A lunch at Nina in Marylebone had been on our list for a while. Reservations at the restaurant are hard to come by, so when we finally snagged a table one weekday in December, it felt earned. This was a lazy Sunday sister date, the kind you plan weeks ahead and quietly look forward to. Just good food and a long chat.

Nina sits comfortably in its Marylebone home. The restaurant feels neighbourhood focused, but still polished. It’s absolutely full to the brim though, thanks to going viral on TikTok. Let’s see what all the fuss is about with a restaurant review.

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First impressions of Nina Marylebone

From the outset, Nina feels relaxed but intentional. Although the restaurant is full, thanks to it’s viral status on TikTok, the room absorbs all the people well. As a result, Nina feels calm even though it’s one of the most sought after restaurants in London.

Service matches that mood. Staff are friendly and unforced, and transitions happen smoothly. Plates arrive at a steady pace, which suits a long lunch. You never feel hurried, yet you are never left waiting too long either.

For a lazy lunch at Nina, the setting does most of the work.

Starting lunch at Nina with their famous focaccia

We our lunch at Nina with focaccia and parmesan butter. This is a strong way to open any Italian leaning menu, and it’s pretty good.

The focaccia itself is excellent. It’s puffy, moist, and generously sized, and is a good size for two people. Each bite is soft and comforting, with bits of juicy roasted tomato lending extra pazzaz. There’s also a light charred flavour running through it, which adds interest. That said, the char leans a little bitter at times. Not unpleasant, but noticeable.

The parmesan butter comes out very cold. Straight-from-the-fridge cold, if you see what I mean. As a result, you have to scrape it off the plate rather than spread it. However, once it hit the warm focaccia, it melts beautifully. The flavour works well, even if the temperature feels slightly off.

Overall, it was a satisfying start, though not flawless.

Tuna on melon is an unexpected highlight

Our next pick from Nina’s menu is the tuna on melon. Now, this is the dish that surprises us.

At first glance, it sounds simple. However, the pairing works far better than expected. The tuna is fresh and clean, while the melon adds gentle sweetness and contrast. Although the melon is very cold, it actually complements the tuna rather than distracting from it. It’s like a fruity ice platter for the fish.

Each bite is refreshing, playful and moreish. It’s also a light starter, which works well early in the meal. The tuna on melon ended up being a real crowd-pleaser, despite its simplicity.

If you are scanning the Nina Marylebone menu and wondering what to order, this dish is worth your attention.

Pasta, done properly at Nina, Marylebone

Pasta is clearly a strength at Nina’s Marylebone, and it shows in both dishes we order.

Our first pick from the pasta portion of Nina’s menu is the spaghetti with stracciatella. The pasta tastes homemade (although I’m not sure if it is), with just the right bite. It’s served in a simple tomato sauce, and on top, the stracciatella adds richness and softness. Together, the dish is both balanced and comforting.

Then we try the duck ragu bianco from the Nina menu. This was easily the best thing we ordered at Nina for lunch.

The pasta arrived in paccheri form, thick and pillow soft. Each piece held onto the sauce beautifully. The duck ragu coated everything in a white sauce that felt rich but not heavy. The flavours were gentle, savoury, and deeply satisfying.

The main let down

Unfortunately, not everything hit the same level.

The lamb chops arrive cooked nicely. The meat itself is tender and well handled. However, the seasoning is criminally nonexistent. As a result, the dish is flat and fails to hit the high notes of earlier dishes. A generous sprinkle of sea salt would have transformed it completely.

The prawns suffer from the same issue. Again, they were cooked fine, but they lacked seasoning. This felt especially disappointing given how good prawns can be when handled confidently. In fact, they did not compare well to the excellent prawns we have had at Lina Stores recently, for example.

Because both dishes shared the same flaw, they stood out for the wrong reasons. They did not ruin the meal, but they did let it down.

How the meal came together

As the plates cleared, it became clear that the Nina restaurant is at its best when it leans into pasta and lighter dishes. The focaccia, tuna, and pastas all showed care and balance. In contrast, the lamb and prawns felt under finished.

Still, the pacing of the meal helped. Because the service stayed relaxed, nothing felt rushed or abrupt. We were able to enjoy the highs without dwelling too long on the lows.

Final thoughts on lunch at Nina, Marylebone

A lunch at Nina Marylebone offers plenty to like. Some dishes surprise in a good way, and the pasta dishes shine. Others fall short due to simple execution issues.

If you are curious about Nina’s Marylebone or scanning reviews before booking, this is a restaurant best approached with the right expectations. We’d definitely recommend ordering the pasta, tune on melon, and focaccia. Others have said the chicken is also good.

However, if you’re looking for a place that demands repeat visits, Nina may not quite get there. It is enjoyable, but not urgent.

As a Nina restaurant review, this lands somewhere in the middle. A lovely afternoon with a few excellent plates.

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Address – 18 Thayer Street, Marylebone
Nearest Tube – Bond Street