Defying The Odds

A history like no other, the Parisi family is built upon legacy, connection, and heart

There’s a particular essence to the Italian way of living. To long days and hot stovetops. To passata spattered on counter tops and wooden spoons. To creating a specific harmony of bodies in chairs and arms reaching across one another. Breaking bread long into the night with a table of loved ones who share the same language of food and all that it cultivates. Many breathe this culture here in South Australia, but few can say they helped start it.

Migrant, patriarch, pasta maker, restaurateur; Antonino’s legacy began in 1967 when he founded Marcellina’s on Hindley Street, an operation that would see the culinary hands of fate set in motion for a family legacy that to this day, has continued to defy the hospitality odds.It was within these walls that sons Andy and Chris Parisi inherited their father’s natural propension for and love of cooking he’d brought with him from Messina, propelling the two brothers to open the now legendary, La Trattoria in 1975. Home to the booming social playground of the late 70s music scene, La Trattoria, better known to its custodians as ‘La Tratt’, quickly became the destination for musicians and concert-goers alike looking for a late-night, post-show bite. From the likes of Eric Bana, Jon Bon Jovi and Olivia Newton-John to name a few, La Tratt was home to the greats (and there’s plenty of pictures to prove it). “I remember when INXS rocked up out the front in a white limo,”says Andy’s daughter, Simone Ellery.“ And Mick Jagger pulled up out the back on the same night in his white Tarago, and they ate dinner together”.

As La Tratt solidified itself as a place where stories were born, Andy’s three children – Antoni Parisi, Simone Ellery, and Chantal Panelli – carried forward the family legacy and recipes, following in the footsteps of their grandfather and father. In 2002, they expanded the Parisi tradition with the opening of their own restaurant in Magill, aptly named ‘Parisi’s’ before the opening of their Hyde Park restaurant in 2006. “The history, the people, watching their great moments – it’s like having a dinner party in your house every night,” says Simone.

Now, just over 23 years and four generations later, Parisi’s is recognised for its steadfast consistency, unique family history, and genuine atmosphere that locals have come to know and love. Whilst Andy may have retired after 47 years at the helm of La Tratt, at 79 he’s far from slowing down. Every Tuesday and Friday, like clockwork, he’s back on the floor at Parisi’s, weaving through tables with the same familiar smile that his regulars look forward to each week. “How could I not do what’s in my blood with my three children?” says Andy.

More than a family restaurant, Parisi’s is a tangible link back to the past with a strong vision for the future. A reminder to always support local, this is the story of Parisi’s and all that it encompasses, this is the story of a family dynasty – immoveable, unshakable, and rich in history.