Il Mannarino Modena

Great welcome. Service excellent. Selection of meat starters was ok but slightly lacking in flavour and not to our taste. We were recommended the “meat bombs”. Argentinian steaks were tasty - medium was on the rare side for us. House wine was more than acceptable.

Very original concept which starts by entering a butcher’s shop and selecting the meat we would like to have for dinner. We appreciated the patience and kindness of the staff as we navigated through this new concept, as well as the explanations and recommendations, especially to discover the bombettas. Everything was tasteful and very well prepared. It was nice to have the little club flags on the different pieces of meat to remember what we chose. The sides and antipastis were also very good. Everything was presented in nice ceramic plates and pitchers and the atmosphere was very authentic. I strongly recommend to try Il Mannarino.

Walking in is like walking into a butcher shop. Behind the glass case are dozens of types of meats to choose from. You get to pick the meat and how much you want and they will carve your portion in front of you to your liking. Let them know how you want it cooked and what sides you would like. We then sat outside and enjoyed the view of old town Modena while sipping a nice Lambrusco. The dinner was outstanding (see pics) and the experience of picking out the meat was really something different! Give them a try!

We had an amazing meal here. The concept of selecting our own meats and having them cooked on the spot was unique and delicious. The staff, especially Matte, were fantastic and made our visit enjoyable. Rosella was lovely and even treated us to complimentary limoncello at the end of our meal. The wine was served in a big jug and was delightful, and the prices were very reasonable.

i love this concept— picking your meat from the butcher at the desk and then sitting down and sharing a bunch of newly prepared meat dishes! the staff are really good at explaining and were extremely friendly. however, when we went they were very clearly understaffed and it took ages to get our order. we did get compensated with some digestifs but still, they needed more assistance. additionally, another minus was that the house red wine was ice cold, so not so tasty until the end of the meal when it had been tempered. but now to the amazing food: i loved my tartare, very well flavoured and finely chopped. probably the best one i’ve had in Italy so far. really solid, the only thing missing was some mustard on the side. the lamb intestines were lovely, reminiscent of eating just heart or liver, but it might even be tastier mixed together and prettily wrapped in bacon. the pork bits were nice, especially the one in black seasoning and the spicy one. good as a starter snack! the florentine steak was cooked to perfection, and so juicy… beautifully red by the marrow and it melted in my mouth. i loved both sides of it. i was also delighted with the desserts, the tiramisu is heavy on the mascarpone which i adore! seriously, it’s one of the best i’ve had in Italy! the biscuit is also properly soaked and the portion is big. very nice! strawberry ice cream was good, nothing remarkable. chocolate cake however was also delicious, with a rich ganache and more dry brownie-like bottom. it’s served with cream too which balances the richness. thank you for a very nice evening dinner! :)

Very original concept which starts by entering a butcher’s shop and selecting the meat we would like to have for dinner. We appreciated the patience and kindness of the staff as we navigated through this new concept, as well as the explanations and recommendations, especially to discover the bombettas. Everything was tasteful and very well prepared. It was nice to have the little club flags on the different pieces of meat to remember what we chose. The sides and antipastis were also very good. Everything was presented in nice ceramic plates and pitchers and the atmosphere was very authentic. I strongly recommend to try Il Mannarino.