Latest news with #Nonna's
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
I Ate At The Restaurant That Inspired Netflix's 'Nonna's'—Here's What It's Really Like
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." It's 7:30 pm on a balmy Friday evening, and I'm in a restaurant on Staten Island in the arms of someone else's grandma. Grandma Maria is telling my group which items to order, and it is, in fact, everything on the menu. Then she mentions how she attended a premiere with Vince Vaughn earlier that week, and my movie-obsessed ears perk right up. I realize then that I'm at the Nonna's (a.k.a. Enoteca Maria), the restaurant that inspired a new Netflix movie, "Nonna's," which dropped May 9. The film stars Vaughn, Susan Sarandon, and Italian-movie royalty like Lorranie Bracco and Talia Shire. My friend Dorothy had made the reservation over a month ago, long before I knew this movie existed, and I told her I was in with absolutely no intention of writing about my visit. The spot has been a local legend for a while. Still, I wasn't sure if the word had spread outside of the Tri-State area, so once Grandma Maria regaled us with stories of her night on the red carpet, I knew I had a duty to the Delish audience—who will no doubt watch this movie in the days to come—to deliver a full report on this place. Does the real-life Nonna's live up to the Hollywood hype? Here's everything I learned, ate, and observed at this soon-to-be-even-more-famous restaurant. At the time of writing, I had not seen the film—only the trailer. So I can't say with certainty how much of the restaurant's real history is portrayed in the movie. But during my visit, the owner, Joe Scaravella, was behind the bar and answered all my questions about how this special place came to be. Scaravella said his Nonna Domenica had passed down a love of food and tradition, and when his own mother passed away, he wanted a way to honor them both. He opened Enoteca Maria (named for his mother) in 2007 with a rotating roster of Italian grandmothers from different regions of Italy, all cooking their family recipes. According to the New York Times, Scaravella welcomed the first non-Italian nonna in 2017, and he's been inviting grandmothers from all over the world ever since. Half the menu stays consistently Italian, while the other half changes daily to showcase different global cuisines. He told our group he doesn't need to source his own grandmothers to cook; people from all over the country come in or write to him to pitch why their grandma deserves a spot in the kitchen. A calendar of the nonnas and their home country can always be found on the restaurant's website. The night we visited, we enjoyed food from Nonna Diana from Mexico. Once seated, my table of eight hungry New Yorkers was overwhelmed by choice. Should we stick to Italian classics? Should we go all-in with our nonna from Mexico's picks? Wait, there is also a menu section with dishes from a Japanese nonna?! That's when Nonna Maria arrives at our table and immediately throws her arms around my friend Erin and me. She made her aforementioned recommendation (order everything), and our friendly server agreed and promised to advise if we go overboard. So we go absolutely ham on every section of the menu. For apps, we go for burrata and tomato, a mint-pistachio-feta dip, classic meatballs, and an enormous shrimp cocktail. We paired it with a hilariously named, but wonderful, bottle of Grandpa Cha Cha's Homestyle Wine. It's early May, so I didn't expect the tomatoes served with the burrata to be good, but alas, they are perfect. And oh lord, the meatballs. I have long wanted to basically live in the wedding scene from The Godfather (please set me up with your Italian sons, grandsons, cousins, etc). But until I can join an Italian family for real, I've focused on eating as much Italian food as possible—see my chicken parm obsession—so I've had my fair share of meatballs. But there was something transcendent about these. They practically melted in my mouth, while the sauce struck the perfect balance between sweet and tart flavors. For our entrees, we went all around the world: Beef and pork stew served with beans and homemade tortillas from Mexico, chicken yakitori skewers and Japanese eggplant from Japan, and lasagna and roasted rabbit from Italy. You know when you go to a diner and think the menu is too large for everything to actually taste good? That is decidedly not the case at Enoteca Maria. Everything is obviously made with care, and the flavors are all rich and comforting, and exactly what you remember from whatever cuisine your grandma made for you. The concept is wholesome and sweet; it made me both grateful to these grandmas for sharing their food with us, and tearfully nostalgic for my own Grandma's Juanita's meatloaf or the sound of my Grandma Helen telling me to eat my beets because they'd make my hair curly (I did not want curly hair). Finally, I must set the scene. Located on a picturesque, historic street, about a 10-minute walk from the Staten Island Ferry terminal, the restaurant's interior is small, but cozy. The one thing I couldn't resist noting about the decor is that, beyond the classic assorted dollar bills on the wall, there are inexplicably comic book and other pop culture figurines everywhere. Batman, Joker, Spider-Man, and more surrounded our table. Kids from the family or those who had visited clearly made the art on the walls. Excellent, home-y vibes all around. This place is a delight. The food and service are excellent, and it's easy to see why people come from all over to experience its schtick. But the restaurant's charm extends well beyond the food. While I'm excited to see how the movie tries to capture the magic of this restaurant, I highly recommend visiting in person if you can. Its combination of warmth and nostalgia creates something truly worthy of the silver screen. You Might Also Like 67 Best Gifts for Women That'll Make Her Smile The Best Pillows for Every Type of Sleeper
Herald Sun
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Herald Sun
Reservoir: House featuring viral dolphin fountain that Sooshi Mango are eyeing off hits market
A quirky Reservoir house featuring a concrete dolphin fountain is ready for a grand sale after being dubbed 'Nonna's House of the Week' by a popular Instagram account. The dolphin fountain was built by the home's late owner, Ignazio 'Benny' Di Benedetto, who migrated from Italy to Australia as a teenager. A plasterer by trade and also an artist, Ignazio's residence has long been something of a local icon, photographed for books chronicling Australian front yards. RELATED: Reservoir home gives off resort vibes with floating staircase, handpainted mural Coburg: Dilapidated house sells for almost $1m after more than seven decades in one family Eaglehawk pad boasts lion sculptures, equine-themed fountain, wine cellar and bird artworks The abode even counts Sooshi Mango among its fans with the comedy super group joking that they would buy the residence 'for the fountain alone' in response to an Instagram post about the house on the Yiayia Next Door account. And it was another Insta page, Nonna's Judging You, that gave the three-bedroom pad at 3 Fiddes St its 'Nonna's House of the Week' honour. The property, which has two bathrooms, a timber-fitted kitchen and double garage, is for sale with a $980,000-$1.05m asking range. Ignazio's oldest child, Vito Di Benedetto, said he had enjoyed a wonderful childhood at the home with his father, mother Ida and siblings. While he never specifically asked his dad the reason why he created the fountain, Ignazio had a love of architecture and art. 'To begin with, it was a simple fountain,' Mr Di Benedetto said. 'I'd say he started building the fountain in the very late sixties, and I think he probably would have finished it in the mid-eighties.' A motor and pump were later connected, and the fountain still works today. The family collected shells at Melbourne beaches to decorate the fountain. As well, Ignazio would buy plastic containers in the shape of animals which had lollies or chocolates in them. 'He'd tell us to eat them as quickly as we possibly could – and being kids, were like, 'Wow, this is like Christmas',' Mr Di Benedetto said. 'So we'd eat them and then within weeks of us finishing them, he would fill those animals or containers with cement and then decorate them and put them on the fountain.' After completing the fountain, Ignazio started buying imitation jewellery and frames to make murals. Inspired by the town hall in the Sicilian village where he grew up, he hung throughout the house. The artworks were taken down to repaint the home before it was put up for sale. Mr Di Benedetto said that his family would be happy to give a few murals to whoever buys the house, if they were keen. Ignazio's artistic talent can also be seen in pebble-mixed concrete columns that he crafted for the veranda and the backyard. Inside, some of the ceilings feature decorative work, such as small, hand-cut pieces of plaster to create an artistic finish. The formal lounge and dining area has what looks like a pressed metal ceiling which is actually made out of plaster. Mr Di Benedetto said the producers of the 2022 movie Wog Boys Forever, starring Nick Giannopoulos and Vince Colosimo, contacted his family requesting to film at the home. But Ignazio, who valued his privacy, declined the invitation. 'They ended up filming it in Reservoir at another house not far from where my Dad lived,' Mr Di Benedetto said. However, photographer David Wadelton captured images of the fountain for his book Front Yards, showcasing character-filled Australian gardens and front yards. Mr Di Benedetto said he hoped that whoever buys the house would keep the fountain, but it would be up to the individual purchaser. Real estate agency Love & Co's Kannan Subramanian said the house had gone viral since being listed for sale. 'It's a very special home, it is quirky but functional,' Mr Subramanian said. 'It's a really good family home.' Most of the interested buyers are families and young couples. The house is close to public transport, Connor Reserve, the Merri Creek Trail and Edwardes Lake. It will be auctioned at 1.30pm on May 24. Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox. MORE: Epping home with luxury fit-out and commercial motorcycle workshop for sale Rolling Stone Australia owner Josh Simons and wife Tatiana selling Patterson Lakes home Melbourne's weirdest home finds: Wacky and wonderful things found inside houses
