafood salad includes fish of the day, tiger prawns, Moreton Bay bug and calamari with fresh salad. Other options include meatballs in tomato sauce, veal scallopini with potato mash and roasted vegetables, and a garlic prawn hot pot served with toasted garlic bread. For pizza, the Lemoncello’s supreme is topped with tomato, ham, onion, mushroom, pepperoni, capsicum and mozzarella. Bruschetta and open ravioli are also among the named offerings, with the ravioli combining chicken, prawns, mushrooms, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes in a garlic, white wine and cream sauce.

The restaurant seats 60 across its indoor and outdoor areas. Its renovated space has a clean, modern look, with an eclectic collection of black-and-white prints celebrating Italians and Italian culture. The website describes the atmosphere as warm and friendly, making the venue suitable for a family meal, a group gathering or a more casual occasion by the Esplanade. A customer review also highlights the location overlooking the Cairns lagoon, although the restaurant’s own description centres on its Esplanade setting.

Lemoncello’s was opened in March 2021 by restaurateur Paul Papagelou, who has worked in Far North Queensland dining since 1991 and previously operated Chianti’s at Trinity Beach. At Cairns City’s Lemoncello’s, he brings his long-running focus on Italian cuisine to a restaurant built around traditional favourites and fresher modern flavours. It is a practical choice for diners looking for a broad Italian menu, particularly those who enjoy handmade-style pasta, pizza and seafood in a relaxed setting.