For a romantic dinner in Nimman, book a table on the garden terrace at Mandorla Sicilian Bistrot, at the mouth of Soi 7 on Siri Mangkalajarn Road. It is the Sicilian restaurant in Chiang Mai, open every day from 16:00 to 23:00, with 302 Google reviews at an average of 4.7 stars (October 2026). Start with an Aperol Spritz at aperitivo hour, share a seafood couscous made for two, open a Sicilian bottle, and finish with cannoli and a granita. Mains run from 280 to 980 THB. Book a table here and tell us it is a date night in the message box.
We run Mandorla, so this is not a neutral list. It is an honest description of what an evening here looks like, so you can decide whether it is the right night for the two of you.
Why Mandorla works for a date
A good date night restaurant does three things. It gives you somewhere to sit that feels like an occasion. It does not rush you. And the food gives you something to talk about. Here is how that plays out at Mandorla.
Somewhere that feels like an occasion
The building is a bright yellow house with blue and white tiled windows painted with lemons, set back from the road behind a garden. Outside there is a terrace built like a small Mediterranean piazza: a stone fountain in the centre, mosaic paving, and pergolas hung with lemon print curtains. At night the whole garden is lit up. Inside, the dining room is cobalt blue and yellow, with blue wooden chairs, terrazzo floors and Sicilian ceramics on the tables. If you prefer to sit close together, there is a long yellow banquette under the lemon mural.
Nobody will rush you
Sicilians eat late and stay long, and the restaurant is built around that. We open at 16:00 and the last food order is at 22:00, with the kitchen and bar running until 23:00. Our own menu puts it plainly: there is no wrong time to arrive, and no need to leave when the plates do. Tables are not turned over in a hurry.
Food you share
A Sicilian dinner is a sequence of small courses shared in the middle of the table, not one big plate each. That suits a date. You order together, you pass plates across, and you have a reason to try each other’s food.
How to plan the evening
Arrive for aperitivo
The evening at Mandorla starts with aperitivo hour, the Italian habit of a bitter, bubbly drink before dinner. The aperitivo list is short and classic: Aperol Spritz, Americano, Bicicletta and Campari Orange, each 320 THB. Arriving around sunset gives you the terrace while it is still light, and the garden lit up by the time the food lands.
What to order for two
Our menu’s own rule for two people is one or two antipasti to share, one pasta each, one main course between you, and one dessert each. For a date, this is how we would do it:
- To share first: the Seafood Ceviche Sicilian Style (480 THB), raw hamachi and tuna with lemon, capers and olives, topped with steamed prawns. Or the Citrus Salad (280 THB) if you want something lighter.
- One pasta each: Prawn Ravioli in seafood broth (380 THB) and Rigatoni alla Norma with aubergine and ricotta salata (300 THB) give you one from the sea and one from the land.
- One main between you: the Seafood Couscous (680 THB). It is our signature, it carries a thousand years of Arab Sicilian history, and it is a generous portion that serves two. If you prefer meat, the 6 Hour Slow-Cooked Lamb Shank (880 THB) or the Costata di Manzo (980 THB) from the charcoal grill.
- One dessert each: a Cannolo Siciliano and a Sette Veli, the seven layer Sicilian chocolate cake, both 250 THB. Or share an Almond Granita. Mandorla is the Italian word for almond, and it is the dish we are named after.
Every dish and price is on the full menu. Prices include the 10% service charge.
What to drink
The wine list is mostly Italian, with a good run of Sicilian bottles. By the glass, the Grillo di Sicilia from Planeta (220 THB) is a crisp Sicilian white that suits the seafood, and the Nero d’Avola from La Calla (250 THB) is the island’s best known red. For a bottle, there are Etna Bianco and Etna Rosso from the slopes of the volcano, and a Cerasuolo di Vittoria rosé from Gulfi.
If it is an anniversary or a proposal, there is sparkling wine from 180 THB a glass, Prosecco di Valdobbiadene, Franciacorta, and a Champagne list that includes rosé. And if you want to end the night the Sicilian way, ask for a dessert wine from the islands: Moscato di Pantelleria or Malvasia delle Lipari passito. After that, a limoncello.
Inside or on the terrace?
Both work, for different nights. The garden terrace is the more romantic setting on a dry evening, with the fountain, the curtains and the lights. The air conditioned dining room is the better call on a hot or rainy night, and the banquette under the lemon mural is the most intimate seat in the house. If you have a preference, write it in the message when you book and we will do our best to hold it for you.
When another place suits the night better
Be honest about the night you want. If a rooftop view of the city matters more to you than the food, Nimman has rooftop bars and terraces, and we are a ground floor garden. If you want a quiet tasting menu with a dress code, a hotel fine dining room is a better match. If you want a long, relaxed Sicilian dinner in a beautiful room, with seafood and good wine and no one hurrying you out, that is exactly what we do.
Frequently asked questions
Where is a romantic restaurant in Nimman, Chiang Mai?
Mandorla Sicilian Bistrot is at 48/2 Siri Mangkalajarn Road, at the mouth of Soi 7 in Nimman. It has a garden terrace with a fountain and curtained pergolas, a blue and yellow dining room, and a Sicilian menu built for sharing. It is open daily from 16:00 to 23:00.
What should a couple order at Mandorla?
One or two antipasti to share, one pasta each, one main between you, and one dessert each. The Seafood Couscous (680 THB) serves two, and cannoli and almond granita are the classic Sicilian finish.
How much is a dinner for two at Mandorla?
Mains run from 280 to 980 THB, pasta from 280 to 380 THB, and desserts are 250 THB. Wine by the glass starts at 180 THB. Prices include the 10% service charge.
Can I book a table for a special occasion?
Yes. Book on the reservations page and mention the occasion and your seating preference in the message, or call +66 93 134 6699. Booking is recommended at weekends.
What time should we arrive?
Mandorla opens at 16:00. Arriving around sunset gives you aperitivo on the terrace before dinner. The last food order is at 22:00.
