SOUDERTON — Nonno Pasta Bar in Souderton recently celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking a new chapter for a local restaurant family and a familiar North Main Street dining destination.
Located at 424 N. Main St., the restaurant opened in late November 2025 in the former Caruso Brick Oven Trattoria space. Owner Joseph Chiaro developed the pasta-focused concept to complement his other Souderton businesses, The Burger Shop and Peppe Steaks.
The specialized menu follows the approach of Chiaro’s burger and cheesesteak shops, offering a narrower selection than Caruso’s broader Italian menu, according to a March article in The Arrowhead, Souderton Area High School’s student newspaper.
The business builds on a family tradition rooted in Italy. Joseph’s father, chef Gaetano Chiaro, is a Naples native whose career included restaurant kitchens in Europe and the United States. The father-and-son duo previously operated Caruso, which closed in April 2023 after approximately two decades in business.
Nonno Pasta Bar occupies the former Caruso Brick Oven Trattoria space at 424 N. Main St. in Souderton. (John Worthington – MediaNews Group)
The ribbon cutting follows the award of a facade improvement grant to the business by Souderton Connects.
Administered by the organization’s Economic Development Committee, the Storefront Facade Grant Program reimburses 50% of eligible project expenses, up to a maximum grant of $1,500. The program encourages private investment and improvements to commercial buildings, with eligible projects including painting, signage, masonry restoration, doors and windows, lighting and landscaping.
Inside Nonno, the family’s Italian heritage informs the menu. Joseph said that many dishes draw inspiration from the economical meals his father ate growing up in Italy, although the restaurant uses higher-quality meat, according to The Arrowhead.
Among the offerings is rigatoni with beef Genovese sauce, made with beef and onions cooked for more than six hours. Another dish, Sunday Gravy, combines braised meatballs, sausage and beef with rigatoni.
Nonno Pasta Bar offers classic Italian dishes, customizable pasta bowls, salads and desserts, along with gluten-free pasta options. (John Worthington – MediaNews Group)
Other options include potato gnocchi with pink vodka sauce, fusilli with basil pesto, bucatini carbonara and ricotta-stuffed francobolli with Bolognese sauce. Spaghetti with tomato sauce and basil, fettuccine Alfredo, lasagna and chicken and eggplant parmesan are also available.
Customers can customize pasta bowls with sauces including tomato, Bolognese, Alfredo, pesto, spicy arrabbiata, garlic and oil, and butter and sage. Meat, seafood, vegetables and cheeses are available as additions, along with gluten-free pasta.
The BYOB restaurant also serves Caesar and Caprese salads, lemonade and coffee drinks, including espresso, cappuccino and Americano. Desserts include cannolis and espresso tiramisu.
Nonno also offers catering, with half trays serving eight to 10 people and full trays serving 16 to 20. Catering orders require at least 24 hours’ notice.
Nonno Pasta Bar is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, visit nonnopastabar.com.
