Three generations. One ragù.
Nonna Lucia started the pot in Napoli in 1962. Her granddaughter stirs it in Island Bay today.
The menu comes first
Pasta rolled every afternoon at the window table, sauces from the old book, and whatever the market gave us that morning. Prices in NZD.
V vegetarian, GF gluten free. Gluten-free pasta is ready for any pasta dish, just ask.
Pasta, made in-house
Rolled at the window table every afternoon.
Nonna's eight-hour beef and pork ragù, parmigiano
Hand-rolled potato gnocchi, tomato, basil
Island Bay clams, white wine, chilli, parsley
Pumpkin, sage butter, crushed amaretti
Guanciale, tomato, pecorino romano
Winter truffle, butter, parmigiano
Tomato, garlic, a proper amount of chilli
Weekend nights only, until the tray is gone
Antipasti
Beef and pork meatballs, slow sugo, focaccia
Saffron rice, mozzarella, a ragù centre
Puhoi burrata, roast tomato, basil oil, sourdough
Heirloom tomato, garlic, basil on grilled bread
Cured meats, olives, marinated vegetables, focaccia
Whatever the pot holds that day, with bread
Secondi
Veal shin, gremolata, soft polenta
Crumbed free-range pork, lemon, rocket
Braised chicken, olives, tomato, rosemary
Market fish, salsa verde, roast lemon
Baked eggplant, sugo, mozzarella, basil
Contorni
Rosemary and garlic roast potatoes
Garlic, chilli, lemon, olive oil
Leaves, shaved fennel, lemon dressing
Rosemary, sea salt, warm from the oven
Dolci
The recipe is not negotiable
Flourless almond cake, mascarpone
Vanilla, poached quince
Ricotta, candied peel, pistachio
Vanilla gelato, hot espresso, a nip of Frangelico
Wine & Amaro
Italian and Wairarapa pours, from
A jug of red for the middle of the table
Campari, vermouth, gin, orange
Averna, Montenegro or Fernet to finish
Or a macchiato, the way the afternoon ends
Specials go up on the board each night. Ring the kitchen on 04 555 0146 to hear what is on before you come in.
Made this afternoon, not last week
The pasta is rolled every day at the window table, in full view of the street, from Wairarapa flour and eggs from up the coast. What we cut in the afternoon is what you eat that night.
When it runs out, it runs out. The board loses a line, and Nonna would tell you that is exactly how it should be.
Handed down, not written down
Nobody has ever measured the ragù. It moves from mother to daughter by standing at the stove together, and it has not missed a generation yet.
1962
Napoli
Lucia Esposito
Nonna Lucia set the first pot on the stove in a Napoli kitchen the size of a wardrobe. The ragù took eight hours then, and it takes eight hours now.
1988
Island Bay
Maria Esposito
Maria carried the recipe to Wellington and opened Nonna's Table on The Parade, feeding fishermen and families the food she grew up on.
Today
The kitchen
Sofia Esposito
Sofia grew up rolling pasta at the window table. She runs the kitchen now, changes almost nothing, and rings Nonna on the phone most Sundays.
Lucia taught Maria. Maria taught Sofia. Sofia will teach whoever marries into the family next. The ragù outlives us all.
Book your table
Tell us the night and the number, and Sofia will hold a table. Weeknights we keep a few out front for walk-ins, but weekends and Sunday lunch want a booking.
- When we are open
- Dinner Wed to Sat from 5.30pm, Sunday lunch midday sharp.
- Rather talk to us?
- Call the kitchen on 04 555 0146.
The room
Forty seats, mismatched chairs, and a window table where the pasta gets rolled. It is small, warm and usually full. On a good night you can hear the kitchen.
Around the table
“The ragù tastes like it has a grandmother standing behind it, arms crossed, daring you to leave a drop.”
“Went for a quick dinner, stayed three hours, got tiramisù on the house because it was our anniversary. Family, instantly.”
“We booked the back room for Dad's seventieth. Twenty of us at one table, and Sofia sent out the ossobuco like she had known him for years.”
Before you come in
- How does Sunday lunch work?
- One sitting at midday, four courses, $65 a head. It books out most weeks by Thursday, so request early. Kids are half price and always welcome.
- Are children welcome?
- Always. High chairs, colouring pencils and a smaller bowl of pasta arrive without asking. Sundays are built for families and happily get loud.
- Can you handle dietaries?
- Tell us in the booking notes. We keep gluten-free pasta on hand for any dish, most plates go vegetarian, and the kitchen is used to allergies.
- Do you take groups?
- The back room seats up to twenty at one long table. For the whole room, up to forty, phone Sofia and we will build a set menu around your table.
Come and eat
We are on The Parade, a short walk from the Island Bay bus. Book a table above, and we love a full house.
89 The Parade
Island Bay, Wellington 6023
Dinner Wed to Sat from 5.30pm
Sunday lunch, midday sharp
Book a table
04 555 0146