Nonna’s Pizza in Rio Grande brings a twist to counter service pizza: after guests choose fresh dough, sauce, and toppings, their pizza is cooked in front of them in as little as five minutes.
“We’re getting away from the slices that sit there on the counter,” said Claudio Pawlus, the owner of Claudio’s Pizza Kitchen on Route 9 in Court House, Alfredo’s Italian by the Court House ACME, and now, Nonna’s Pizza in Rio Grande.
Claudio’s other restaurants have always prioritized fresh ingredients and recipes passed down in the Pawlus family. Claudio wanted to combine these sensibilities with fast-casual counter service pizza, which traditionally means grab-and-go slices. Claudio’s mother, Norma Minciardi, was born in Italy and raised in Argentina.
She had a South American sensibility that prioritized healthiness, local ingredients, and authenticity in the meals she prepared at home and at the family restaurants. “She set a high bar for us growing up,” Claudio said. Norma was well known in Cape May County; she owned the Catalina Hotel in Wildwood Crest and would come into Claudio’s Pizza Kitchen most mornings to make fresh red sauce.
“She would get up at 5 in the morning to cook even on days when she was really busy,” Claudio said. Her death several years ago was incredibly painful for Claudio and his family. “I knew I wanted to honor her with the name of this place,” he said. Nonna means grandmother, and many of the dishes at Nonna’s Pizza use her time-honored recipes.
This name sets a high standard for Nonna’s Pizza, one Claudio hopes to meet. “Everyone who works at my restaurants is passionate for the food we serve, and that’s true here.” He referred to Chef Cesar, who works behind the counter at Nonna’s and whistles with joy as he prepares food for hungry guests. Though the menu has many families’ favorite recipes, like his mom’s lasagna and ziti, Claudio says that the main draw to Nonna’s is the novelty of a fresh-baked pie that is ready even for those in a rush.
The dough used in the pies is made in advance (but never more than an hour old) and pressed with a machine that gives the crust a satisfying, flat consistency. This thin crust is important for two reasons: it’s delicious and compliments a lot of savory flavors, but is also incredibly quick to cook. “Thick dough takes longer to prepare – we know that people don’t have the time to wait 20 minutes if they are just looking for a quick bite to eat,” Claudio said.
Nonna’s Pizza Kitchen is the best of both worlds – it brings fresh pizza with high-quality ingredients to customers without the long wait times that one might associate with ‘premium’ pizza.
Though Norma is gone, her legacy lives on through Nonna’s Pizza Kitchen.
Nonna’s Pizza Kitchen
3159 Rte 9 S, Rio Grande
(609) 886-8800 • Visit them on Facebook
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