Over my three years at uni i visited Sexy Mama countless times and was never disappointed. With a mini menu that changes daily written on a chalk board outside, and always full. The best Italian restaurant i’ve ever found in the UK
The restaurant is tiny and beautiful and in the summer it has long benches outside. The bread, that comes out warm, is a must. And the burrata in the summer is absolutely beautiful.
With the small menu, you always have a risotto, vegetarian, meat and fish option at least. I’ve never had a bad meal here and will definitely return every time i go to Nottingham
One of the main fixtures in Hockley for some time, I had been looking forward to checking this well regarded pasta place.
It is very compact downstairs and ate upstairs.
There are facilities on both floors for those that may like to know that.
Service was excellent as one would expect.
Decor wise its fairly rustic tbf and pretty clean overall.
This is very much a quick eat place I felt and this is helped by the very small menu in a chalkboard.
There can be limited choices which some may find disappointing.
Food was very good indeed and tasty. I had the beetroot gnocchi with spinach. Luscious sauce.
I also had the salami starter which was good quality.
Bottle of prosecco was very good also.
Price wise this is reasonable.
This is worth a visit especially of you want to eat well and then move on.
As we arrived, they put a line through the king prawn spaghetti, but as we were seated, I spotted more prawns arriving, so I was happy!
We waited about 10 minutes for a table so it was not too bad.
We didn't realise how small the restaurant is but it didn't bother us, although it is a little bit cramped. The music was very loud, which was unnecessary as the atmosphere would have been better without it.
We'd been told that all the pasta and sauces are pre-cooked. We did notice all the pre-cooked pasta in the chiller, but the food came out in record time and was hot, so it didn't bother us.
The turnaround is so quick that it's a great idea to pre cook the pasta & sauces & just add the 'fresh ingredients'. We also found that the sauces were watery, but I think that, again, it is down to the pre-cooking, as it's not had enough time to thicken.
It's not a relaxing restaurant as they want you in and out as quickly as possible, but it's worth a visit for the experience.
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We shared the burrata (two whole pieces) starter with tomato (it's only 1 but chopped) with ciabatta, these were very fresh.
King prawn spaghetti with chilli was great, so was the tortellini, again very fresh! We shared the panna cotta dessert, one of the better panna cottas we have had. I did get food envy seeing other's who ordered the penne bolognese.
Pricewise, it was a little pricey, starter was £9, mains were around £12-14.50 and dessert was £7.50, but that's just the way things are now.
Service wasn't very welcoming nor warm, but they were very quick to take orders, bring food and take plates away etc.
Atmosphere personally wasn't great; we sat downstairs which was quite cramped. Our table was by the stairs so kept getting nudged by the waiting staff and customers passing by. Our table was a high table and sat on stools, so not too comfortable but ok for a fairly quick lunch.
Music was quite loud and upbeat, so not a chilled lunch.
If you're want great Italian come here. If you're after a comfortable relaxed environment, maybe this isn't the place for you.
Little L (and the family)
+4
Fabulous place to eat in Nottingham! We were so lucky to grab a table on Sunday lunchtime as last time, people were queuing up to get tables.
Beetroot gnocchi with spinach sauce was divine, tiger prawns in spicy tomato spaghetti was flavoursome and pork ragu penne was delicious.
If only seats are more comfortable, it will be perfect but service was attentive and food was perfect so we shall return again soon!
First time visiting for a lunch date on Valentine’s Day, had excellent, high quality, kind and fast service from the beginning, waitresses always had a smile on their face and was quick to respond to any questions or needs! The quality of food was top tier as it is definitely one of the best pastas I’ve ever had in my life so big tops to the chef , me and my girlfriend both enjoyed our time here, it’s a cosy restaurant which we felt very relaxed and comfortable in and they had some nice jams on the radio too! I will be returning, thank you guys! (Big shoutout to Yoshi and the other waitress whom I did not catch the name of but had brown hair, they made our visit one to remember)
Great food with an authentic Italian feel. A menu that changes but constantly gives great quality food. The waiters were very welcoming and our food came out less than 10 minutes after ordering. The only flaw was it took a short while to get the bill after ordering and other tables got theirs first however it was just because they were busy.
Definitely recommend for date nights or dinner with friends they also have outdoor seating for warm days.
Lovely pasta served here! Really enjoyed my meal. Be aware that its quite small, so given a small table to sit at but it's still a great place to dine.
Food was really lovely, however very expensive at around £15 per meal. Sauces were quite thin and not particularly creamy. They also said it would not be possible to swap one of the meals to spaghetti rather than tagliatelle, which we can’t understand if the food was cooked fresh. The al fresco dining was nice as it is on a nice street and there was plenty of space. Would also have been nice to have a larger menu as there were only two vegetarian options (and neither were spaghetti which would’ve been nice as it is implied in the restaurant name).
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A little gem of a restaurant. Incredibly small inside, with only a few Italian pasta /gnocchi dishes, some starters and a few sweets. But all the pasta is fresh and handmade, and Delicious beyond expectation! The chef was shouting orders with a hoarse voice, reminding me of some mafia boss from a Hollywood film (it added on the atmosphere), and the waiters were fast, friendly and efficient. Special mention to our waitress, which was / is a rare character, huge in charm and humour. The order was prepared quickly and we were all more than happy with our choices. The tiramisu was my only gripe, more of an English interpretation than truly Italian, short on alcohol and with the emphasis on the chocolate. Even the petite toilet was huge on character with an impressive brash (?) mirror on its wall. And while the music was electronic, it was from an Italian radio station, so props for that too! Just one question. Shouldn't it be "Loves" instead of Love? But I'm being fastidious. Great place, fantastic food! Thank you all very much for the experience.
We were told they do not take bookings so we waited outside the restaurant for at least an hour. When we were finally seated we weren’t given menus as they do not provide them. We were served complimentary bread with olive oil and balsamic and our food and drinks came out fairly swiftly. The food was very enjoyable and was a moderate, but fair price. The restaurant is small and was crowded but would visit again!
The tiramisu is to die for.
Food was good, simple and tasty. Service was excellent and friendly. Skip pudding, it's a bit pricey for what it is. Place is small, this is great for the atmosphere, until a man mountain tries to squeeze in behind you and there's nowhere to go.
The food here was almost shockingly good - I think we underestimated it because of the name. The pasta is homemade with some unique, delicious combinations (I had pea and mint tortellini) and it was all incredible. Bread, dessert, everything was freshly made and fantastic.
A quaint lovely place to visit. Great atmosphere. Genuine amazing on point food. The mushroom risotto was exceptional. Drinks great too and the puddings so delightful
Very nice. I really enjoyed my meal here and i would definetely come back. A beautiful small menu with great tasting dishes. I had the truffle ravioli and i would order it again. The starters were also great. You cannot book a table so you have to roll the dice and hope it is not too busy, we went about 6pm and got a table for 2 easily.
Service was very good. Attentive but not overbearing.
My food was very good indeed. A small wine selection pushed me towards the house red, which turned out to be a good place to be.
I would jump at the opportunity to return.
Absolutely fantastic experience!! This tiny, busy restaurant is worth visiting!! Food is delicious and made with love😊🥰
Intimate and compact restaurant serving a small menu of freshly prepared dishes.
We have visited many times and never been disappointed. Chef manages to make even the simplest item special, the rocket salad is delicious and we have never managed to make one as tasty at home!
The service is always good, the restaurant can be a little cramped at times, but that adds to the ambience in our opinion.
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