If you have been following my blog and my instagram for a while, you’ll know that one of my favorite foods is pasta. I’m not a picky eater, but there’s something so comforting about it. I don’t understand people who don’t like pasta, because it’s so versatile. If you don’t like tomato sauce there are literally hundreds of other sauces, toppings, and ways to eat it. I’m really passionate about how good pasta is, and so of course, I LOVED Sofia Nola.
Out of everywhere I have eaten in New Orleans, Sofia is was the best at accommodating Celiac Disease. Amazing pasta that is Celiac safe can be really hard to find. When I found it at Sofia, I was SO happy. It almost distracted my from all the stress of final exams.
I was there last night for a friends birthday dinner. Not only did I feel safe eating there, but the food was SO good. Before I really get into what I ate and just how delicious everything was (plus photos), and because technically all of these food review bog posts are for my Tides class (read about the class here), I’m going to explain why Sofia is so special to the New Orleans are, and why New Orleans is so important to Sofia.
Sofia Nola’s mission is to bring southern hospitality to Italian food.
The about me page of Sofia Nola’s website (which, you know the drill, is linked here so y’all can check it out and drool over the amazing menu) states that “the goal for [the restaurant] is to welcome every guest with bonhomie in a relaxed yet vibrant environment”, and having been there, I felt all of that. The staff was SO nice and our waitress was so accommodating and friendly. The restaurant, also created by a New Orleans native, is perfectly New Orleanian because it embodies the amazing relaxed vibe of the city that I have picked up on since moving here. Sofia, along with the other restaurants I’ve written about, doesn’t embody historical New Orleans. It doesn’t have classic souther and New Orleanian food.
You cannot get a po’boy at this restaurant, but you can get something better (especially if you’re gluten free). You can get a safe experience with amazing Italian food, and for me, thats what gives Sofia the relaxed environment that so perfectly mirrors the general laid back mindset of this amazing city. I didn’t have to worry about if the food I was eating was safe, and I didn’t have to worry about getting food that didn’t look or taste as good as the normal version. That’s rare for me, and getting this experience made me SO happy, which honestly, is what new Orleans is all about.
I know I can’t speak to gluten-eaters when it comes to the food; but the quirky yet high end decorations also helped set the relaxing atmosphere Sofia strives to create. Overall, it’s really just an amazing restaurant. It’s even better if you’re a gluten free pasta junkie.
Now for the best part: the food pics.
Heres everything I tried: whipped ricotta, the kale salad, homemade gluten free bread, margherita pizza, another type of pizza with fig jam, gorgonzola, arugula, and more, the alla vodka pasta, the flourless chocolate cake, and the prosecco and sorbet. This is what I mean when I say I had a lot of options.
The highlight was definitely the gluten free bread that they gave me on the side of the ricotta. It was everything I could have hoped for in a gluten free bread. My friends tried it and loved it, and that NEVER happens. People usually don’t want to try gluten free bread if they don’t have to, but at Sofia, they do gluten free bread right. The pizza was on the same dough as the bread, so OBVIOUSLY they were both to die for too. The fig jam was the best one, and the only way I can think to describe it would be a charcuterie board on dough instead of a plate. It was heavenly, especially considering how much I love charcuterie boards (you can read about how I usually make them at home here!!).
The pasta was amazing as well, and HOMEMADE. I’m drooling just thinking about it. Of course dessert was amazing too. I cannot wait to go back, partially for the fun environment that takes my mind off of the stress of college, but mostly for the food,