Taste Italian

Tucked away in Nottingham City Centre, Taste Italian is a cosy, family-run bistro with room for just twenty-two. Handmade pasta rolls from the kitchen, and the wine list draws straight from their family vineyards in Puglia. It is the kind of intimate spot made for quiet dinners and small celebrations, where the conversation hums and the cooking does the talking.

The menu reads like a love letter to Italy’s regions, from Nocellara olives with taralli to gamberi all’olio d’oliva, prawns kissed by olive oil and a whisper of heat, snapped up with a focaccia crisp. Simplicity and provenance lead the way, letting sunny southern flavours shine without fuss.

House signatures include braciole con orecchiette, rolled braising steak twined with garlic, parsley and cheese over traditional orecchiette. There is comfort in the familiar too, from spaghettti Saverio with a tomato ragu to a pitch-perfect spaghetti carbonara. Every plate nods to family, craft and the stories that travel from Puglia and beyond.

Settle in, raise a glass, and let Nottingham feel a touch more Mediterranean for the night. Book a table, bring good company, and leave with la dolce vita on the tip of your tongue.