

Relaxed Italian restaurant & bar serving pizza, pasta & more in a cozy, dimly lit space.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 501 Erie St E, Windsor, ON N9A 3X8, Canada
Website: http://www.nicotaverna.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: tbdine.comnicotaverna.comnicowalkerville.com
Photo Gallery
Related Web Results
Nico Taverna
Italian Cuisine | 501 Erie St. E Windsor – Nico Taverna
Nico Walkeville | Italian Cuisine | 325 Devonshire Rd, Windsor
Reviews
Unfortunately, the food was really subpar, especially for the price point. We started with the arancini balls, which we shared, and had the Pasta alla Norma and the short rib entree for our meals. The arancini, while decent, was served only slightly warm — not hot as it should have been, and the green sauce on top was minimal and had little flavor.
The Pasta alla Norma was a small plate of penne in a thin red sauce. I did not see any eggplant in the dish; there was only a dusting of grated ricotta salata cheese. Overall, the pasta meal had little flavor, and the serving was small — I was still hungry after finishing it. And again, the food was not served hot, but slightly warmed. Not even close to being worth $35. In hindsight, I should have sent it back, but didn’t see how it could be fixed.
The short ribs were ok, but the mashed potatoes underneath were cold.
No bread was offered. For dessert, we had the pumpkin cheesecake and it was just ok. Nothing memorable.
In addition, the cocktail menu was very limited — I think there were only five options. I had the French 75 and it was adequate; my husband’s Old Fashioned was watery. Though the service was good, the bartenders were clearly inexperienced, which is likely why the cocktail menu is so limited.
Overall, our dining experience was so disappointing. I really wanted to like this new restaurant (well, new to Walkerville). And we always want to support local, especially in our neighborhood, but I don’t see us going back. It’s a shame, because it really is a beautiful place.
Already looking forward to our next experience. Cheers
Two standout dishes stole the show. First, the fire-grilled seafood appetizer—shrimp, calamari, and octopus—was absolutely phenomenal. Perfectly seasoned and cooked over an open flame, it had that irresistible smoky, charred flavor that you can only get from fire grilling. I would go back for this dish alone any day of the week. Truly so freaking good.
We also shared the ribeye, which was equally impressive. Cooked over an open flame, beautifully done, and generously sized—I highly recommend it. Paired with a glass of Montepulciano, which was super dry and absolutely perfect with the steak, it made for a fantastic main course.
Service was great, and the ambience was lovely—comfortable yet swanky. My only (very minor and admittedly snobby) complaint: I started with a martini and was hoping for large olives, but they were the smaller cocktail kind. Not a dealbreaker, just a wish!
Overall, a fantastic dining experience. I can’t wait to go back, try some of the pastas I was eyeing on the menu, and next time sit at the gorgeous bar with a glass of wine and that fire-grilled seafood again. We will definitely be back.