Nosolo Italia - Marina Vilamoura — Restaurant in Loulé

During our recent visit to Nosolo Italia in the heart of Marina Vilamoura, we had an overall enjoyable experience with a few standout positives and a couple of minor disappointments that we feel are worth highlighting—particularly for management consideration.

Food & Drink: 4.5/5 The food here is undoubtedly the star of the show. We started with the garlic bread, which was served warm and packed with flavor—crispy on the outside with just the right amount of garlic and seasoning. For mains, we chose the Penne Pesto and Penne Arrabbiata. Both dishes were exceptionally well-prepared: fresh pasta cooked to perfection, sauces rich and delicious, with quality ingredients clearly on show. These dishes felt like they belonged in a high-end Italian trattoria—lush, satisfying, and beautifully presented.

Service & Efficiency: 4/5 Service throughout the meal was fast and efficient. We were never left waiting too long, and staff moved swiftly, ensuring the food arrived in good time. However, one awkward moment at the start slightly tainted the experience: a waiter offered us packets of breadsticks without clarifying whether they were complimentary. In many restaurants—especially Italian ones—these are typically included as a small courtesy. We didn’t feel comfortable asking if they were chargeable and ended up accepting them without clarity. This small moment could have been handled more transparently and left us feeling slightly taken advantage of.

Venue & Experience: 3.5/5 The restaurant is set in a prime location on the marina, and the ambiance is pleasant, especially for outdoor dining. However, guests sitting outside should be aware that you’ll need to take your table number and walk inside to pay at the counter—something that may feel a bit inconvenient after a relaxed meal.

The front-of-house experience, unfortunately, didn’t leave a great first impression. The man at the entrance seemed aloof and unwelcoming. While we were browsing the menu, he didn’t acknowledge us or offer assistance. His demeanor felt more like that of a security guard than a host, and he appeared selective about whom he chose to engage with. It’s a small detail, but one that can significantly influence the warmth of a guest’s welcome—especially in such a competitive dining location as the Vilamoura Marina. This kind of selective hospitality isn’t uncommon in the area, but it was nonetheless disappointing here, and we encourage management to reflect on this and consider training that reinforces inclusive and attentive customer service.

Final Thoughts: 4/5 All in all, Nosolo Italia delivers excellent food and efficient service, making it a worthwhile stop for Italian cuisine lovers. But a little polishing in hospitality, clarity around extras, and smoother customer interactions would elevate the experience further. With just a touch more warmth and transparency, this spot could truly shine. Note to Management: Please ensure feedback like this is taken seriously—small moments matter and consistent training on service etiquette and guest interaction can go a long way in turning good experiences into...

Tonight, I ate here with my family which includes 4 children and my mom. I'm a proud Portuguese American and it pains me to write this but these restaurants want our business and they need to hear the truth. To begin: The wait to be acknowledged by a waiter was quite long and knowing this is the trend, we were ready with our entire order as it was already late. The drinks came out and all was well. We didn't order any apps because we were eager to eat dinner. The entrees started arriving incorrectly, only 2 of the 7 came out as ordered and we ordered by number ( that should say it all!). A short while later, they sorted out a pasta mixup and delivered 3 more dinners. The last 2 simple margherita pizzas for the two youngest kids didn't arrive for 30 more minutes. By then, we had all completed our dinners and we sat waiting for the simplest menu item. By now, my 8 year old daughter is crying from hunger and despair. We alert the busboy, the waiter who took our order, a waitress who delivered our fragmented order and yet, no one seemed to care. I asked for a manager, none came. Finally, two sad looking pizzas arrived, not ONE apology from anyone. In fact, they sent some other kid to deliver the last 2 meals who could have cared less that the kids were crying and our table was cleared. When the check came, they had the audacity to charge us for those two pizzas. Mind you, I live in NY where service means everything so yes, I expected an apology, or gesture of some kind to make up for the mixup. Mistakes happen all the time, but to ignore it, make me feel like a dragon lady for chasing down food, that's where I decided this write up was in order. Food orders were coming out all around us as we waited, how difficult is it for a restaurant to change up the order queue and get those two pizzas out next? In the end, my husband and I battled it out with the hostess and she begrudgingly took the 2 pizzas off the check. In general, the Vilamoura marina restaurants are highly over priced with mediocre service and forgettable food. The Nosolo Italia is the epitome of the tourist trap. There are far better places to spend your money. Eat gelato at the marina and enjoy a stroll. Save yourself the money and...

Such a shame, I had high hopes for this place, Worst meal I had in Portugal I’m writing this review because visitors to the area have so many wonderful food options stay away from this restaurant. Reasons for my concerns When you arrive, they bring breadsticks to the table. They neglect to inform you there will be charging you approximately five euros for the breadsticks. When you order your meal and ask for tapwater, they will bring you water but charge you for the water We ordered a pasta dish. The pasta was horrible. It felt like prepackaged pasta I get in the supermarket. The sauce had no taste and very little sauce. When we reported this during the meal, we asked for a little more sauce to make the meal edible. The sauce was brought to the table and then they charged us for the sauce. I couldn’t eat my meal, even though I hadn’t eaten all day. I asked for chicken to be added to the pasta they accommodated this request, but the chicken arrived shredded. The consistency was gross. When we use the bathroom, there was a horrendous smell in the bathroom of chemicals, both myself, and my partner started coughing and wrenching at the smell, I believe there was some Toxic chemical in the bathrooms, causing this reaction. When we paid the bill, we informed the representative an elderly gentleman we had concerns with all of the charges The gentleman was rude dismissive, and threw his hands up in the air. In all of my experience in visiting a restaurant, I have never had a representative from a restaurant speak to me in such a terrible way Save your money and try some of the wonderful restaurants along...