Restaurants see their fair share of theatrics from overly demanding customers, but a Manuka restaurant played host to a genuine drama queen during lunch yesterday.

Australian actress Cate Blanchett made a visit to the national capital with husband Andrew Upton.

While the Hollywood star insisted she was ''just seeing friends'', she made time to visit Parliament House in the morning before lunching at Italian eatery Bellucci's of Manuka.

Blanchett and Upton are the artistic directors of the Sydney Theatre Company and dined with representatives of the Sydney company and Canberra Theatre officials.

Blanchett was reluctant to talk to the media but happily posed for a photo with Nick Kochinos, 12, of Harcourt Hill, son of Frank Kochinos a part-owner of the restaurant and friend Alex Swan, of Red Hill, also 12.

Mr Kochinos said an occasional hobby was to star-spot and rushed from his Woden restaurant when his staff rang to tell him of Blanchett's booking.

''She would definitely be up there with one of my favourite actors, so it was really nice to meet her,'' he said. ''It was great she chose to come to the restaurant. There was quite a buzz from the other diners.''

Nick and Alex, both keen drama students, seemed a little star-struck by the presence of the Golden Globe-winning actress.

But they managed to ask for an autograph nonetheless.

They told Blanchett they loved her performance in blockbuster movie Elizabeth for which she scored an Academy Award best actress nomination.

It was not clear why the couple had visited Parliament House, although Blanchett is no stranger to the place.

She was named in February as the sole female member of the panel that selected participants in the 2020 Summit.

Blanchett and Upton also started three-year contracts as artistic co-directors of the Sydney Theatre Company in January, with Blanchett making her stage directing debut in 2007 with the play Blackbird for the company.

Most recently Blanchett appeared in action flick Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.