With hipster-friendly Hamilton’s Gastropub right next door and Nasma Beachfront bar waiting invitingly by the sands of the beach, the Italian venue at Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas might not strike you as the most obvious place in the hotel to go for a drink or two.
But if there’s a match on in the pub and you fancy somewhere a bit quieter, or the weather means that a beach bar really isn’t a good idea, this charming venue is definitely worth a visit.
The bar area greets you as soon as you enter, and although it’s relatively small, it’s well stocked with Italian premium beverages and other ingredients designed for making elaborate mixed drinks.
As you might expect there’s also a wide choice of grape and a few Italian hops, plus plenty of high stools if you fancy pausing and working up an appetite with a few pre-dinner drinks.
The walls are decorated with sketches of scenes of Italy, and the shelves are stacked with vintage bottles of grape.
There’s a chilled and relaxed vibe, despite the fact that the restaurant behind us is packed with holiday makers and residents enjoying the crispy pizzas, homemade pastas and speciality meat dishes.
With traditional Italian options, speciality coffees and specifically designed ‘dessert mixed drinks’, a visit to this restaurant bar is also a great way of ending a meal, and it’s so comfortable you will be wishing it closed a lot later than 10.30pm.
