One of the candlelit dining rooms at Nina
Is this the restaurant we've seen all over social in the past few weeks?
It probably is - there's something about the arrival of Nina in Marylebone that has had Londoners in a froth since it opened just a few weeks back. The restaurant is from the same group as the similarly hot Bottarga in Chelsea and takes over from what used to be Pachamama. But while Pachamama was all about Peruvian food, this has followed the same lead as Bottarga and Zephyr, focusing on a Mediterranean menu instead.
Where exactly is it?
You'll find it behind a very unassuming doorway south of Marylebone High Street so the nearest tube would be Bond Street. The subterranean restaurant opens up downstairs to reveal a warren of rooms off a central, glitzy bar. On a Friday night, the music was pumping (through a perfect sound system that still meant everyone could hear their companions without having to shout) and there was a distinct feeling of 'this is a scene'.
Where should we meet friends for a drink first?
The bar here would be a natural place to start, but they do appear to also use it to keep the seating plan flowing on busy nights. So if you're looking elsewhere, you might also want to consider 28-50 for a glass of wine and the nearby Coach Makers Arms is a perfectly decent central London pub. You're also not far from newish cocktail bar Scales on Duke Street.
The buzzy bar at Nina - a good place to start, or end, your meal here
Where's the best place to sit?
This isn't the easiest question to answer because it really depends on what sort of evening you're after. For example, there are a couple of fantastic semi-private dining rooms that would be great for a crowd while two friends could natter over a cocktail and a plate of two up at the bar and one of the three dining rooms would be a good spot for a date.
What sort of food is it?
Well, we did say Mediterranean and here that translates to a menu where the key components are starters, raw, pastas and main. That all sounds pretty straightforward, but if you do try and ask for this in order that for example equated to antipasti, primi and secondi for example you'll throw the kitchen into a bit of a tizz. We did attempt this and were told it would all come out as and when it was ready.
Here's what we had to give you an idea of what to expect:
Taleggio arancini served with a truffle and confit garlic mayo (£12) - if you're trying to avoid plunging headfirst into the bread section here, then these would be a good first order - properly cheesy arancini.
Bluefin tuna e melone with Italian ponzu and basil (£18) - not only was this as pretty as a picture, but the combination of seriously sweet melon and raw tuna proved to be a real winner.
Yellowtail crudo with stracciatella and jalapeño (£19) - if you're a longtime reader, you know we love a crudo dish and the mixture of superb fish on a bed of soft stracciatella with a spike of chilli pepper was just the ticket.
Spaghetti with Nina's tomato sauce (£11) - we'll be honest, we didn't think the pastas were the strongest offering here; this was oddly heavy. If you are giving one part of it a miss, it could be this.
Chicken Milanese (£28) - a glorious example of the classic dish and the good news, if you've swerved the bread earlier on, is that this comes with some of their amazing Parmesan butter all over it.
Room for dessert?
At this stage of the dinner we were very much wishing we were a larger party, as we also fancied both the stracciatella burnt cheesecake and the pistachio cannoli. But we'd moved to the bar for the last course and it has to be the following...
Boozy tiramisu al cucchiaio (£15) which sounds like an expensive dessert until you realise it could have happily fed a family of four with plenty left over. We also liked the orange notes in this.
What about the drinks?
Whether you're going down the boozy or no alcohol route, there's plenty to choose from on the cocktail list. We opted to kick things off with two of their smaller 'tinis (below). The wine list focuses on Italy, although not exclusively, with a house Sicilian option starting at £8 and a few available by the carafe too which we always like to see. That said, if you want to go higher there's always a bottle of 2000 Sassicaia on the menu for just shy of £1k.
From the 'tini section (left to right) a Sterling martini (£7) and Lucky Strike (peach, Prosecco and lavender) - both really, really good.
Overall thoughts
The team here have managed to create something quite special with Nina. On face value, a restaurant with a booming soundtrack that you ought to dress up for would normally be packed with folk we'd go a country mile to avoid. But you know it's nice to dress up and go 'out out' and the crowd here at Nina were a really good mix of friends catching up and those on dates. The staff are particularly lovely (shout out to the ebullient GM Mattia), the food was good and the drinks were well made. Restaurants are a sum of their parts and everything at Nina adds up.
More about Nina
Where is it? 18 Thayer St, London W1U 3JY
How to book: Book online
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @ninamarylebone
Hot Dinners dined as guests of Nina. Prices correct at time of publication.
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