Nonna’s Italian Kitchen, Sandton

Updated: 10-10-2023

Updated Review: Jan 2021

Nonna’s have made a minor move from their old location in Nelson Mandela Square. Literally just across the foyer from where they were. But they have made a major move in terms of styling the new venue. Think upmarket, plush and sophisticated. We love their new look and feel and the menu did not disappoint.

We booked ahead for an early supper and arrived at around 6.30pm. For a Saturday they were fairly quiet but all the window tables were taken. A pity because the dramatic half circle windows which look out over the courtyard of Nelson Mandela Square let in lots of light which makes for great pics. Next time I’ll be sure to request a window table when booking. There is a lounge area at the front and I liked that they also had just occasional chairs and side tables for when you don’t want a meal and can just enjoy a coffee and a chat. The back section of the restaurant can also be set up for group bookings as it seemed to be prepared for something special for that evening.

The menu has some new items besides the pasta and square pizza they are famous for. There are more grills and other main courses. We ordered the Gamberi pasta, a spicy prawn and tomato concasse which is always a winner. It was hotter that I remember but very good. I had the peppered mushroom steak which comes with roast veg and potato and zucchini fries in side dishes. The pepper sauce was so much more delicate than I was expecting and the steak which I asked for medium to well actually was more rare than I would normally order but it was still beautifully done and I devoured it without complaint.

Our meals were generous and filling so we decided to give dessert a miss and forego that extreme heaviness after dinner. But it’s definitely on the cards for our next visit.

They also offer an afternoon tea and a VIP experience which I’d be keen to try at some point. It’s great to have a more elegant offering in the halaal space. The new Nonna’s is a good choice for date nights and celebrations.

Reviewed: June 2019

This popular Italian restaurant chain in Jozi is opening fully halaal branches. We checked out the Sandton branch on our recent trip up.

The menu offers Italian style starters, pasta and pizza in a rectangular shape which you can order in 6, 8 or 24 slices as well as a small dessert menu and mocktails. Our party of 6 arrived on a Saturday evening at supper time. There was already quite a queue which was a good sign for me.

Once we got seated at one of the booths outside the restaurant, service was fairly quick. We tried the Calamari Fritti starter which is crispy fried calamari and tentacles and an assortment of mocktails while we waited for our mains. The calamari went down well with everyone albeit a little steep at R90 for a starter.

Everyone ordered different pastas for mains and I went vegetarian with an Imola pizza topped with mushroom, olives, pepperdews, onion and garlic. This is one of the few places that still offers 3 sizes. The small is R75, medium R135 and large R250. The pizza was good but I wasn’t wowed by the flavour. The various pastas at the table were a Polpette with meatballs which was really good, an Alfredo with chicken and mushrooms which was little plain and undersalted and a tomato based one with prawns, I forget the name, which was also good. Pasta’s were all generous portions, served in large silver metal bowls and average about R90.

I didn’t spot a kids menu but most kids love the simple pasta dishes and I have yet to find the kid that doesn’t love a cheese pizza.