Uniform grooves of dimensional natural wood wrap the centerpiece bar at Nonna Dora‘s. It seems intentional. They mimic the ridged surface of a rigagnocchi, the simple wooden board that imprints the all-important grooves that help gnocchi and other pastas hold sauces. The plain, unfussy wooden tool used since Roman times shows that great food need not be complicated.
Situated in a bustling Sandy Springs strip mall, the small Italian restaurant has a spare, clean, minimal interior, with light tones and decor made from the organization of ingredients and plateware. There is a reserved chic here reflecting the understated refinement of the high-quality ingredients that drive the menu. Less is more.
A painted portrait of Nonna Dora looks down over everything. She is owner-chef Patrizio Alaia’s grandmother from his hometown of Naples, Italy—the one who instilled his love for cooking. If he looks familiar as he passes through the 20-seat dining area, it’s because he is the former general manager and pizzaiolo of Sotto Sotto and the former owner of Mozza Bella. These are Nonna’s recipes, including her 100 percent Angus beef meatballs, cooked then simmered in marinara with fresh sheep’s milk ricotta and topped with Parmigiano.
While Alaia’s Neapolitan pizzas aren’t on the menu because of a leasing provision (there are other pizza and sandwich shops in the plaza), this encourages more Italian exploration. Eggplant parmesan is an appetizer, but with a spinach salad lightly dressed with pebbles of goat cheese, walnuts, and supremed blood oranges, it’s a meal.
The gnocchi are fluffy with potato and rich with creamy fior di latte mozzarella. Frittatine cacio and pepe—bucatini fritters with Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano, and bechamel batter—are as fun as they are crisp, crunchy, and salty-cheesy. Focaccia (only available for lunch) is thin and airy, not overly sauced, and with flavorful ferment. Pastas are made in-house daily; so are the desserts. I loved the buttery cherry pop of torta pasticciotto, a warm short-crust pastry with cream and Amarena cherries.
Among the half-dozen wine selections are reds and whites from Italy; cocktail choices include Aperol or Campari spritzes; and organic Italian sodas in flavors like lemon and red grapefruit are available, too.
This article appears in our July 2025 issue.
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Dining and Cooking