Nothing wrong with some delicious old fashioned Italian food every once in a while… especially in a city like Manhattan where this cuisine remains historic. Nittis, a brand new restaurant in Midtown West, takes this concept and elevates it to levels that I’m still salivating over all this time later.
Nittis is the new Italian restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen from brothers Arben and Kuj Durollari, the young masterminds behind the LA-based contemporary fashion brand BOND with clients including The Weeknd, Anwar Hadid and Migos. The BOND brothers bring their artistic aesthetic to the concept, design and the kitchen, collaborating on every aspect of the restaurant.
Arben and Kuj opened Nittis in partnership with their father, Will Durollari, who comes from a family of culinary professionals whose father was a restaurateur and he operated restaurants throughout New York City and currently owns Pomodoro in New Jersey.
The space inside Nittis is very intimate and fits well with the Midtown West/Hell’s Kitchen kind of vibe that surrounds it. Something that really caught my eye was some of the red seating arrangements that just added a touch of ambiance to an already beautiful location.
It’s family all the way in terms of the food you will get at Nittis. They take beloved family recipes passed down from generation to generation but add a modern take on them that is nothing short of absolutely delicious.
Something as simple as Fried Calamari at Nittis can be a great starter. Cooked perfectly with a great amount of seasoning that was simply scrumptious. Their Braised Meatballs, a classic Italian staple, was also a favorite during my recent visit.
Nittis has a tasty variety of pizza, pasta and main courses to try. One that caught my eye, that I continued to enjoy the next day as leftovers, was their Chicken Mama Mia. This came with breaded cutlet and breaded eggplant that was topped with melted mozzarella in a vodka sauce over penne. I am not an eggplant fan, so I left that out although I’m sure people who love that particular vegetable would’ve enjoyed it in the dish. The overall execution of the plate, regardless, was wonderful.
Nittis is definitely a place you’ll want to check out if you are desiring an Italian culinary experience that is beyond memorable.
For more information on Nittis, please check out their official website.