Hong Kong’s Ninetta brings nostalgic Italian pasta to Central

Ninetta opened on Wellington Street in Central with a pasta menu built to feel familiar rather than precious. The Italian trattoria at 3/F, M88, 2-8 Wellington Street, Hong Kong, pairs a nostalgic dining room with paccheri with Boston lobster, tortellini with smoked artisanal ham, pappardelle in yellow chicken ragù and gnocchetti with Sicilian red prawns and shellfish broth.

The name is pronounced nee-NET-tah, and the concept comes from a memory of a beloved matriarch, the kind of nonna, zia and mamma figure whose table stayed full. Antimo Maria Merone, Graziano De Gregorio and Marco Xodo lead the project, bringing together Merone’s Michelin-starred Estro background, De Gregorio’s role as Estro’s general manager and co-founder, and Xodo’s return to the kitchen after Testina closed in Central.

Plush dining chairs, cozy booths and a feature wall of Italian snapshots and 1980s and 1990s memorabilia give the space a lived-in feel. The room references a classic Italian film, and a melody from the 1980s drifts through the kitchen. The trattoria opens Monday and Wednesday through Sunday from 6 p.m. to midnight, with Tuesday closed, and it is set up for both intimate meals and larger groups.

The menu includes mini veal tongue bun at HKD98, mozzarella braid at HKD188, veal tonnato at HKD208, lasagna terrine at HKD188, tagliatelle at HKD228, veal chop at HKD588, ma yau fish at HKD498, pork skewers at HKD238, tiramisu at HKD108 and panna cotta at HKD98. A wine list with three dozen labels and cocktails are also on offer.