At 69 years old, Joe Scaravella still runs the unique and heartfelt restaurant he created: Enoteca Maria. Located in Staten Island, New York, this restaurant isn’t your typical eatery. It’s a love letter to the women who raised Joe and to grandmothers around the world. If you’ve recently watched Nonnas, the Netflix film starring Vince Vaughn, then you’ve already gotten a glimpse into Joe’s remarkable journey. But while the movie offers a dramatized version, Joe’s real-life story is even more moving and inspiring.
THE WOMEN WHO SHAPED JOE’S LIFE
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Joe Scaravella was raised in a household where family and food went hand-in-hand. His grandmother Domenica, mother Maria, and sister Mariana were the women who brought warmth to his life, especially through their traditional Italian cooking. But one by one, Joe lost all three. His grandmother passed in 1999, followed by his mother, and later, his sister. These losses created a deep sadness in Joe’s life—but also sparked an idea.
Still grieving, Joe wanted to recapture the feelings those meals around the family table gave him. Without any prior experience in business or running a restaurant, Joe took a leap of faith. He used his mother’s insurance money to buy an old building in Staten Island, near a farmer’s market his grandmother used to frequent. At the time, he was still working full-time at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. In 2007, with hope and heart, he opened Enoteca Maria, naming it in honor of his mother.
FROM ITALIAN GRANDMOTHERS TO NONNAS OF THE WORLD
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At first, it was just Italian nonnas—grandmothers cooking authentic recipes passed down through generations. But in 2015, Joe had a bigger vision. He wanted to celebrate grandmothers and traditional home-cooked meals from around the globe. He expanded the kitchen to include a rotating cast of grandmothers from different cultures. Pakistani, Japanese, Peruvian, Ukrainian, Polish, Sri Lankan, and many other cuisines have since been served at Enoteca Maria. These women are now proudly known as the Nonnas of the World.
Despite the global recognition the restaurant has received, including coverage in The New York Times and The Washington Post, Joe never treated Enoteca Maria as just a money-making venture. His focus has always been on preserving the intimacy, heritage, and love that grandmothers bring to the kitchen. In fact, he has often said, “I work from the heart more than from the head.”
Joe’s restaurant takes reservations the old-fashioned way—by phone only. He refuses to list Enoteca Maria on delivery apps. “Food loses its soul in a box,” he believes. Instead of expanding into a chain or cashing in on the restaurant’s popularity, Joe wants to preserve its authenticity. He’s even planning to turn the restaurant into a nonprofit organization. His goal? Remove money from the equation and turn meals into a celebration of culture, memory, and love.
To keep the spirit of cultural exchange alive, Joe started free cooking classes with the nonnas. He also created an online community where people around the world can share their own grandmothers’ recipes. His mission is clear: preserve and share the stories and meals of generations past.
MEET MICHELA – JOE SCARAVELLA’S WIFE AND FORMER CUSTOMER
Not only has Joe helped create a network amongst the nonnas, but Enoteca Maria also helped him build a family of his own. He met his wife Michela at the restaurant, where she was once a regular customer. A few years ago, Michela—who hails from Italy—brought Joe a unique dessert from her hometown. “It was a small dessert they only make in my town. If you go 20 miles away, they won’t have it,” she explained to Daily Mail.
Joe didn’t quite know what to make of it at first. “I was banging it on the bar because I didn’t know what it was—it was round like a hockey puck,” he joked. “But it was really good.” That small act of sharing became the beginning of something meaningful. The two married in 2015 and have been together ever since.
With all the hard work involved in running Enoteca Maria, Joe rarely finds time to relax. “I gotta get out of here. I want to go on holiday,” he said with a laugh. “My wife and I really want to get an RV and see the country. We adopted a rescue dog a while back, and we want to include him, of course.”
HOW NETFLIX’S ‘NONNAS’ COMPARES TO REAL LIFE
For those wondering how accurate Nonnas is compared to real life—some parts are spot-on. Just like Vince Vaughn’s character in the film, Joe did use his mother’s money to start the restaurant. The film captures the emotional heart behind the venture: a man turning his grief into something beautiful. But the movie adds dramatic tension for effect. In truth, Joe’s restaurant was a hit from the beginning. It didn’t take long for word to spread and tables to fill.
In fact, the restaurant became so popular that when actress Susan Sarandon wanted a reservation, she was initially turned away. Joe didn’t want to cancel a regular guest’s reservation—even for a Hollywood star. Eventually, he found a way to accommodate her without disrupting his commitment to his loyal patrons.
A PRIVATE MAN WITH A PUBLIC MISSION
Joe’s personal life remains mostly private, but his longtime collaborator Yumi Komatsudaira—who also participates as one of the nonnas—he’s surrounded by a strong support system. Together, they’re keeping the heart of Enoteca Maria alive and thriving.
He’s also an author. Joe co-wrote a book titled Nonna’s House with Elisa Petrini, where he shares heartfelt stories, recipes, and the challenges of opening such a special restaurant. His involvement in the making of Nonnas went beyond just inspiration—he helped the filmmakers capture the emotional tone by sharing personal anecdotes that shaped the screenplay. Watching the film come to life was deeply emotional for him.
Over the years, Joe Scaravella has received multiple offers for reality shows and documentaries. But he declined most of them—until Nonnas. The Netflix film was the perfect project to represent the essence of his journey, capturing not just a restaurant’s beginning but the healing power of food, tradition, and the women who nourish us.
Now, with the spotlight brighter than ever, Scaravella’s phone rings off the hook with reservation requests. Still, he remains grounded. For Joe, it was never about fame. It was always about honoring the women who taught him the language of love through food.
Joe’s dream continues to evolve. By turning Enoteca Maria into a nonprofit and expanding its reach through storytelling and education, he’s creating a global family around a shared table. One meal at a time, one grandmother at a time.
Visit tvacute.com again soon for more NONNAS movie insights, real-life inspirations, and heartwarming true stories from the world of film and television.
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