Nonna Nietta (Nonna Nietta) Tsukuba

Nonna NiettaFresh MozzarellaFried Ricotta Cheese with FigsFried Sweetfish with Lotus Root Puree and PerillaHomemade Bread with Natural Yeast and Fragrant Mushroom ButterSea Snail Liver Sauce with MolokhiaShirasu (Whitebait) and Okra with TaglioliniAkayama Chicken MushroomWood-Fired Hōrō ChickenTagliatelle with Akayama Chicken Mushroom and Hōrō Chicken EggsCorn RisottoKeisan BeefMilk GelatoThe meal started with an incredible fresh mozzarella cheese that left me in awe. The more I ate, the hungrier I became because everything was just so delicious! Less

This was my fourth visit.Chef Kenji Kawamura, who trained in Italy, offers authentic regional dishes using fresh local ingredients from Ibaraki. The homemade pasta, cheese, and prosciutto made in-house, along with the careful cooking in a wood-fired oven, are truly appealing. The warm, family-style Italian atmosphere makes it a special place to enjoy a reservation-only course menu that allows you to deeply appreciate the flavors of the ingredients.The chef has trained all over Italy (his wife is Italian) and is well-versed in dishes from various regions, from risottos in Northern Italy to meat dishes in Central Italy.As always, every dish from start to finish was delicious. The standout items were the octopus and the tender quail, both enhanced by the flavors from the wood-fired cooking. The risotto and handmade pasta were also exceptional. Overall, the course highlighted the smokiness from the wood oven, homemade elements, local Ibaraki ingredients, and seasonal flavors. The wine pairing was excellent as well.If you're looking for authentic Italian cuisine in Japan, Nonna Nietta is undoubtedly my favorite. It was a great meal.Menu:1. Homemade fresh mozzarella cheese2. Homemade one-year aged prosciutto, ricotta cheese, Ibaraki melon3. Fried white fish from Kasumigaura, new onions4. Wood-fired homemade natural yeast bread, Koshia butter5. Wood-fired octopus, new potatoes, chive sauce6. Wood-fired tender quail thigh/breast/liver, eggplant7. Wood-fired botan shrimp risotto, melon from thinning8. Pasta: Homemade tagliatelle with egg mushrooms, butterbur buds, and whey sauce9. Wood-fired sirloin from a breeding cow, zucchini10. Plums, gelato11. Watermelon, coffee Less

Located about 15 minutes by car from Tsukuba Station in Ibaraki Prefecture, this charming house restaurant sits in a residential area surrounded by nature.Chef Kenji Kawamura honed his skills at Michelin-starred restaurants in Italy and refined his craft at various dining establishments in Tokyo before opening "Nonna Nietta" in 2021, right in his hometown.The restaurant is named after his wife’s grandmother, meaning "Grandma Nietta" in Italian.Let’s start with a toast with champagne! 1. Freshly made mozzarella 2. Botan shrimp with ricotta cheese 3. Prosciutto with bamboo shoots 4. Homemade natural yeast bread with butter made from butterbur 5. Grilled octopus with pea and tomato sauce 6. Tagliolini with butterbur 7. Risotto with surf clams 8. Spring wild vegetable soup 9. Grilled sirloin from a breeding cow 10. Homemade gelato made from fresh milk with strawberries 11. Beniyuri and American coffee 【Wine】 1. MARSURET PROSECCO SUPERIORE 2. SAN GIUSTO A RENTENNANO In a cozy setting reminiscent of an Italian home, I enjoyed exquisite seafood Italian cuisine made with the finest ingredients from Ibaraki, including abundant seafood.The atmosphere felt like being invited to a relative's house for a meal, allowing me to enjoy the dishes without any pretense. It was a great meal! Less

【2026 Bronze】【2025 Top 100 Restaurants】【2026 Gault & Millau 2 Toques】Having traveled all the way from Niigata through Gunma Prefecture, I arrived at the much-anticipated Italian restaurant in Ibaraki Prefecture. Even though it was after Golden Week, the roads heading into the city were all congested during the evening. I visited "Nonna Nietta" with a rating of 3.93, but I barely made it on time at 18:00, having to take a detour from the Kita-Kanto Expressway to finally arrive punctually. I had been curious about this chef since I saw him at the Gault & Millau awards ceremony, so I was eager to visit. The restaurant is located in a typical residential area, just a 10-minute drive from the Sakura-Tsuchiura IC.■ Omakase Course JPY 18,150 + Aqua Panna JPY 1,180; Total JPY 20,130◇ Freshly made mozzarella ○◇ Aged ham "Hitachi no Kagayaki" (1 year), grilled with bamboo charcoal◇ Grilled Hokki clams, stir-fried with garlic shoots and clam strips◇ Focaccia with fragrant mushrooms and butter◇ Grilled octopus from Oarai over wood fire, served with super fruit tomatoes◇ Homemade tagliatelle with butterbur sprouts and whey sauce ○◇ Risotto with clams from Oarai, new onions, and melon◇ Vadrette? Square-shaped short pasta in a soup of beef, chicken, and mountain vegetables◇ Sirloin of Japanese Black beef grilled over wood fire, with salt◇ Yayoi Hime, homemade fresh milk gelato◆ Espresso Doppio◇ Roasted sweet potato "Beni Haruka"Upon arrival, I found that there were only two tables reserved, including mine. Usually, I wouldn't notice, but today the chef was working solo. Considering it was in Ibaraki, the local ingredients, and the overall experience, the course felt slightly overpriced. The dishes were very simple, with a faint saltiness in the background, enhanced by subtle aromas. The restaurant featured a pasta-making area and a charcoal grill, showcasing their commitment to homemade Italian cuisine. Less