My spouse and I visited Nizza (which rhymes with “pizza”)
for brunch on a Saturday morning in early November 2019. The restaurant is open
daily for lunch, dinner, drinks, late night, and everything in between. Diners
can reserve a spot using the online Open Table reservation system. (The
restaurant was fully occupied on the day that we dined.)
Nizza occupies a street-level space on 9th Avenue
between West 45th and W44th Streets in the Theatre District/Midtown
West/Hell’s Kitchen. (In fact, we were seeing a play nearby at the John Golden
Theatre, so Nizza provided a convenient place to dine before the performance.) In
Italian, the name “Nizza” refers to the city of Nice, France. The owners of
Nizza also operate neighboring Marseille, as well as other NYC spots like Barbounia,
Café d’Alsace, French Roast, Le Monde, L’Express, Nice Matin.
As you enter the restaurant, a marble drinks bar is
available where you can also dine there. (Because all tables were occupied on
the day that we visited, overflow guests also filled all the seats at the bar.)
Most patrons dine at stand-alone tables, tables that share a banquette on one
side, or at one of a few booths. Tables are positioned closely together so that
the restaurant can seat about 50+ patrons at a time. Décor includes light woods
and soothing colors. In appropriate weather, al fresco sidewalk dining is available.
Nizza serves Italian-inspired cuisine. As a starter, we
shared the artichokes, which arrived as hearts steamed/sautéed in olive oil and
topped with breadcrumbs. For our main dishes, we ordered the pappardelle (long
wide noodles topped with pesto sauce; if desired, diners can add a protein like
chicken, shrimp, or beef) and the Sunday pasta (bucatini in a red sauce, with
two large meatballs and one thick link of sausage). We passed on dessert. Nizza
has a full liquor license, so diners can enjoy wine, beer, or cocktails with their
meal. In fact, on weekends during brunch (from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm), patrons
can enjoy 90 minutes of select bottomless beverages (mimosas, bellinis,
sangria) for about $18.
We enjoyed our brunch at Nizza, and we would return if we
were in the area.
