The Nino's Ristorante and Pizzeria by Apryl Parcher

Nino’s Ristorante and Pizzeria began in Elkton in 1992. It has expanded twice during that period (both times doubling its capacity) and is very much a family affair. Two brothers, Gaetano and Nick Diomede, and their cousins John, Victor and Fabian operate not just one, but several full-service restaurants and pizzerias carrying the Nino’s name in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and here in Cecil County, Maryland.

The Elkton Nino’s at the Village at Elkton is actually both Italian restaurant and pizzeria, but operated as two separate entities. A foyer separates the two establishments; the pizzeria and takeout entrance is on the right, and the family Italian restaurant is on the left.

When Ken and I visited Nino’s, Gaetano sat down with us and talked at length about his family, his philosophy, and the joy his family shares in serving up some of the best Italian food around.

Gaetano began his career in food service before he could drive. At 14, he worked for his uncle, who owned Nick and Joe’s Pizza, beginning as a dishwasher, then making pizzas—finding out from the ground up what is involved in running an Italian eatery. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he definitely has a New York accent, but his easy-going, friendly manner is far from big-city, and he makes his customers feel very welcome.

 As you enter the restaurant, the first thing you notice is the enticing smell of Italian cooking and a pleasing ambiance. The generous seating offers booth or table, and the surroundings are a pleasant mix of Mediterranean décor—warm colored walls and dark wood tables—with accent lamps in cobalt blue. There is even a centralized blue sky-light that offers a very pleasant glow to the room, and sets a relaxed tone.

“We drew up the plans for the restaurant ourselves,” said Gaetano. “We knew what we wanted in a kitchen, and how it should work—and we wanted it done to our specifications. We also did the decorating. A franchise style really doesn’t work for us, and our customers are families, so we didn’t want a sports bar environment.”

“Cecil County has been good to us,” said Gaetano. “We love our customers, and enjoy giving back to the community.”

As we talked, our wine came—Ken sampled the House Merlot and I chose a Blush Zinfandel. Both were perfect with the buttery, cheesy bread balls called Garlic Knots that came with a marinara dipping sauce.

These were followed by lightly breaded and fried rounds of calamari (squid). Light and sweet, the tender calamari was complimented by either a squeeze of lemon juice or a dip in tomato sauce. Our host explained that he used “very little flour and a dash of salt,” to bring out the delicate flavor.

We also sampled a generous bowl of herbed shrimp and crab dip, served piping hot and creamy, with red, white and blue chips for dipping, followed by a plate of steamed mussels, their long black shells overflowing with a chunky marinara sauce.

Great seafood seems to be a Nino’s specialty, and the prices are certainly affordable. For entrees we ordered Fettuccini Aurora, and Shrimp Marinara, both under $15.00, which came with garden salads (just the right size—not too big). We recommend the house dressing—creamy raspberry vinaigrette. It’s a lovely magenta color and has an intense raspberry flavor, but not too vinegary…just enough to give the sweet fruit a tang.

Our entrees were beautiful. The al-dente fettuccini was smothered in a blush-colored sauce (half alfredo, half marinara) with strips of roasted chicken and shrimp nestled in the noodles. It was as pretty as it was delicious!  Ken’s Shrimp Marinara had a wonderful texture and flavor—not too spicy, and with just the right amount of garlic. Gaetano told us that Nino’s uses only top-grade plum tomatoes, fresh basil and mozzarella in their sauce, run through a strainer for extra smoothness. You can really taste the quality.

We noticed that our host was very popular among restaurant patrons, and he visited several tables during the evening. “A lot of our customers have been with us since the beginning,” he said. “I’ve had the most fun watching the kids grow up. They used to come in here and couldn’t see over the counter—and now they’re coming in with young families of their own.”

The family’s community ties extend to local schools as well. For the past five years, Nino’s has supplied Christ the Teacher Catholic School with food for their annual spaghetti dinner, which feeds about 600 people, and supplies the entire Elkton High School football team with Ziti and Sauce “to build up carbs” before the games.

“Cecil County has been good to us,” said Gaetano. “We love our customers, and enjoy giving back to the community.”

With great food, great hospitality, and a family-first philosophy—it’s no wonder Nino’s was voted Best Italian Restaurant in Cecil County. Ken and I give it (and the Diomedes family) our vote, too. –CSM