RIYADH: With lines stretching more than 20 people deep and a wave of viral videos dominating local social media feeds, Casa Nonna has become Riyadh’s newest culinary hotspot.
However, in a city with a constantly evolving dining landscape, the ultimate question remains, does the Casa Nonna restaurant truly live up to the digital hype?
Located in the bustling Al-Muruj district, the venue offers very limited parking, and given its casual vibe and accessible price point, valet service is not available. We highly recommend taking a taxi or a ride-sharing service to avoid the hassle of parking.
The atmosphere is warm and homey, thoughtfully designed to look like the kitchen and dining room of an Italian grandmother.
Under dim lighting, the center of the restaurant bar features a kitchen sink, an oven, and decorative utensils and you can watch the chef prepare fresh, live pasta that will inevitably find its way to your plate.
While the menu is small, each dish is made with attention to detail and top-tier ingredients.
We made multiple visits to try every single item so we could give you a truly honest review.
For starters, there are only two options: the chicken Caesar salad and the Croccante mac and cheese. The salad was fresh and well-seasoned, but the standout component of the salad was the light and crispy chicken, it was thin, lightly battered, and packed with flavor.
The Croccante mac and cheese was crispy but a bit on the heavy side, with cheese, pepperoni, and jalapenos stuffed inside.
The rest of the menu consists of beverages and six pasta dishes. In total, it is eight savory items, expanding to nine if you include their off-menu dessert, Nonna’s Cake.
Of all the entrees, we cannot recommend the crispy chicken tagliatelle enough. Served in a rich, velvety mushroom sauce infused with garlic, thyme, and parmesan, it offers a beautiful contrast of textures between the crunchy chicken and creamy pasta.
Other noteworthy mentions on the menu are the brisket lasagna and the pappardelle ragu. Both are served with slow-cooked beef that just melts apart at the touch, with layers of flavor.
The linguine arrabbiata and the rosa gnocchi pecorino were delicious, but nothing compared to the layers of flavors from the first three recommendations.
Other options on the menu included the truffle spinach ravioli. The ravioli itself was delicious with spinach, parmesan, and creamy ricotta, but the truffle cream sauce was a bit on the salty side.
One of the standout components of the menu is you can taste the genuine freshness in all of their pasta, from the uneven shapes to the tender, chewy texture of an al dente cook.
Lately, restaurant service in Riyadh has felt a bit lacking, but Casa Nonna is a breath of fresh air. The staff are incredibly welcoming, constantly anticipating your needs, and checking in with genuine care. At the end of the meal, they even come by your table for honest feedback on what could be improved.
For reservations when securing a table, depending on the time you visit, can be an inconvenience. While they do accept walk-ins, the massive demand and tight seating arrangement mean you are guaranteed a wait.
To secure a spot, it is best to jump onto the virtual queue via the ReQueue app. Users have to pay for a ReQueue membership just to line up for a table, but given the overall experience and top-tier food quality, it is worth the wait.
In comparison to Riyadh’s typically high-end authentic Italian dining scene, Casa Nonna’s pricing is remarkably accessible, with the majority of their dishes comfortably positioned between SR45 ($12) and SR55.
A fun detail to bring up when visiting is asking for the famous Nonna as she is nowhere to be found. The running joke with the staff is that if you ask for her, they will tell you she already went to bed after cooking your meal because it is past her bedtime.
