Las Vegas is well known for its selection of high-brow Strip eateries, but the city also plays host to a few secret spots that locals love. Nora’s Cuisine is one such hidden gem, tucked away in a nook near the Strip.

Since the restaurant’s opening in 1991, Las Vegans have flocked to west Flamingo Road for a taste of Nora’s food (that would be Nora Mauro, the Sicilian chef responsible for the establishment’s recipes). Back in the day, Nora and her husband Gino had room for a mere 12 diners, building both word of mouth and high demand for the Italian classics served nightly.

Nora’s Cuisine has expanded in the years since its humble beginnings, with plenty of room for both regulars and tourists who unwittingly stumble upon some of the best Italian food the city has to offer. The restaurant has also branched out with another location; Nora’s Wine Bar & Osteria on west Charleston and Rampart specializes in the seafood and wine southern Italy is known for.

The original Nora’s offers Sicilian basics: pasta, cheese and more cheese. A typical meal at Nora’s must be enjoyed in a few courses (at least three, preferable with cocktails or wine). This means you’ll have plenty of leftovers to take home and enjoy for days to come.

The perfect Nora’s dinner begins with an appetizer—the mozzarella caprese is the best Italian salad, complete with fresh mozzarella and tomatoes over fresh basil with extra virgin olive oil. There are also American favorites like chicken fingers and shrimp cocktail, but for a truly Sicilian experience, stick with classics like bruschetta and calamari.

For the main course, Nora’s offers some of the best pasta in the city. The baked ziti, the spaghetti alla Nora (with eggplant, pesto and ground beef) and the eggplant parmigiana are equally delicious, and those who are overwhelmed by the extensive menu can stick with the house specials for an excellent meal.

Nora’s also features “dinner favorites,” including the “Crazy” Alfredo, which combines fettucine and alfredo sauce with a pile of chicken, sausage, shrimp and various vegetables (not to mention the jalapeños).

If pasta doesn’t cut it, there are a variety of meat and seafood-laden dishes, like veal marsala, chicken parmigiana and linguine and clams. Nora’s also serves up a variety of 12-inch pizzas that range from $9.95 to $12.95 (and are enough for at least two people to enjoy). Try the pizza al prosciutto or the shrimp pizza, or customize a pizza with a range of toppings.

For dessert, if you still have room, nothing beats the cannoli, though Nora’s tiramisu comes in at a close second. And then there are the cocktails, which could be a meal of their own (if you’re into that sort of thing). The delicious bellini is a popular drink, and the bar offers a range of classics, but try the house specialties, like Nora’s Lemon Drop (citrus-flavored vodka, lemoncello and fresh sour) or the Sensuous Dream (vanilla vodka, chambord and cream).

Nora’s is a perfect mixture of upscale atmosphere with family-style portions, a great place for first dates and friendly get-togethers—Italian food at its finest.

Nora’s Cuisine

6020 W. Flamingo Rd. #10

Lunch hours:

Monday-Friday

11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Dinner hours:

Monday-Thursday

4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Friday-Saturday

4:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.

702-873-8990

By Caitlin McGarry