In the quiet heartbeat of downtown Chandler, where Oregon Street meets Boston, something extraordinary is happening. Flames dance tableside, wheels of Parmigiano-Reggiano are hollowed by heat and tossed pasta, and diners find themselves transported thousands of miles to the sun-drenched shores of the Amalfi Coast. This is Acqua Di’ Mare—Italian for “water of the seas”—and it is, quite simply, the most captivating dining experience the East Valley has ever seen.
Behind this culinary gem stands Nikola Hristov, a Serbian-born visionary whose journey to Arizona reads like a Mediterranean odyssey. Raised on the recipes of his Sicilian grandmother—who instilled in him the sacred art of Italian cooking—Hristov refined his craft across continents. His Italian father’s heritage runs deep in his veins. Still, his education spans the globe: Michelin-starred dining rooms where he served as Maître d’, professional kitchens from New York to Miami, six transformative years aboard cruise lines navigating the world’s waters, and intimate Greek tavernas that taught him the poetry of Mediterranean simplicity.
When Hristov arrived in Arizona in 2018, he brought 17 years of hospitality mastery and an unshakeable vision: to create not merely a restaurant but a complete European dining experience. In March 2023, that dream crystallized into Acqua Di’ Mare. The intimate space—adorned with a floor-to-ceiling mural of Portofino, thick boat ropes suspended from the ceiling, and sapphire-blue velvet chairs—immediately transports guests from the Sonoran Desert to a coastal Italian village.
“It’s a dining experience, not just come in, eat, and leave,” Hristov explains. “Every step is special from the moment you walk in. We guide guests to their table for fresh basil, fresh daily-made bread. It’s layers to build that experience. We make sure they walk in with a smile and walk out with a smile.”
The magic of Acqua Di’ Mare lies in its theatrical tableside preparations—Arizona’s only such experience. Watch as Cacio e Pepe is tossed inside a flaming Parmesan wheel, the cheese melting into silken ribbons around perfectly al dente pasta. Witness the signature Lobster di Mare, a French-influenced creation that Hristov himself prepares bedside, flames licking the pan as aromatics perfume the intimate dining room. The Steak Nikola—a filet mignon wrapped in prosciutto cotto and cooked en papillote—arrives with sauces poured tableside in a choreographed flourish.
Chef Gustavo Heredia, Hristov’s indispensable right hand, commands the kitchen with equal passion. “You can see the face of the customer, how happy he is, how interested he is in what we prepare,” Heredia reflects. “There’s just no words for that.” Together, they import ingredients directly from Italy—tomato sauces, artisanal pastas—ensuring every dish honors its Mediterranean origins.
The accolades have followed swiftly. In 2025, Acqua Di’ Mare earned the prestigious DiRōNA Award, joining the ranks of North America’s most Distinguished Restaurants—a remarkable achievement for a restaurant barely two years old. With over 300 reviews and an enchanting patio perfect for Arizona evenings, the restaurant has become the destination for celebrations, anniversaries, and those seeking culinary transcendence.
Now, Hristov is writing his next chapter. Expansion is currently underway in the adjacent space, promising an enhanced dining experience that will further elevate this beloved establishment. For a restaurant that began as one man’s dream of bringing his grandmother’s Sicilian soul to the Arizona desert, Acqua Di’ Mare has become something far greater: a place where every guest becomes family, every meal becomes memory, and every flame tells a story of the sea.
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Acqua Di’ Mare | 106 S. Oregon Street, Downtown Chandler | (602) 885-8782 | acquadimare.us
Reservations are highly recommended. Due to tableside cooking, guests must be 12 years or older for dinner service.