Nonnas Chesterfield

The heat of summer adds another dimension to this Chesterfield award winner.

I’m told it was a When Harry Met Sally moment…
We were enjoying some fantastic desserts at Nonnas in Chesterfield when the waiter was asking a couple of ladies on the next table for their order.
They had been ogling our plates with envy for a while so it was no surprise when the reply came: “We’ll have what they are having.”
That’s Nonnas for you; the place creates friendly warmth among its customers that everybody is like one big family.
Right now in the heat of summer the restaurant has revealed another charm.
With a little warm weather the doors are flung open and alfresco dining becomes an option. There are plenty of tables at ground level, around a nice little lawn, and an upstairs patio can be reached from the excellent bar.
You don’t have to eat to enjoy the atmosphere here – drinking Campari or a Peroni is a pleasant enough experience in itself.
Nonnas in Chesterfield – the Westside restaurant of the year – has firmly established itself in the town in a pretty short period.
It has brought a touch of sophistication, glamour, and perhaps more importantly, an authentic taste of Italy to North East Derbyshire.
Roomy and atmospheric, it seems to have become the place to be seen.
Nonnas won its award on the strength of its all round quality. The menu is interesting and descriptive, the service very Italian and precise and the food itself very well cooked by the chefs who provide a touch of theatre in their open kitchen.
Our alfresco dinner was a relaxing experience, enjoyed on one of the warmest evenings of the year.
We felt we had to share a truly authentic pizza fritta Napoletana, described as “authentic street food”, to begin with – it was a like an Italian version of Yorkshire puddings, served as a starter.
The menu is indeed very instructive, informing diners of the nuances of Italian food.
Both starters – scallops flash fried to perfection and lightly battered pieces of seafood were excellent and their unusual accompaniments worked well with the main flavours.
There is always a good choice of meats, fish and vegetarian dishes for mains, this time we selected meats – succulent chicken breast with a mound of vegetables which appeared to be an Italian take on bubble and squeak.
My lamb was well flavoured and delicate, lifted by a small amount of rich sauce.
You could go to Nonnas everyday and not tire of the excellent cheese board but the desserts are always interesting. Orange pannacotta, properly made, was delicious and the lemon tart, tangy and refreshing, was matched with a delicate mascarpone terrine.
It would be remiss not to mention the wine list – it is probably the best for miles around – offering a full exploration of the varied regions of Italy.

Nonnas
131 Chatsworth Road
Chesterfield, S40 2AH
Tel: 01246 380035
www.nonnas.co.uk