Discerning Diner: Nonna Ilva in Carlisle fills small space with authentic Italian flavor

Dec 10, 2023

Rigatoni basil pesto and burrata serves as one of Nonna Ilva's many pasta dishes in Carlisle.

Last time I walked into 204 N. Hanover St., the walls were a vibrant pink color suitable for a doughnut shop and precious few other businesses.

Once Crazy Glazed left the space for a new B Street location and Nonna Ilva came to town, I wondered how the authentic Italian restaurant would make the little street-side shop its own.

On Thursday, I found out.

Mattia Capella, who is originally from Italy, opened the restaurant alongside his wife, Hannah Houtz, who is from the U.S. but lived in Italy for a time.

Nonna Ilva's name serves as a tribute to Capella's grandmother, according to the Cumberland Valley Visitor's Bureau.

Nonna Ilva is located at 204 N. Hanover St. in Carlisle.

The restaurant is open in Carlisle Tuesdays from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Its Harrisburg counterpart is open Thursdays and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Walking into the Nonna Ilva on Thursday, I found the space to be nearly unrecognizable compared to its doughnut shop days.

Gone were the bright fuchsia walls and sprinkle decorations. Instead the walls now don a muted orange color, dotted with the occasional plant to throw in a splash of green.

What didn't change about the building between the two businesses was the amount of space it offers, which, admittedly, isn't much. However, even with a bustling kitchen that dominates the room, Nonna Ilva manages to maintain a charming atmosphere.

Bar stools accompany wooden countertops that run along two of the walls, making the best of the limited space, and a smattering of tables occupy the sidewalk in front of the restaurant under a string of lights, encouraging customers to enjoy their meal outside on a fair-weather day.

When it comes to Italian options, Nonna Ilva's menu doesn't disappoint.

The appetizer section alone features nearly a dozen options from which to choose, including fried calamari, fried calzone pizza, truffle fries and meatballs and peppers.

Traditional, gourmet and Roma-style pizza choices makeup the majority of the menu, with everything from classic cheese and pepperoni options to Bianche/white sauce selections and toppings like truffle oil, hot honey sauce and sour cream.

Non-pizza menu items include various grilled paninis, several salads and a number of pasta choices, such as ravioli and lasagna.

Espresso drinks and canned sodas compose the majority of the beverage menu.

While admittedly not the best on-the-fly decision-maker, I must have changed my mind at least half a dozen times before finally approaching the counter to order my final selection. In my defense, though, how is one to choose when every available option sounds good?

Nonna Ilva in Carlisle offers bolognese fried rice balls as one of nearly a dozen appetizer options.

I finally settled on a bolognese fried rice ball arancini ($5) as an appetizer and rigatoni basil pesto and burrata ($14.50).

Both came in tin-foil-like packaging, allowing it to be consumed within (or just outside) the restaurant or taken to-go.

I’d never had a fried rice ball before, but when I slipped into one of the outdoor tables and cut it open, I knew I was in for a treat; a delicate crispy shell encompassed soft, warm, cheesy rice, which in turn surrounded a healthy portion of bolognese.

After the appetizer, I set my sights on the pasta.

While I’ve never been to Italy, the rigatoni basil pesto and burrata there would taste much the same as it did on the sidewalks of Carlisle outside Nonna Ilva; the meal carried an air of authenticity.

It came as a heaping portion of pesto-coated pasta topped with a pile of slightly melted burrata cheese. Each bite was packed with a rich, yet not overpowering, flavor composed of fresh ingredients.

I’m quite certain the only way to improve the dish in any sense would be to pair it with some sort of meat, which might be my next course of action if I don't opt for pizza at my next visit.

As tempting as it was to devour the entire platter, I stopped about halfway through in the name of sampling an item or two from Nonna Ilva's extensive dessert menu. Besides, that meant more rigatoni basil pesto and burrata for later.

Homemade limoncello gelato graces Nonna Ilva in Carlisle's dessert menu.

Faced with a whole other multitude of desert options, including tiramisu, eclairs and pastries, my dad and I decided to order a cannoli ($5) and a small gelato and split both.

Having already muddled my way through the selection of what sweets to order, I decided to trust the cashier to determine which gelato flavor I should try, and she was absolutely correct in recommending the limoncello, which offered a sweet, tangy perfect end for a hot summer day.

I was so eager to sample the cannoli that I immediately cut into it before remembering to take a picture of the creamy, chocolate-chip speckled filling wrapped in a crisp, powdered-sugar-topped shell, but to be fair, my excitement was well-placed. The treat offered the perfect combination of smooth and crunchy and served as the ideal conclusion to delightful dinner.

Nonna Ilva in Carlisle offers traditional cannolis, above, as well as mini cannolis and chocolate-dipped cannolis in addition to various pastries on the dessert menu.

Having concluded my first visit of what I hope to be many more, I can happily attest that Nonna Ilva's albeit smaller space does not limit the quality or range of options.

To (kind of) quote Shakespeare, though it be but little, it is tasty and I quite look forward to trip number two.

Seiler

Pasta is one of the world's most popular foods: It's versatile, convenient and satisfying. However, it's a little-known fact that each shape and style is best suited to specific types of Italian cuisine.

Maddie Seiler is a news reporter for The Sentinel and cumberlink.com covering Carlisle and Newville. You can contact her at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter at: @SeilerMadalyn

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News Reporter

Maddie Seiler is a news reporter for The Sentinel covering Carlisle, Newville and education news.

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