Nonna Dora's Pasta Bar: Crafting Comfort and Authenticity with Superior Seating’s Restaurant Furniture

Authentic Trattoria Dining Enhanced with Commercial Furniture & Thoughtful Interior Design

Located in the heart of Kips Bay, Nonna Dora’s Pasta Bar is more than just another NYC trattoria—it’s a living tribute to Southern Italian tradition. The restaurant is helmed by Addolorata Marzovilla, affectionately known as Nonna Dora, who has spent nearly 70 years perfecting the art of handmade pasta. After immigrating to New York City in the 1970s, she supported her family as a seamstress before eventually trading her needle for noodles.

When her son Nicola opened an Italian restaurant, Dora stepped into the kitchen, where her pasta-making talents quickly became the centerpiece of the experience. Today, she can still be found at the restaurant nearly every day, hand-rolling orecchiette, cavatelli, and malloreddus in full view of guests.

The layout of the space is intimate and efficient—featuring a glass-fronted pasta-making station, a sleek bar-height counter, and several compact seating arrangements that create a cozy, lived-in atmosphere. Every detail of Nonna Dora’s interior reflects its roots: a charming mix of family warmth, rustic accents, and the no-fuss energy of an authentic Italian eatery in Manhattan.

The Challenge: Matching Furniture to an Existing Cozy, Industrial Interior

Designing for Nonna Dora’s meant navigating a specific vision: creating a space that felt warm and intimate while still being functional for high-volume service. The key challenges included:

• Blending with existing interiors: The restaurant needed commercial-grade chairs and bar stools that would complement its cozy, family-oriented, industrial-style design without overpowering the space.
• Enhancing the atmosphere: Every furniture choice had to work in harmony with the trattoria’s natural wood beams, counters, and table tops—preserving the authenticity of the space while elevating its visual appeal and solving practical seating layout and capacity needs of commercial spaces.
• Balancing durability with style: The restaurant seating had to withstand the daily demands of a busy restaurant while maintaining its upscale look and feel—something that would last without compromising on comfort or aesthetic needs.

The Solution: Customized Seating Solutions

Understanding Nonna Dora’s aesthetic and functional needs, Superior Seating recommended a tailored furniture solution with the following key features:

• Industrial-style chairs and bar stools with distressed wood backs: These complemented the restaurant’s existing décor, including natural wood beams, counters, and tabletops—adding rustic charm while maintaining cohesion.
• Prioritized comfort along the main bar-height counter: Since this area serves as one of the restaurant’s primary seating zones, it was essential to ensure guests could dine comfortably for extended periods.
• Custom upholstered seat in New Soho – Ebony: The rich, commercial-grade vinyl upholstery not only enhanced comfort but also aligned seamlessly with the trattoria’s brand identity and cozy atmosphere.
• Commercial-grade durability for long-term ROI: New Soho upholstery is engineered for high-traffic environments like Nonna Dora’s, offering an ideal balance between style, performance, and return on investment.
• Flexible layout capabilities: Chairs and tables can be rearranged easily to accommodate parties of varying sizes. This versatility is critical in hospitality spaces where guests often prefer to be seated together in larger groups.
• Designed for longevity: From protective clear-coat finishes to adjustable glides and 330 lb. weight capacity steel frames, every element of the furniture supports daily use without compromising style or stability.

Industrial Steel Distressed Wood-Back Restaurant Chair

Material & Collection: New Soho Ebony Upholstery

Industrial durability meets refined comfort, ideal for trattorias.

Industrial Steel Distressed Wood-Back Restaurant Bar Stool

Material & Collection: New Soho Ebony Upholstery

Comfortable bar seating with a rustic, industrial charm.

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