Nero Brings Elevated Italian Dining to Edmonton

At Nero, co-owner Dave Manna isn’t trying to recreate the success of his other Edmonton restaurants — he’s building on it. Manna owns Nero alongside longtime business partner Joe Viana and chef Kunal Sawhney. Opened just over a year ago in June 2025, Nero is the latest addition to Manna and Viana’s growing Italian restaurant family, which also includes Rosso and Bianco. While comparisons are inevitable, Manna says Nero was designed from the beginning to stand apart.

“We wanted to make sure that it was different,” he says. “You can’t get the exact same carbonara at Nero as you can at Bianco.” The three restaurants are also spread throughout three different neighbourhoods: Garneau (Rosso), Downtown (Bianco) and Wîhkwêntôwin (Nero).

That philosophy shows up in subtle but intentional ways across the menu. Nero’s carbonara uses guanciale rather than pancetta. Sauces are tweaked. Meatballs are made to taste differently. The changes may seem small, but for Manna, they matter. “You have to change it up,” he says. “You have to make sure you make it taste awesome.”

The restaurant’s menu leans into elevated Italian comfort food without crossing into formal fine dining. Handmade pasta is central to the experience, including the restaurant’s popular gnocchi, baked in pomodoro sauce, and a new addition that’s quickly becoming a customer favourite, the Pasta di Manzo Brasato — conchiglie stuffed with braised short rib. Much of that execution falls to chef and co-owner Kunal Sawhney, who leads the kitchen day to day.

“All our pasta is handmade,” says Manna. “We use the highest quality ingredients, organic flour, non-GMO, unbleached old grain, so it’s very high quality. When you eat our pasta and our pizza, you feel good afterward.”

The pizza program has evolved significantly since opening. Nero serves a thicker Roman-style pizza, a contrast to the Neapolitan pies at Rosso and Bianco.

Beyond pasta and pizza, Nero’s menu balances hearty dishes with lighter options. A bright beet salad joins rich short ribs served over creamy polenta, while sea bass and ribeye have also quickly become customer favourites.

The attention to detail extends far beyond the kitchen. Manna worked closely with local designer Jennifer Jordan to shape Nero’s atmosphere, envisioning the restaurant as something closer to a boutique hotel lounge than a traditional dining room. The stunning dining room and bar feel upscale yet comforting, with chandeliers, exposed brick, and lush fabrics. Manna sourced many of the design pieces himself, travelling across North America to find vintage lighting, décor, and finishing touches.

“I purchased all the chandeliers and all the little knick-knacks, cable lamps, bowls — anything to do with the interior design,” he says. “I just love doing it.”

For Manna, though, Nero’s identity ultimately comes down to how guests feel when they walk through the doors.

“The experience is really important for me personally,” he says. “I want you to feel that you’re out of town, like you’re on vacation.”

It’s a philosophy that has guided his restaurants from the beginning: quality food, warm hospitality, and an atmosphere that feels transportive without becoming stuffy.