Located in the Docas de Santo Amaro, in Alcântara, this is one of the most recent pizzerias we’ve visited lately, and it’s been talked about a lot thanks to its proximity to the Tagus River and, of course, the huge terrace with seating for around 80 people, which will certainly be included in our essential guide to places in the sun in Lisbon.
Unfortunately, we don’t have any photos to illustrate this, as it was raining torrentially on the day we visited and the terrace was closed. This gave us a good excuse to go back. But is it worth it?
Smaller than it looks
Our first impression wasn’t the best. As we had only seen this pizzeria through photographs, we congratulated the photographer who took them, because he managed to give this space a much larger dimension than it actually has.
In fact, from the depth of the photographs we saw, we had the impression that Casa Nolita would be much bigger, but in the end, it’ s a good thing it’s not. We explain!
Basically, this restaurant specializing in Italian food, whose menu ranges from pizzas to pastas to magnificent, mouth-watering starters, is a very comfortable little block (some call it an aquarium because it’s all surrounded by glass), perfect for a business lunch, a meeting between friends, or even for families (there was one there the day we went, with several children).
The Secret Lisbon experience
Privileged views of the Tagus, a relaxed atmosphere and good Italian food make this a place to visit again and again, even if the gastronomic part doesn ‘t stand out as much as other places we ‘ve tried, although we did try two starters that blew us away: the Straciatella with Confit Cherry Tomato, Pesto and Focaccia (€6), which stands out for its freshness and creaminess; while the Burrata Carbonara (€8.5) surprises with its fusion of traditional fresh cheese and the intense flavor of the carbonara.
Accompanied by a delicious focaccia, both starters exceeded our expectations, which is perhaps why the two pizzas we ordered next were less delightful.
Ringo went for the Queijos de Portugal pizza (€16.5) and I went for a more homemade suggestion, the Prosciuto pizza (€15.5).
While the former pays homage to the country’s best cheeses, including Queijo Azul da Arrábida, Queijo de Ovelha Amanteigado and Queijo da Ilha de S. Jorge, the latter brings the delicacy of the best Italian ham, both cooked in a stone oven.
We graciously washed it all down with a fresh and delicious Sangria Branca (if it was worth it on a rainy day, imagine it on a sunnier one) and, to finish, we had a bite of two beautiful desserts: the traditional Tiramisu and a Chocolate Mouse with Pistachio Crumble.
Final verdict
Although it’s not one of the best pizzas we’ve ever eaten, at Casa Nolita you can find other traditional Italian dishes , which will certainly go well with the casual and welcoming atmosphere we found here, especially when we’re “facing” our Tagus, which attracts so many people to its shores.
That’s why we believe it will also be an exceptional place to try all the cocktails and mocktails we’ve seen on the menu but haven’t managed to try… because drinking in the rain, let’s face it, isn’t very appealing.
Address: Edificio ANL – Remo, Loja A (Doca de Santo Amaro, Alcântara)
Opening hours: Tuesday to Thursday, from 12 noon to 11 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, from 12 noon to 2 a.m.; Sundays, from 12 noon to 11 p.m.
Menu and reservations: on the website