Enoteca Maria owner Joe Scaravella and his beloved nonnas. Photo by Downtown Staten Island/Flickr.
Enoteca Maria owner Joe Scaravella has no idea what will be served in his restaurant each night, but he says he’s just fine with that. Located a quick walk from the Staten Island Ferry Terminal, and directly next to the luminous St. George Theatre, Enoteca Maria serves food that your Italian grandmother might make, if you’re lucky enough to have one.
Each night Scaravella brings in a nonna, an Italian grandmother, from a rotating lineup of nonnas, to cook food from her hometown region in Italy. And where did he find his army of wooden spoon–bearing women? Well, he found them by placing an ad in the local paper asking, in Italian, for housewives who could cook regional food. It was as simple as that.
An example of the changing-daily menu at restaurant Enoteca Maria. Photo by Garrett Ziegler/Flickr.
But don’t expect any number of Italian restaurant clichés as far as décor and music are concerned. The inside of Enoteca Maria has enough edgy chandelier lighting, white subway tiles, and loud music to soothe hipsters and locals alike. And, in case you don’t quite believe that there’s a grandma making the gnocchi instead of a culinary school–trained chef, the restaurant’s kitchen is open for you to spy on and confirm. Only one nonna at a time, Scaravella says. Too many sparks might fly if there were more.
The nonnas dish up all sorts of classic Italian fare, such as rabbit stew, octopus carpaccio, arancini, zuppa di cannellini e ditalini, aragosta ripiena, burrata con ciliegino, carciofi alla griglia, to name just a few semi-unpronounceable platters. The fun is that you have no idea until you walk in the door what will be on the menu that night. Before you get to your entrée, the waitstaff will whip up some warm focaccia along with different spreads. Of course there are plenty of appetizers to choose from, and when it’s all done there’s a little something sweet to wrap up your meal.
Melanzane ripiene, or stuffed eggplant, at Enoteca Maria. Photo by Garrett Ziegler/Flickr.
In Italian, Enoteca means “wine library,” which is exactly what you’ll see when you review the menu — and as you might guess, they all hail from Italy. Scaravella hand-selects his wines from small producers, offering them by the glass or the bottle with prices ranging from $8 to $180, depending on your palate.
Enoteca is a small cozy space with just a handful of tables. Late at night you might witness some hugging and kissing among happy customers, the pop-up chefs, and maybe even that couple in the corner on a date.
Open Wednesday through Sunday, Enoteca Maria serves from 3 p.m. until everyone goes home, which means the more red wine the merrier. The restaurant is located at 27 Hyatt Street, Staten Island, and is cash only. Call (718) 447-2777 for reservations.
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