This food is other worldly... so delicious. I had the Peruvian ceviche with the most amazing sauce called "milk of the tiger" that was a lime based cream with a hint of pepper... unbelievably delicious. Tender seafood and crispy calamari... my friend and I shared it as an appetizer. My husband had some kind of steak dinner and my friends husband had another amazing tenderize goat meat that was falling off the bones... so tender! Desert was too good to describe here. This whole meal was so much more delicious because of our waiter, Garen's description of each dish. He not only knew about every entree, including ingredients from both Italy and Peru. His thorough and accurate education helped us really understand the delicacy and care that goes into every selection on the menu. The chef is to be commended for such an amazing meal all around. That said, Garen was the star of the show for us. That, and of course, the absolutely 5 star food and deserts. We are also gluten and dairy free, and they had so many choices for us, from gluten free flatbread and pizzas, to pasta and many selections on the menu that could be modified to be gluten free. Stellar meal in every way! read more

The food tasted very mediocre, I've had better at a place like Cheesecake Factory. I don't know if it's because we came during graduation season, but it didn't feel worth the $25-30 per dish. The ambience is amazing, the service was great, and the interior and exterior are very nice photo spots. I think you're paying more for the experience, than the taste of the food. read more

See all

Our party of four went here to celebrate a birthday. Reservations were easy on a third party site. Greeted promptly and seated in a nice section of the restaurant. Our server educated us on the menu and specials. He also was helpful in making suggestions. Complimentary bread and dipping sauce were quickly consumed - tasty! Appetizers (ceviche and croquettes) were at proper temperatures and delicious. We ordered a GF pizza, two steak entrees a salad and one of the specials which was a Branzino. Everything was perfect - from presentation to taste. The staff also delivered a special Birthday greeting with a complimentary dessert! The pictures and reviews on Yelp helped us to decide on Nicola. On first arrival, we were taken aback because of the location in a strip mall. Although it is not in downtown SLO.... the ambiance, decor and the way the staff make you feel welcome is truly incredible. Our server, Christiano and the others that assisted in our experience are top notch. After going here, this is my new favorite restaurant in SLO. We can't wait to go back again! read more

See all

We stopped by Nicola for lunch. Absolutely delicious! We loved everything we had -- from the Passionfruit Pisco sour to the melt in your mouth dessertsThe service was excellent. The restaurant is beautiful .We will return. read more

Totally ruined my birthday dinner. There was a hair in my pizza and the solution my waitress offered was to give me a new plate. Not a new pizza, a new plate. To add insult to injury, they didn't even comp the pizza. And then they didn't sing to me or offer me a dessert even though they KNEW it was my birthday because it was in the notes. Yet, they sang to and gave a dessert to the table directly next to us. Absolutely horrible experience. read more

From the moment I walked in, I was enchanted! The cool white ambience of the interior invites you in to lounge in one of the big banquet tables or at a small table on the side near the windows. There is a fascinating distillery to the left, just as you enter where they brew the Pisco, which is used in their Pisco sours. The bar reaches out to you to invite you to have a seat. It is a well stocked and varied bar with beautiful lighting and a graceful curve as you enter the room. I was immediately greeted by a friendly server named Jeffrey, who welcomed me and who took very good care of us while we dined! My son arrive shortly and we got what I thought was the best seat in the house. We were there early for a business celebration lunch, and we got the large and banquet table with a view out to the patio, but also a view to the parking lot on the side or to the kitchen where the staff was busy creating the dishes. Jeffrey appeared and asked us what we wanted to drink. My son got tea and I got my favorite Sauvignon Blanc, but Jeffrey also brought me a sample of another wine that was similar to Sauvignon Blanc, called Costamolina Vermentino. It had lovely floral taste, as well as a bit of pepper, that would be ideal with the Peruvian-Italian food. Our waters were immediately delivered along with some puffy rolls and an interesting dip that was garlic and oil. You could taste the Peruvian influence in the dip. Our friends soon arrived and my son and I each ordered, resulting in a an interesting menu. He ordered the Aaroncini for the table and got the Caprese salad for himself with chicken. I couldn't resist the shrimp pizza, shrimp being my favorite dish and pizza being a very close contender for first place. Our friend got the daily special, which was scallops with an interesting sauce The restaurant filled up with diners as we enjoyed our meal. The ambience there is delightful, light and fresh and full of light and greenery. There is a drape of beads hanging from the ceiling, which makes a relaxing wave pattern. The many windows cast light everywhere, wo you almost feel as if you are outside while in the elegant dining space. The Aaroncini was a hit all the way around! The sauce is what makes it outstanding along with the crispy texture of the fried quinoa. My son's Caprese salad was delicious and generous serving. Along with chicken, It made a complete keto meal. There were even a few little sparkles of caviar on top of the mozzarella. My pizza was intriguing, a kind of gooey New York cheese, and then the brilliant hits of shrimp to just eddify the flavor! We stayed a long time because it's the kind of place you can really settle in and enjoy a meal! It felt like being transported into a more complete way of enjoying life. read more

See all

It was super cool to get dinner at this restaurant in slo bc it didn't really feel like slo. Such a fun feel inside of the restaurant. We all got a pisco sour which was a fun drink! The cede was a great appetizer. The sauce it was in seemed a lot for the amount of fish in the bowl. The bread and oil and vinegar they give you was soooo good. Ossobuco norteno - favorite meal, he wants to come back every week for this. Risotto was awesome Gnocchi- rich and amazing. I just got the chicken because I needed protein but a weird combo, wouldn't recommend on the regular. Carbonara- strong bacon taste and super rich Braciole- steak was a little dry and chewy but overall good meal Service- outstanding service. Everyone was so friendly and knew their stuff. I will definitely come back to try more things and get more of this atmosphere! read more

See all

Located in slo and has a parking lot so that was nice. Came here on a Friday night and made reservations for 6:45 but we got seated at 7:30! It was packed but honestly so worth the wait. The host and waiter were all so nice. The restaurant is super cute and ambiance is great. We got served bread and this delicious garlic olive oil balsamic sauce to dip it in. We shared the bachiche (pasta with such tender filet strips) and the tortelli de zucca (butternut squash ravioli with delicious cream sauce and tender meat). The food and service were amazing! Was so impressed with how good the food was. Will definitely come again to try more dishes! read more

Nicola restaurant - Peruvian Near Me - San Luis, California

See all

We had the best date night at Nicola on a Sunday night. We made reservations and did not have to wait long for a table. All of the staff was extremely welcoming and upbeat, you can tell they enjoy being there. We saw the pasta being hand made (with love) and you can tell! Food was super yummy. Shout out to our server Rory. He was very personable and put a smile on many faces. The interior was also beautiful and felt cozy. Plus if it's your birthday they have a whole song and dance for you. Pretty cool. I will definitely recommend this place! read more

See all

All I can say is food and Service is fantastic from start to finish. Nothing's changed since we went there before. And it was quieter this time which was very nice. Will be back again soon. read more

See all

This review is for Friday December 5th around 5PM My husband and I were in SLO doing some shopping and decided to be spontaneous and wanted to try this new restaurant. It was around 5pm so we thought we might get lucky with a table. When we walked in it was pretty empty and we were greeted immediately by Rory. He asked if we had a reservation and when I said no, we were told that the only table we could get would be outside or the bar. Rory explained that they had reservations due in and needed to keep the inside tables opened. I opted for outside. My first impression of the decor was WOW. Totally my style. Soft warm creams, gold and greens. Not overdone, just the right amount of class and style. I wish I had taken photos when we first walked in since the room was empty but I am sure there are some on other reviews. I was a bit bummed not to sit inside but since we didn't have a reservation I understood. The outside patio was lovely. Cozy and plenty warm. It has tall walls and the heaters were more than enough on the evening we were there. The decor outside was nice and they did a great job bringing the warm, cream tones to the outside as well. Our waiter was Rory and the "busser" was Alyssa...both were top shelf. Alyssa was lovely to speak with as she was finishing setting up the other tables for the evening. She was very knowledgable about the menu when I asked her what her favorite dish was. She seemed to really enjoy her job and was obviously trained on the menu and was able to answer questions confidently. Rory, was just a delight. We decided to step out of the box and try some new things and we were very happy with his suggestions. He, like Allyssa, was very well versed on the menu and it was clear he enjoyed what he was doing. He was able to explain what "Bachiche" was and how this restaurant came to be. We split a cocktail and salad to start. The Pisco Sour was delicious! Totally not something that I would have ever ordered. I mentioned I don't like really sweet drinks...just a hint and it was perfect. I didn't get a photo in time before the bubble burst but the smoke had such wonderful aromatics...it made the drink even better. The salad (I forgot the name!) was fun. It had fruit in it which was totally different for me and it was delicious. I think it would be great on a summer evening especially! Main courses were without a doubt some of the best pasta we have had! I decided to splurge and get the Tortelli di Zucca...OMG. Just a perfect blend of the sweetness of the Butternut Squash and the savoriness of the Beef Short Rib Asado on top. My husband got the Cannelloni. It was more simple than mine, but equally delicious. The homemade pasta just elevates everything! We could have finished our meals but we stopped ourselves so we could get dessert. I can say that I was very happy with my leftover the next day :-) To end our evening, we split an Espresso and the Tiramisu. Of course, you guessed it, it was perfection. The only thing I did not care for was the bread surprisingly. I found the roll to be a bit hard and it was not easy to use it to dip in the fantastic tapenade/dip they serve it with. I am actually glad that I didn't care for it. I prevented me from filling up on it so it left me more room for the other delicious food that was to come! So to wrap it up...This is a must go if you want to treat yourself to an amazing evening in a beautiful environment eating delicious food. The prices are absolutely fair for the quality of food, drinks and service you will receive. You will probably need a reservation as when we left, it was packed...it was a Friday evening and there were obviously people celebrating for the holidays but I have a feeling this place will be busy most of the time. The parking is great! So happy they decided to NOT be downtown SLO. What a joy to not have to fight for parking and worry about getting a ticket! Treat yourself! read more

See all

-Food is terrific -Prices are very good for what you get I took my mom with some friends to have dinner the other night. My mom isn't impressed by much but she can't stop talking about how much she enjoyed the restaurant. In particular, she loved how well dressed and professional all of the staff were. The effort put in to Nicola is not going unnoticed. They clearly run a tight ship but the staff seem very happy as well. read more

Went for dinner nice setting, nice wait staff. Celebrated our 40 anniversary dinner, food was good not amazing. Once food arrived not much follow up, busy Wednesday but still. Heard about amazing food and customer service. Just okay didn't even get dessert Compt no need to get back soon. read more

This should be a 5-star review, but it currently can only claim three. We arrived at this lovely spot (Peruvian-Italizn fusion) just outside downtown San Luis Obispo and were nicely greeted for our 5 p.m. reservation. The upscale ambiance suggests that this is more of a fine dining experience like the owner's sister restaurant downtown. The ceviche and other mixed appetizer were fabulous. We also ordered a pizza and a salad. This is where the problem started. The restaurant started to fill up, and by 6 p.m. was nearly full. The staff was not equipped to handle that which I find odd for a Thursday night with reservations suggested. We saw my pizza ready for the waitress. It sat under a heat lamp of at least 13 minutes. My wife ordered a salad with olive oil on the side emphasizing that clearly twice. The waitress repeated "olive oil on the side." The salad came fully dressed with the olive oil. My pizza was drying out and luke warm. The salad was sent back to the kitchen and by the time a new one came back, I was nearly finished my cooling off, drying out pizza. We experienced horrible service at our first time at the couple's other SLO location only to return several years later and be very impressed. That same issue seems to have followed here. The food if served timely is absolutely delicious, but considering the higher prices, one would also expect reasonable attention and service. We could not get our server's attention while my pizza was under the lamp. This is a management challenge, and I should hope that our next visit may rate the 5-star that their sister location has evolved into. Right now they can definitely do better. read more

Wow, what a find! The remodel of the former Upper Crust is gorgeous. Exciting Peruvian-Italian cuisine with well-trained service. Pisco sour cocktails have a bubble of extra flavor - see photo. Very New Vegas! A really creative and unique menu for SLO. We had the quinoa arancini ($20 for four, 4/5), Sol y Tierra salad ($15, 5/5), Velutata (asparagus soup, $15, 5/5), special ceviche ($25, 5/5; fair warning, a side of rice is $10), Timbal de Langostinos ($30, 5/5), Tortelli di Zucca with short rib ($40, 4/5). For dessert (all $14) we tried the Andrea (flambéed marshmallow and cookies, 3/5, flambéed at the table), Banana Crème Brûlée (4-5), and the Cherry Stracchiatella gelato (5/5). Cannot wait to return! A lovely night out with friends, family, or solo at the bar. read more

See all

5 stars. The food here was incredible. I will be back. Fav food items were the quinoa arancini (the mint sauce was a really nice touch, I wanted more of it!) Nicola (like a poke bowl, from the crudo bar menu); the tallarin pesto pasta, and bistec ai fierri. The steak was cooked absolutely perfectly, the quality of the meat was top level good. Wine- the red wine Querciabella Chianti was the best wine I've had in a while. I tasted another one and it was okay. Drinks-My husband had the Maracuya Pisco Sour, which I think is exactly the same one served at Mistura- Very, very good. Dessert- We ordered the Banana creme brûlée- it was good. I do wish it had more banana flavor in the actual dessert, not just on top. I would still order it again as a solid choice. It's a great creme brûlée. I will be back to try the Ossobuco, gnocchi, Sierra dulce salad, alpaca carpaccio, ceviche, tiramisu read more

See all

We were celebrating our anniversary and we decided to splurge with one of their signature cocktails. We both ordered a pineapple mango coconut margarita - $16 a glass. I told the server no salt. Both came with salt on the outside of the glass so when I held the glass my fingers were covered with salt that eventually landed on the table. It was way too sweet and couldn't taste the tequila! We both ordered a Cesare salad at $15 each; I ordered the trout at $40 (special occasion so I splurged but way over priced!). We both had a glass of Chardonnay with our meal at $14 a glass! For 2 people the bill came to $182 + tip and the food was just mediocre. As far as the service, we had 4 separate servers - one for taking our drink order, another for serving the drinks, one for taking our food order, another for serving our entrees and no one checking back to see if we needed anything! Happy Anniversary! Needless to say we won''t be back. read more

If I was able to give out Michelin, stars... This restaurant would get one! The ambience, atmosphere, staff and definitely the food... put this restaurant, far above any other restaurant I've experienced in this entire county. The serving staff is so attentive. Even those behind the counter ensure everything is "pristine!"! Every inch of the interior design is welcoming and perfect! The food is beautifully plated, and delicious! I've been there four times in the last month and would eat there multiple times per week if I could. The only issue I have... Is that they don't bottle and sell their passionfruit vinaigrette!!! Kudos to Chef Nicola for creating this amazing Restaurant for SLO County. read more

Great new place on Madonna and LOVR by Nicola, the owner of Mistura and Mamas Meatballs. Lots of parking, great ambience in a beautiful modern setting. Seated immediately at noon on Thursday with no reservation. Complimentary warm roll with a delicious olive garlic tapenade came out shortly before my asparagus soup. The soup was light yet full of flavor, with a delicious Parmesan chip. The only drawback was the shrimp pizza came out right after the soup, just a slight timing problem from the kitchen. The pizza was amazing! Crispy thin crust with a white sauce full of spicy Peruvian flavor and a generous amount of perfectly cooked shrimp on each slice. I could only finish half of the 10" pizza--yummy leftovers for home! And although I was full, I had to try the flourless chocolate cake bursting with the passion fruit sauce on top--oh my goodness that was so delicious! Service was friendly and solicitous, but there were only two servers and the restaurant was full so there was a little lag in the pacing. That's easily fixed once Nicola gets a sense of how busy they're going to be as the word gets out how amazing this place is! Highly recommend! read more

See all

What a gem for foodies! Best caprese salad ever (have you ever had a balsamic berry?), superb bolognese sauce on perfectly cooked fresh pasta. Beautiful assortments of classic Italian desserts: gelatos (every flavor from chocolate to pistachio and everything in between) tiramisu, creme brulee, etc. Artistic presentations, enthusiastic and knowledgeable servers. Definitely worth many return visits. Kudos! Comfortable, quiet atmosphere. Perfect for conversation (a rare thing these days when most restaurants tend to be way too noisy). Many thanks. read more

I would definitely recommend Nicola! The service was amazing. Andrea was our server. She was very kind very helpful always had very nice compliments to say to the Table great service from her. The food was amazing all the appetizers all the entrées all the desserts the ambience of the Restuarant with the windows in the private party room was just fantastic. read more

Nicola restaurant - Braised short rib Butternut squash Tortelli di Zucca - Peruvian Near Me - San Luis, California

See all

Outstanding food and service. Ambience is quality. Cosmos is excellent. Table cloths. LOL

Amazing drinks, great ambiance, excellent service and tasty food! If you like exploring different flavors of food, Nicola is a great place to check out. read more

See all

Beautiful restaurant with tablecloths, delightful decor and great service. The menu is unusual, a mixture of Italian and Peruvian food. We were there for lunch and they didn't have a lunch menu, just the dinner menu. I had the Cesar with shrimp ($27). It was ok, but nothing special. My husband had the lasagna ($23). My husband said it was ok, but he wouldn't order it again. A little pricey for lunch. read more

Nicola restaurant - Cesar with shrimp ($27) - Peruvian Near Me - San Luis, California

See all

Wow!!!!! I was so impressed with this amazing resturant. From the second we stepped foot in the door we were waited upon. Great service, amazing food, great drinks and wonderful desserts. It was just perfect for our anniversary. The staff went above and beyond. Thank you read more

See all

Food is amazing and excellent. no complaints. Service seems to be good for some but not for all. Order a second drink three times.....never arrived. Table that was 1 foot away from us had no empty drinks or dirty plates to clear. We won't mention that bread seems to be available to some and not all also. If you enjoy great food, I highly recommend. If you expect great service along with it....take your chances!! read more

Let me start off by saying I am always anxious and nervous at restaurants stemming from working in the service industry. This place was the exception I felt more comfortable here than at my own dining room table ---(depending on the company). The food was awesome and I was yearning for every bite on my fork. The Gelato was creamy and crisp and had the perfect amount of sweetness in each bite. I will be back. ------/ also it was by dads 55th and there bday celebration there was pretty hilarious. read more

See all

It's amazing having such a nice restaurant outside of downtown with free parking and several other shops nearby including Costco, target, cvs, dollar store, and grocery bargain outlet! The first thing you'll notice when you come in is how beautiful the interior design is and the open kitchen is a very nice touch. I've already been twice in the month they've been open and everything I've tried has been phenomenal. The tortellini di zucca was actually sold out the first time i went so i had to return to try it and wow, i could eat it almost every day!! The pizza was delicious even though I'm typically not a fan of thinner crust but the flavors were perfect. They even have quite a performance for birthdays! Make a reservation if you can because it's always busy! Hopefully more nice restaurants will open in the area but this is a great start which is to be expected if you also love mistura and mamas meatball! read more

See all

Nico, Another out of the park. Outstanding fresh pasta and great menu. The ambiance is one of the best of SLO and the service is impeccable as always. Thanks for your care always. read more

The food today was outstanding I mean truly it was delicious. My server Cosmo was wonderful. Had great suggestions about the menu. And Nancy, who helped me with my water, to go box and whatever else I needed was a sweetheart! ! She is definitely an asset to this establishment. She's got a great personality and was super helpful and honestly told me she looked forward to seeing me next time. What can you ask for great food andgreat service. I'll be back. The place is also beautifully decorated everything looked just gorgeous in there. I also mention the gelato is housemaid and I the pistachio and it was the best thing I've ever eaten.. read more

I have lived here since 1984.. I have been to all the restaurants over the years and Nicola ranks in my top 2 ever!!!! Ambiance- perfection, staff- perfection, food- perfection, drinks-perfection! I have been waiting for a restaurant like this for years! Start with the beautiful bar and stellar bar tenders!!! The food is so diverse and everything I've tried has been my favorite!!!! The staff makes you feel like you have a private staff in your own dining room!!! Damian will make your meal feel like a private dining experience! Parking is free and easy!!! This place checks ALL the boxes!!! I will choose this experience every weekend! Pisco sours and wagu app will treat you like nothing else!! 10/10 A +++++ read more

What an incredibly disappointing experience! The menu looks great.... Food, not so much. It started with our seating -- had a reservation and asked for a booth (on a SLOW Tuesday night-- we were seated in a small room, at a two-top table in a back room near the kitchen entrance). And, yes, there were open tables in the main area.... Brought our own champagne -- so maybe they were angry we didn't start out with their expensive drinks (corkage is $25). We were given complimentary warm rolls and an oil/vinegar/chili/cheesy dip--sounds good, but it was chalky/grainy in consistency...., Ordered appetizers--shrimp for me (a 4/5 -- the best food I had all night), my husband's dish was a TINY crudo that had hardly any fish for $22! I ordered the special ($35), which was described as two dishes together--one a pork/dried potato stew alongside a pasta with broth. In reality, it was a stew that had hominy-like pieces (very little pork) and a pesto pasta. IF I had known there was pesto, I wouldn't have ordered it. Overall, it was a 2.5/5 in flavor. We have eaten at many Peruvian restaurants in the last 20+ years, this comes in last.... Not impressed. We love Mistura, but this is several cuts below in quality and execution. The only really positive was our server, who was lovely (and an equally lovely server who opened our champagne, and brought our flutes). Overall, this meal, plus tip, was $240 (AND, we brought our own champagne!). WAY overpriced for the quality and the experience! BTW, we're locals.... read more

Had a wonderful evening with old friends from Colorado to Bakersfield. We all agreed it was like dining in downtown SF, with amazing service and ambiance. I will say, however, when discussing dinner the next day, that our main dishes were just mid. My gnocchi was way overcooked, but tasty; the other dishes could be described as "pretty good". In all, I actually would go back for the experience, if not for the food. Four stars from me. PS: My Italian husband said his Nonna always smiled when preparing her pasta. This Nonna appeared over it read more

Nicola restaurant - Peruvian Near Me - San Luis, California

I rarely/ almost never get on Yelp to write reviews, but I couldn't help myself after my first experience at Nicola. What can I say? Everything was perfect from start to finish. (I already knew this would be the case.. Nico and his entire team cannot seem to miss) -Restaurant build out is aesthetically pleasing, hip, sexy, etc. -Cocktail/ bar program is top tier and very innovative, especially for SLO. ( Do not sleep on their pisco sour features) The menu was incredible and only took a backseat to the service. Our server Jeremiah aka "JJ" was extremely knowledgeable and did a fantastic job guiding our experience. -Off menu specials for the day: branzino and scallops were absolutely to die for. -A7 Waygu (Are you kidding me!?) -Lamb lollipops... off the charts! -Desserts: pistachio gelato and their cheesecake still have me salivating. Do yourself a favor and check out this incredible spot!!! Ask for JJ if you want service that goes above and beyond! read more

Nicola restaurant - Peruvian Near Me - San Luis, California

Fabulous meal. We shared the lamb appetizer and sierra dulce salad. My wife had the special of the day - an amazing whole pan fried branzino topped with shellfish and calamari. It is one of the most delicious meals she has ever had. I opted for the crudaiola pizza. It was packed with flavor. We took a large portion of both entrees home to enjoy the following day. Service was excellent. We had reservations but chose to sit in the patio because it was much quieter. If I were a bit younger and could still tolerate a noisier atmosphere the main dining areas would have been wonderful. Very nicely appointed space throughout. So glad Chef Nicola chose to open this new restaurant here in SLO. read more

See all

Very amazing food and great service! They took a little bit while to help us but we could definitely tell they were busy. We went to celebrate my 21st birthday so they offered me a complimentary dessert, which was delicious! Our waiter was amazing and had a fun vibe!! I loved the atmosphere as well. So pretty and great for Instagram haha read more

Nicola restaurant - Peruvian Near Me - San Luis, California

See all

My husband and I have been waiting for Nicola to open and when we saw it finally was we were thrilled. We went for dinner during their soft opening and just left after having lunch and both times were wonderful. The staff was friendly, food was excellent, and presentation was perfect. I can't wait to see what they do in the weeks and hopefully years to come. I am also very happy to have a good restaurant that is away from downtown SLO. I'm looking forward to exploring more of the menu! read more

See all

Delicious food and such a beautiful restaurant that has been added in SLO! Service was great, the server gave great suggestions and background for each dish. Highly recommend :) read more

See all

Come with parent for the lunch (Nov/14/25) .Order a couple dishes all of them are delicious and serve with beautiful plate and decorative ，the severing is awesome. they also make fresh bread and pasta in the front kitchen. read more

See all

Food was great, service was lovely, the atmosphere was wonderful! I've now been to Nicola twice and both times were very pleasant and seems consistent. I got the carbonara and it was delicious! I frequent Giuseppe's often and Nicola's carbonara is way better! read more

See all