A local Italian restaurant will open at H*MAC, serving authentic pizza and desserts

It’s pizza time!

H*MAC announced that customers will be able to grab a slice or a whole pie at the soon-to-open restaurant in its Midtown concert venue.

Nonna Ilva Authentic Italian is expected to open at H*MAC in late September, replacing Zachary’s BBQ, which had operated there since 2021.

Nonna Ilva currently runs a store in Carlisle and was a vendor at the Broad Street Market for a year, before a devastating fire in July temporarily closed the building.

According to Mattia Cappella, who owns the business with his wife Hannah Houtz, he decided not to reopen as a vendor in the temporary market structure, but instead to move operations to H*MAC, after site managers contacted them about this opportunity.

“When the fire happened, I thought maybe the sellers needed help,” said John Traynor, founder and spokesman for H*MAC. “I thought pizza would be a great fit for H*MAC. It’s a win-win for everyone.

H*MAC struggled to operate Zachary’s after the restaurant’s owner, Keith Taylor, was seriously injured in a car accident, Traynor said. With Nonna Ilva on board, Traynor sees this as a new chapter for the venue’s restaurant.

Nonna Ilva will offer authentic Italian pizzas, starters and desserts. The pizza will be thin crust, made with ingredients imported from Italy. One of the restaurant’s most popular pizzas is the salsiccia, topped with housemade sausage, sweet peppers, saffron sauce and stracciatella cheese, Capella said.

Grandma Ilva’s Cannoli

They also plan to offer desserts, such as cannoli and tiramisu, as well as vegan and gluten-free menu options.

“You’ll be able to drink a beer and eat pizza,” Cappella said. “I think H*MAC is a good place for us.”

Capella is originally from Italy, near Rome, where he also attended culinary school. It opened its Carlisle location Nonna Ilva in May.

When asked why he wanted to bring the Italian restaurant in-house, Traynor said, “Honestly, it’s because I love pizza. He makes very good pizza and everything is handmade.

According to Traynor, the restaurant will provide food for H*MAC’s large events and concerts, as well as for its patrons during normal lunch and dinner hours.

Nonna Ilva is expected to soft open on September 28 and fully open in early October.

Nonna Ilva’s Harrisburg restaurant will be located inside H*MAC, 1110 N. 3.^rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit the H*MAC website or Nonna Ilva’s website.

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