Central has a new Italian to talk about, and it comes with serious pedigree. Ninetta — the latest restaurant from JIA Group — opened on 20 June 2026 with a deceptively simple idea: cook the kind of generous, family-style Italian food you'd be fed at an Italian grandmother's table, and do it properly.
What is Ninetta?
Ninetta is a mid-range Italian trattoria built around sharing. The restaurant describes its cooking as "grandmotherly" — the warm, unfussy home cooking that anchors most Italian families — and the menu is designed so dishes can be passed around the table or, as the kitchen cheerfully puts it, kept "all for me."
That sits squarely in a gap Hong Kong diners have been circling for a while: cooking with real technique behind it, but without the white-tablecloth formality or the tasting-menu price tag. For where Ninetta fits among the city's heavy hitters, see our guide to the 50 best restaurants in Hong Kong.
Who is behind Ninetta?
The kitchen marks a comeback for chef Marco Xodo. Months after Testina — the meaty Italian restaurant he led in Central for three years — closed, Xodo has returned as Ninetta's newly appointed executive chef. He is joined by two heavyweight co-founders: Antimo Maria Merone, chef of the Michelin-starred Estro, and general manager Graziano De Gregorio.
That line-up matters. Merone's Estro is one of the city's most respected Italian fine-dining rooms, so seeing his name attached to a casual, sharing-led trattoria is a signal that Ninetta is more than a quick follow-up opening. To understand the company it keeps, browse our round-up of Hong Kong's Michelin-starred restaurants. It also adds to a busy run of Central debuts — from Migas at H Queen's to the omakase counter Kinmokusei.
What's on the menu at Ninetta?
Expect antipasti, hand-rolled pasta and Italian mains, all priced for a regular night out rather than a special occasion. From the antipasti, the kitchen points to the mini veal tongue bun, the mozzarella braid and a classic veal tonnato. The pastas and mains — the lasagna terrine, tagliatelle, a substantial veal chop, a ma yau fish and pork skewers — are flagged as the signatures, while dessert keeps it traditional with tiramisu and panna cotta.
There are around three dozen wine labels to work through, plus a list of Italian and global classic cocktails if you'd rather not commit to a bottle. Here's a snapshot of what to expect, and roughly what it costs.
Ninetta menu highlights & prices
| Dish | Course | Price (HKD) |
|---|---|---|
| Mini veal tongue bun | Antipasti | $98 |
| Mozzarella braid | Antipasti | $188 |
| Veal tonnato | Antipasti | $208 |
| Lasagna terrine | Signature | $188 |
| Tagliatelle | Pasta | $228 |
| Pork skewers | Main | $238 |
| Ma yau fish | Main | $498 |
| Veal chop | Main | $588 |
| Tiramisu / Panna cotta | Dessert | $108 / $98 |
Prices per Foodie, June 2026, and subject to change. A service charge may apply.
Where is Ninetta and how do I book?
Ninetta sits on the third floor of M88, the Wellington Place tower at 2-8 Wellington Street (威靈頓街), Central. It's an easy stroll from the MTR and well within the Central–Lan Kwai Fong dining belt, so it pairs naturally with a drink before or after. Bookings are open through the restaurant's website and reservation page.
Ninetta — Visitor Info
Details per Foodie and the restaurant's own website. Ninetta is part of JIA Group. Opening hours had not been formally published at the time of writing — check the website or reservation page for current service times before you go.
If you're building a Central crawl around it, Ninetta is a strong opener before cocktails in Lan Kwai Fong or a nightcap nearby — and a useful addition to any list of the city's most talked-about new tables this summer.
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