10 years ago, I read about a Staten Island restaurant where rotating grandmothers cook their family recipes, and I added Enoteca Maria to my list of places to visit while in New York City.
When I’d ask a New Yorker if they had been to the restaurant I was so passionate to visit, they’d immediately say, “We don’t go to Staten Island.”
My understanding is that most locals stay closer to their respective Borough in New York City.
Most people don’t want to deal with the hassle of the logistics to visit Staten Island.
It’s an area of New York City that doesn’t come to mind as often, because it’s so geographically isolated.
As a Midwesterner, I find that every adventure in NYC involves logistics. I’m always trying to cover a lot of ground in the city within a short window of time/days.
I also typically start walking in the wrong direction before aligning my steps with the direction I’m supposed to be heading towards on my Google Maps app.
The city offers endless options, which makes it impossible to see and do it all in any given visit.
Each year, I’d visit NYC in January, but I’d run out of time to fit in a visit to Staten Island…until this year.
It took some additional prep work and persistence on my end in advance, thanks to the popularity of the Netflix movie “Nonnas” starring Vince Vaughn, based on the true story of restaurant owner Jody “Joe” Scaravella.
Joe named the restaurant “Enoteca Maria” in honor of his mother and grandmother and hired grandmothers, aka “nonnas,” as chefs to help preserve their family recipes.
There wasn’t an online reservation system on the website, so I had to call again, and again to no avail. (Stay tuned because online reservations are coming soon)
I kept getting their voicemail each time I called the restaurant, which was even busier thanks to the increased interest from the popular Netflix movie.
And then finally I got a human! Joe, the owner, answered the phone.
There were some openings on the date I needed, but I had to double-check with my friend who was joining me, and I said I’d immediately call back to confirm the time.
The problem was that I never got through on the phone for the rest of the night.
I was SO close to getting a reservation, and I was kicking myself because I probably just missed my only opportunity to dine at the restaurant I’d been wanting to visit for years.
So I emailed…twice and got an auto-response reply that they were full, which was devastating. I tried calling on other days at random times, but only to receive their voicemail… once again.
I gave it one more shot and called on a random morning on our way to a ski trip in West Virginia and he answered!
I got the reservation!… but I still had to text the number in the morning to confirm our reservation on the day of our visit to keep it.
I set several alarms on my phone to remember to text the number to confirm our table without a reply…at this point we were coming either way.
The restaurant has limited seating, and all reservations are for a 2-hour seating duration.
Moments to Connect With a Nonna
“Food is memory. And memory is the thread that ties us all together.”
— Jody Scaravella
One of the reasons I love the concept of this restaurant so much is because I lost both of my grandmothers and my mom when I was in my late 20’s.
I wish I had them around longer to guide me through life, and unfortunately, my memories of their cooking are from so long ago.
I also regret that I didn’t try to learn some of their favorite recipes while they were still alive, especially since my grandmother would form biscuits from scratch in a large flour bowl like a magic trick.
This dining experience allows you to connect to a sense of family and be nurtured through the expression of love through food, even if that wasn’t a lived experience in your own family.
This restaurant connects you with cuisine from other countries, finding the elements in dishes that feel familiar and also appreciating the differences.
During our visit, we got to spend some time talking to the “host nonna” that evening. Shireen is from Bangladesh and has been a rotating chef at Enoteca Maria for about 2.5 years.
We talked about her favorite dishes to prepare, and she even showed us pictures on her phone from when she got to attend the Netflix movie premiere.
Meet the Featured Nonna
The featured nonna during our visit was Helena from Egypt. Each featured nonna curates a menu with dishes from their traditions.
She dined at the restaurant with her family and later became interested in becoming one of the nonnas in the chef rotation for a day, around every 3 months.
You can find out more about being a rotating nonna chef here.
The Italian kitchen is downstairs, and the kitchen where the featured nonna cooks is near the guests on the main level of the restaurant.
What We Ordered During Our Visit to Enoteca Maria
We tried menu items from the featured nonna, in addition to Italian cuisine that’s always available.
Nonna Helena made Egyptian food, which was so good!
We started with the Baba Ganoush, a classic eggplant dip made with tahini and traditional herbs and spices.
For our entrée to share, we ordered the Egyptian-Style Ground Beef and Peas.
It’s made with, you guessed it…flavorful ground beef and fresh peas, in a light tomato sauce and served with jasmine rice.
You can also order items from their Italian menu.
We ordered from both sides of the menu for the best of both worlds, and more menu items to try and share.
If you love a dish with some heat, I highly recommend the Peperoni Ripieni Piccanti.
This delicious dish is made with long hot peppers stuffed with seasoned pork, cheese, and breadcrumbs, served with roasted potatoes.
The dish description had me at “very, very, spicy,” and thankfully, my friend Nicky loves spicy food too.
For dessert, we shared a Basque cheesecake that has a creamy center and a deeply caramelized “burnt” top.
This dessert originated in Spain, and it’s worth adding room for even if you’re stuffed. It’s also gluten-free as an added bonus.
Drink Options at Enoteca Maria
You’ll find a variety of red and white wines available by the glass or by the bottle, along with craft beer, coffee, tea, espresso, and cappuccino.
When is the Enoteca Maria Open?
Enoteca Maria is open Friday- Sunday. Seatings are at 12:30, 2:30, 5:30, and 7:30 PM.
You can call 718-447-2777 or check their website for their online reservation system (coming soon)
Plan Ahead for Your Visit
Enoteca Maria doesn’t accept credit cards, so be prepared with cash or pay via Venmo with a slight service fee. There’s also an ATM within walking distance.
Ironically, I brought cash specifically for this restaurant and forgot it in my hotel room safe. Thankfully, my friend had cash with her, and I was able to use Venmo for the rest.
Logistically, it’s a free ferry ride to Staten Island and a short walk to the restaurant, and totally worth it!
Nonnas of the World Community at Enoteca Maria
“Nonnas of the World Community creates a platform for senior women to share their culinary heritage. Turning kitchens into classrooms, elders into teachers, and traditions into bridges to modernity, we strengthen intergenerational bonds, combat elder isolation, foster resilience in a changing world, and promote cross-cultural understanding and cultural awareness.“
Nonnas in Training takes place from Friday to Sunday from 11:30 AM – 2PM.
Food, Family, Culture, and Nonna is a free special one-on-one experience where an international nonna of the day is available to pass down techniques and their culture.
The program participants need to bring an apron and hat or hairnet, closed-toed shoes, pants, and shirts with sleeves.
How to Get to Enoceta Maria
There are several options to get to Enoteca Maria.
- Public Transportation from Manhattan or Brooklyn (includes ferry ride)
- From the Verrazano Bridge
- From the Goethals Bridge
- From Mid-Island/ Staten Island Expressway
You’ll find the full detailed directions here.
We opted for the Staten Island Ferry as our route of choice to Enoteca Maria.
The ferry is free to use, and you don’t need a ticket. You just go straight from the terminal waiting area to the ferry.
The Staten Island Ferry takes around 25 minutes each way.
As an added bonus, you have great views of the city.
There’s plenty of indoor seating, but if you want to take pictures on the deck, it wasn’t as cold and windy as I thought it would be, even during the winter.
The seating areas by the windows fill up the fastest, so walk towards the right side of the ferry when you leave Manhattan.
This is the side you want to be on for a view of the Statue of Liberty.
Just view it as a nice free scenic boat cruise on your way to and from dinner. From the ferry terminal, it’s only a 5-minute walk to the restaurant, and it’s definitely worth all the logistics.
