Nonna Beppa Arrives in New York, Downtown

One of our delights on any given day is to discover new and unique restaurants. They say that you can eat out every day in New York City and yet never eat at the same place twice!

Wait, maybe you just may want to. Especially, when you find a place with exceptional, homemade delicious food, yes, just like Nonna made.

Fresh, ingredients only at Nonna Beppa. This charming restaurant is named after Chef Giancarlo “Wendy” Cacciatori’s, grandmother.

Much of the food is virtually identical to that served at the two restaurants run by Chef Wendy’s family in Comune di San Giovanni in Persiceto, a tiny town north of Bologna. These restaurants—Locanda Antichi Sospiri and Oceano—have been around since the end of WWII and have become pillars in this community, occasionally throwing both baptisms and weddings for the same guests over the decades. He hasn’t changed or updated any recipes for the New York market.

Nonna Beppa will include a window pasta making station where cooks will hand make pasta and tortellini for 12 hours a day from 11am to closing 11pm. The signature dish is Chef’s family’s beloved tortellini recipe, filled with a mix of prosciutto aged 18 months, mortadella, pork loin and 24-month aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, and served in a light broth.

“Fresh, ingredients only at Nonna Beppa”

Other standouts include a three-ingredient Tagliatelle al Prosciutto di Parma and and all pastas will be cooked i.e. boiled in a chicken and beef tongue broth unless otherwise requested. He’ll also be using balsamic vinegar his family has aged themselves for the last 35 years. All ingredients (besides fruits, vegetables, flour, eggs, and fresh meat) will be sourced directly from Emilia Romagna and everything available on the menu is for sale, including fresh pasta to cook at home and charcuterie and cheeses imported straight from the source.

This past week we had the “piacere delizoiso” of being invited to Nonna Beppa, from the second you walk through the door, you are greeted with smiles from the hostess, and a hug from the owners wife Valentina. So far so good. The embiance is as fresh as the homemade pasta, yes, there really is a pasta station, and or you can sit back and watch Emilia Romagna-bred Chef Giancarlo “Wendy” create his homemade family recipes.

Every dish was as delicious as the first. My favorite was the homade Tortellini in brodo I’ve never tasted something this light, fresh and oh so good. These flavors broght me back to my very own Grandmother’s kitchen in Italy.

Tortellini, with broth

1. What made you choose New York City for your second city located in the United States?
So many of our clients in Miami also spend time in New York and they begged us for years to open here. When we found the spot on Hudson Street, and we knew it was time. Also, opening a restaurant in New York City is the ultimate challenge for a chef and I was ready to take it on!

2. Why did you choose the specific location?
We chose this location because, as in Miami, we want to become a neighborhood place. We wanted to be a hidden gem for locals, away from New York’s more touristy streets.

“These restaurants—Locanda Antichi Sospiri and Oceano—Have been around since the end of WWII”

3. What should the number one dish be that people order at Nonna Beppa one, that they cannot leave without trying?
Our tortellini, hands down! It’s my grandmother’s recipe and it’s been served at my family’s restaurants in Emilia Romagna for decades. The secret ingredient is love:).

Tagliatelle in Bolognese,

4. Tell us a little bit about the Chef and how he got his start?
I never dreamed of coming to America and was content to continue running the kitchens that our parents and their parents before them had cooked in for a lifetime. However, after a consulting firm hired me to come to Miami to survey the Italian restaurant scene, I noticed that my land’s love for food was missing. From that day, I’ve made it my mission to spread the joy and love of Emilia Romagna cuisine.

5. Would you like to tell her readers?
Nonna Beppa isn’t just a restaurant where food it’s served. Our goal is to make you feel like you’re at your friend’s house having dinner.

Newcomer Italian Restaurant

“Everything available on the menu is for sale, including fresh pasta to cook at home”

Eat in or take out from this delicious newcomer to Downtown New York City!