Midtown Lunch

Nina’s Trattoria is a casual Italian restaurant located in the Italian Market. Probably more thought of as a place for dinner, they are open Tuesday-Sunday for lunch as well. Expect an every day brunch menu, plus a shortened list of Italian plates from the dinner menu.

A classy way to start is with the cured meat plate with 2 meat selections and bruschetta.  For the cheese, we had a creamy, a funky, and a hard.  I could have used another meat, maybe a hard salami or something.

The 3 fold omelet (not pictured, $8) filled with potato, smoked scamorza, and prosciutto was filling but not quite cheesy enough.

Forgoing the eggy brunch choices, I had the penne with dry aged ragu and a bright tomato sauce.  It was light with just the right amount of meat, making it perfect for lunch. Next time I want to check out the meatball frittata and the nutella french toast I had my eyes on.

The food isn’t mind blowing but the good service, plus the casual classiness of the small restaurant (I really liked the paintings) and the big windows with views of the market made for a pleasant dining experience.

THE + (What somebody who likes this place would say)

• A relaxing Italian meal in the heart of the Italian market

THE – (What somebody who doesn’t like this place would say)

• Not open Mondays

Nina’s Trattoria, 910 S. 9th St., 215-574-0990