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    Nate's Italian Kitchen

    4.5 (464 reviews)
    Closed Closed
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Nate's Italian Kitchen Takeout or Delivery

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    NATE'S ITALIAN KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Nate's Italian Kitchen

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    Baked ziti
    Gale M.

    Nate's is so busy for dinner that benches are outside for waiting customers. A sign on the door references seating guidelines for the huge crowds waiting to dine in the cozy space. HOWEVER, lunchtime is a great time to visit Nate's Italian Kitchen: no wait, no rush. The food is as good as everyone said it was. An appetizer of pasta salad and garlic bread was delivered shortly after we ordered. I had a huge pastrami sandwich with Russian dressing and it was delicious. I would have appreciated chips or something as a side, but I had a half sandwich to take home anyway. My friend had the baked ziti; huge portion of cheesy pasta that smelled fantastic. My friend took home two-thirds. Not inexpensive but worth every penny. Yum!

    Eggplant parmigiana sandwich
    Jason G.

    Be warned, servings are huge. I was visiting and found this place randomly - small, cute, and delicious. Seriously, everything was delicious. A bit on the pricey side for lunch, but worth it.

    Pastrami sandwich
    Christine G.

    Good gawd the food is spectacular. I've had the meatball sandwich with the best meatballs that I have ever tasted. This time I went with the spaghetti and meatballs, because well, meatballs. The hubby had the pastrami sandwich that was like a pastrami sandwich should be. Just delicious. I had to ask the lady next to me what she had because it was huge and looked delicious. She said the Monster Lasagna. That will be my next order for sure because I'm definitely coming back.for sure. The place is tiny, so get here at times away from lunchtime. It is nicely decorated and the staff are absolutely fantastic. They are friendly, funny, and efficient. They give each table a basket of delicious bread with oil and spices, plus a container of pesto salad. You are missing out if you don't come and get some of this amazing deliciousness. No photo of the spaghetti as I ate it too quick.

    Side of spaghetti with chicken and eggplant parm
    J.P. W.

    The folks working the place are very friendly. Everyone was chatty and pleasant. The space is super cramped. With huge portions and huge plates, sitting at one of the two person tables can be a challenge, especially if you're at one of the tables near the counter. Some families like to bring the entire family to the register and it can get crowded. It's a small space. The food is fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. I had the best Italian food I've ever experienced in my years of living in Tucson. The portions are huge. I brought half home and I'm usually a "clear your plate" kind of guy. I will absolutely go back because the food is awesome. The sauce is balanced perfectly. I find the way you order and such a little weird, and as I mentioned before, it's a cramped space, but overall it's worth it. I'll say it again ... the food is outstanding. Go.

    Steak and Spinach Pasta dish.

    Excellent Staff and food! Very friendly people. Made me feel welcomed. The food quality is top notch and worth the price. I highly recommend if you haven't tried it. Do so.

    Princess P.

    Little Italy vibes right here! Nate's Italian Kitchen is officially our new favorite spot! This is a counter-service restaurant (order at the counter for dine-in or takeout), with self-serve drinks. Super casual, super cozy. The staff? Absolutely wonderful. They remind me of a Nonna (Italian grandmother)--so sweet, friendly, and genuinely helpful with recommendations. They also make sure you know everything is freshly made, and they're flexible with substitutions. Food highlights: Garlic bread: Included, and oh my goodness... freakin' delicious. Their garlic sauce is magic. Family-style portions: Huge! A pasta dish easily feeds 2-3 people. Appetizers: We ordered stuffed mushrooms and calamari. The mushrooms came out a bit small, so the host surprised us with an extra order. That's the kind of hospitality that makes you feel valued. Mains: Daily specials are a must! I had the Cajun Shrimp with andouille sausage--amazing spice, flavor, and sauce. The Chicken Scampi was another winner, with plenty of chicken in every bite. Dessert: Tiramisu made in-house. I'm picky since it's my favorite dessert, but this one was really good--great flavor and texture. I would have liked it a little colder, but still delicious. The dining room is small, so patience is key if it's busy. But honestly, the steady flow of takeout orders every 10 minutes is a green flag--you know the food is worth it. Incredible food. Incredible staff. Incredible hospitality. Nate's Italian Kitchen is definitely our new go-to for family dinners!

    Frozen 1/2,slice of lasagna baked in toaster oven.
    Mark F.

    This is their half slice of lasagna. It's very yummy but I don't follow the microwave instructions I just drop it frozen in my Corning ware and bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes and that's the result.

    Cajun chicken pasta
    Ashley C.

    I came here last night for date night with my husband and as expected, we had a great meal with stellar service. We were checked on at least three times throughout the evening. This is a restaurant where you're seated and given a menu. Then when you're ready to order, you can go to the front to order and pay. After that, they will bring your food to you and check on you. It's a small restaurant, but they had a couple tables open when we arrived at 7 PM on a Saturday night. My husband ordered the chicken Parmesan and said it was good. I did notice that it did seem to be a smaller portion than what we received for the same dish to-go previously. That's okay though because the other portions are so large that with the other food we ordered we were more than stuffed. We got the ribeye salad, which honestly was a miss for me.. It seemed a bit one-toned & could've used probably a bit more ingredients or something different if you ask me. The monster lasagna was 10 out of 10! I don't love lasagnas everywhere, but I have heard about this one and was eager to try it. It did not disappoint! I'm not a big fan of ricotta and the ricotta in this one was not overbearing or even really detectable. The portion is also so large, you definitely have leftovers. They also give free bread and pasta salad, which was yummy to snack on while we waited as well. This restaurant remains at the top of my Italian restaurants in Tucson and if you haven't been , it's definitely worth a visit!

    Nelson H.

    A small Italian restaurant bistro having classic n sandwiches!! Given out a big portion for chicken Parmesan cheese with linguine and a side of garlic bread n pasta... tasty n delicious... When you're very hungry for dining, it's a good place to be and you will love those home made cooking Italian foods!!!

    Bake ziti
    Gary U.

    Recent visit to Nate's was outstanding as usual. Split a humongous dish of Baked Ziti with Italian sausage, peppers, and mozzarella. Insanely delicious . You will never leave Nate's disappointed, your belly will be full (very), and you will have plenty to take home. Wait staff and hostesses are the so great. Appreciate everything about Nate's,

    Eggplant and chicken parm
    Betty S.

    We had heard so much about Nate's and finally ate there. It is small and crowded so often had to get a table. But, the food is terrific! I had the eggplant and chicken parm. The marinara sauce may be the best in Tucson! The eggplant was fabulous and the chicken good but too heavily breaded for my taste. The portions are enormous. We brought home left overs that provided 2 more meals. Great little place with food that exceeds expectations for a little strip mall restaurant.

    Side salad with ranch
    Carmaluche M.

    What a find!!! So glad we came here. An East side charming spot perfect for dates and sharing. Have some fun Here's how they work. 1. Come in dancing through the door for free garlic bread 2. Find your spot, take a menu and take a seat 3. Order your orders at the counter, and your drinks. 4. Enjoy the ambiance and be showered with great food. We saw people's dishes and we were in shock. But we still each ordered our own dish instead of sharing. We didn't order appetizers this time around or desserts. Almost all the orders look like sharing portions. We went with the Monster Lasagna and it was a monster 10 layered Lasagna that held its own. Sweet ,sausage with a hint of wine in their sauce OH how I LOVE and authentic dish Take your appetite and your time with your food. We went on an early Saturday afternoon for lunch and there was no wait. Our Hostess/Cashier said the 2pm-8pm gets busy a d can sometime have a wait of up to 10 people ahead. It's small but worth it.

    The Monster
    Geri C.

    We went back to Nate's for a late lunch. We wanted the monster lasagna for sure and I ordered a pastrami sandwich, modified. No mustard, no Swiss cheese but provolone, and no rye bread but a sub roll. Holy Batman! The sandwich was huge! and delicious. With the lasagna, you get a side salad, which I devoured. Complimentary bread and pesto pasta salad is always tasty. The lasagna? Spectacular! We both ate quite a bit, I ate about half the sandwich, we took the remaining lasagna & sandwich home. We had the rest of lasagna for dinner one night and my hubby had the pastrami sandwich for lunch one day. $50 for the food and technically that was 5 meals. Yes, drinks are self-service, but so what. The staff checks on you constantly. I am not fond of ordering at the counter and paying for the food, including a tip before I receive it, but since I have been here before, I had no doubt the food and service would be good. My biggest wish? Get a new location, this place is too small and not in the best location. I don't do takeout and because of the popularity of the place, seating can be troublesome. It's so small. I didn't knock down the stars because of these issues because if they had a larger place and you ordered at the table with service, I would give it 10 stars! Keep up the good work, just find a larger location on the East Side of Tucson.

    Chicken picatta. Perfect.

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    Had their Pastrami sandwich, saw their lasagna being served and must return to have it!

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    2 months ago

    Great Italian food has tons of flavor huge portions. Staff is very welcoming. Restaurant is small but nicely organized.

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    Love the monster lasagna and the cannolis... Favorite neighborhood Italian. Friendly service and nice ambiance...

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    Ask the Community - Nate's Italian Kitchen

    Do you have gluten free options available?

    Yes we have many options! Celiac friendly as well.

    Can I bring my own bottle of wine?

    Yes! $5 corking fee per bottle. They'll bring you glasses and open the bottle.

    Can i BYOB?

    Yea they have a license.

    Hi are you serving beer and wine yet?

    Yes they are

    Will you add some vegan options to your menu?

    We are working on a few newer vegan options. Right now you can substitute any protein with eggplant.

    Are you planning on Jewish deli foods along with Itailian food?

    Here is our website. We will be adding a bunch more sandwich options along with salads. Natesmetrodeli,com Opening late this month for delivery.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Nice cold pints of IPA.

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    Nice cold pints of IPA.

    Nate's Italian Kitchen - sandwiches - Updated July 2026

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