When it comes to delicious pasta, Nonna Dora knows best — so much so that the Puglia native is opening a second restaurant.
Addolorata Marzovilla came to the U.S. at 34 years old in the early 1970s, but after initially supporting her family as a seamstress, the “pasta machine” turned her attention towards the kitchen, and New Yorkers will be forever grateful for that decision. She used her handiwork to help her son, Nicolo, with his restaurant i Trulli, which closed in 2022. That same year, she opened one of the most notable Italian restaurants in the city, Nonna Dora’s in Kips Bay — all according to her restaurant’s website.
Now, one of the best places for pasta has found a second home downtown in Tribeca at 200 Church Street, the site of the recently-shuttered Tribeca Kitchen. Although it’s unclear when exactly Nonna Dora’s round two will get underway, you better believe we’re anxiously awaiting for its arrival. Considering Ferdinando’s abruptly closed after 121 years in business, this is the good news in the Italian food realm that we needed to hear.
Nonna Dora’s delights diners with handmade pastas, and her famed dishes include orecchiete in rabbit ragù, garganelli bolognese, cavatelli with broccoli rabe and roasted almonds, and spaghetti with Dora’s Sunday sauce and meatballs (ideal for any day of the week, in our opinion). She received a Critic’s Pick from famed New York Times food critic, Pete Wells, who said, “In kitchen mythology, no archetype is more potent than the grandmother, and most powerful of all is the nonna.”
Oh, and did we mention that the woman behind it all is nearly 90 years old? Cheers to the city’s collective nonna for bringing us the love of her comforting dishes. As soon as we learn more information about her Tribeca eatery, we’ll keep you updated.
In the meantime, make sure to stop at Nonna Dora’s at 606 Second Avenue. For more authentic Italian dishes a la nonna, stop by Enoteca Maria in Staten Island.