A couple days ago, I went to Nonna’s Bistro, Located at: 6603 Leetsdale Dr. Denver, CO 80224/N E Corner of Leetsdale & Monaco.

When we arrived there was not much parking available in the front but do not be deceived, there’s a larger parking lot in the back of this quaint little restaurant. Once we entered into the building, amazing fumes wafted out of the kitchen and invaded our noses, making our stomachs growl with excitement. The area was crowded with hungry customers and a bit hard to maneuver around. Nonetheless we made it to the hostess and were immediately seated.

We were greeted to our table with a loaf of bread and marinara sauce. The bread was a great way to start off the meal, however, it was hard to piece off and made a bit of a mess. The loaf was already cut with the exception of the bottom, so to tear it off would require the whole loaf to be picked up and torn off or, to rip off the bread piece by piece while getting one’s fingers all messy.

After a few moments, the waiter came by to get our order. I ordered the Ravioli Formaggio with a twinge of regret, because I sort of hate noodles and marinara sauce. Why did I get this? Mostly because I figured that since I’m at a new restaurant I may as well try new things.

I was not disappointed. Despite my dislike of noodles, this dish amazed me by delighting my taste buds and left me wanting more (even though I had to take home some leftovers due to the fact that it’s so filling)! There were about five raviolis sitting on my plate, each about the size of one’s palm of their hand. The noodles were filled with warm cheese and moderately covered with and red marinara sauce and cheese.

I was not surprised when I discovered that Nonna’s has the number one rated marinara sauce in Colorado and nominated the best Italian food a two years in a row.

Throughout the time of our meal, waiters and even the owners, Nancy and Brian Mikelis, came by several times to see if we needed anything and if we were enjoying our meal. The owners traded small talk and funny jokes while checking on us.

The entertainment was a blues and jazz band called “SAS”. It was great music that became great background noise for conversation. Unfortunately, since our table was next to them, we became the background noise for the band. Some songs were quieter than others though, so it was easy to hear the music and speak at different points during our meal. Aside from “SAS”, Nonna’s features many other bands which can be found on their website.

During an interview with one of the staff members and former Smoky Hill student, Richard McGuffin, he expresses to me that after working there for about two and a half months he loves it. McGuffin also stated, “The staff are all excellent people and they’re all very professional and good at what they do. The owners are also great. They’re very good managers [who] know how to work with people.”

We all sat back in satisfaction as our time at Nonna’s began to end. After asking for a couple boxes, I was surprised when our plates were relieved from our table and a few moments later, our food was brought back to us already boxed and ready to go, along with the check.

My overall experience at Nonna’s was great and I definitely left that place wanting more. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who’s in the mood for great Italian food, good conversation and a satisfied stomach.

More info about Nonna’s Bistro at this website:

http://www.nonnasitalianbistro.com/