La RiMa

Is La RiMa worth booking in Novara?

Yes; and if you are looking for considered contemporary cooking at a price point that does not require a special occasion budget, La RiMa is the clearest answer in Novara. For a first visit, the case is direct: creative technique, a menu that spans meat, fish, vegetarian options, an owner-chef, Matteo Ridoni, who brings a personal touch to every plate.

The Space

La RiMa sits on Viale Dante Alighieri in central Novara, an address that puts it within easy reach of the city's historic core. The restaurant operates at a scale that feels deliberately intimate; this is not a large dining room built for group turnover, but a setting where the physical layout supports the kind of focused meal the cooking calls for. For solo diners or couples, the room works well. For groups, it is worth contacting the restaurant ahead of time to confirm availability and configuration; the intimacy of the space means larger parties should not assume walk-in flexibility. First-timers should expect a setting that reads more neighbourhood favourite than formal fine dining, which aligns with the €€ positioning and makes the Michelin recognition feel like a pleasant surprise rather than a pressure to perform.

The Cooking

Ridoni's menu is contemporary Italian with genuine range. The Michelin Plate citation specifically calls out dishes such as fregola sarda with tomato, buffalo mozzarella, friggitelli peppers, fried capers as an example of the kitchen's approach: familiar Italian ingredients given a personalised, technically considered treatment. The menu covers meat and fish with several vegetarian options, which gives La RiMa more flexibility than many restaurants at this tier in smaller Italian cities. For a first visit, the fregola sarda dish is the obvious starting point, it is the one explicitly recognised in the Michelin record and gives a clear read on the kitchen's sensibility before you commit to a longer meal.

A Multi-Visit Strategy

La RiMa rewards return visits because the menu has genuine breadth across protein and vegetable-forward options. On a first visit, anchor on the dishes that show the kitchen's Italian-ingredient vocabulary, the fregola preparation is the reference point. On a second visit, push into the meat section if fish led your first meal, or vice versa. The vegetarian options are not an afterthought here; the Michelin write-up positions them as part of the programme rather than an accommodation, which suggests they are worth exploring as a third-visit focus. At €€ pricing, returning is not a financial stretch, each visit is likely to read differently depending on seasonal sourcing. This is not a restaurant where you order the same three dishes every time; the personalised approach Ridoni brings to the menu means there is genuine reason to explore across visits rather than defaulting to a single signature order.

Practical Details

Reservations: Easy to book, this is not a table that requires weeks of lead time, but booking ahead is advisable for weekends given the room's scale and the restaurant's consistent ratings. Dress: Smart casual is appropriate; the atmosphere is relaxed but the quality of cooking sets a tone that rewards some effort. Budget: €€ means you are looking at a comfortable mid-range spend, competitive for the Michelin Plate recognition and well below what comparable cooking costs at starred addresses in larger Italian cities. Groups: Contact the restaurant directly to confirm group capacity; the intimate scale of the room means assumptions about large-party flexibility may not hold. Getting there: Viale Dante Alighieri, 11c, 28100 Novara, central, accessible on foot from Novara's main sights.

Trust Signals

• Michelin Plate 2025
• Michelin Plate 2024

How La RiMa Fits the Broader Novara Scene

Novara is not a city with deep restaurant infrastructure at the upper end of the market, which makes La RiMa's consistent Michelin recognition meaningful in context. If you are building a full trip around the region, our full Novara restaurants guide covers the broader options, Tre Scalini is the country cooking alternative for a different register on a second day. For wider context beyond Novara's dining scene, see our Novara hotels guide, bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide.