FOOD PROFILE Nonie's: Like Eating at Grandma's

The sign that greets visitors to Nonie's Restaurant & Bakery on Grove Street reads, "Enter as strangers, leave as friends." Visit a few more times, and you might just become part of the family. &emsp;When owner Greg Smith took over the restaurant and bakery nearly 24 years ago, he was buying an institution right in the heart of downtown Peterborough. &emsp;"I didn't change anything," he says. "I always liked the fact it was a hometown 'welcome to your grandma's kitchen' kind of place." &emsp;The name "Nonie" here is meant to be a variation of the word for grandmother ("Nonna") in Italian. &emsp;A former New Ipswich resident who came to New Hampshire from Groton, Massachusetts, Smith wanted to own his own restaurant and was looking for a small-town diner like Nonie's — he was even a customer before he purchased it. &emsp;He says Nonie's has been in operation under the same name since the 1950s — almost as long as the Peterborough Diner (which opened in 1949) around the corner in Depot Square. &emsp;"When the Bishop family owned it, they made their own donuts, breads, hot cross buns," he says. &emsp;Smith and his wife, Katelyn, have kept the bakery in operation and continued the full-service breakfast (which wasn't always offered) at their cozy cafe, where you can hop on a retro diner stool and sit at the counter to enjoy a home-style meal or join friends or family in an intimate booth. &emsp;The breakfast menu, served all day, includes what you usually find (made-to-order omelets, eggs Benedict, French toast, etc.) and breakfast specials, including biscuits and sausage gravy on weekends. &emsp;Lunch offerings include a wide selection of sandwiches, homemade soups, salads and burgers. Homemade breads (including standard and special breads), muffins, scones and pastries are made fresh from the oven daily. Pies (including special varieties for the holidays) are also on the bakery menu and can be special ordered. One of Katelyn's specials, notes Smith, is ricotta pie. &emsp;One item you will not find on the Nonie's menu is alcohol. &emsp;"I have younger employees I help break into the restaurant business," he said. "I also want (the restaurant) to be family-friendly." &emsp;In addition to his wife, who fills in serving and baking on the weekends, his grown daughter and two grown sons grew up working at the restaurant. His 7-year-old daughter with his wife (the couple also have a 4-year-old) is part of the next generation, &emsp;"We set her up on a milk crate at the register," says Smith. "She knows the point-of-sale system and helps bring back plates to the kitchen. (Nonie's) has been a family affair for a long time." &emsp;Smith's late father owned a small farm in New Hampshire and previously sold maple syrup to the restaurant. He says his father's legacy is the soft-serve ice cream machine he purchased for his son's business. &emsp;"He loved the restaurant," he says. &emsp;Smith's mother-in-law, Sharon Thoms, decorates the restaurant's front windows. &emsp;Regarding sourcing ingredients, they don't come from the Smith family but keep ingredients as local as possible. &emsp;Apples for apple crisps come from nearby Windy Hill Orchards, for example, and berries for Belgian waffles, crepes, and fruit cups and vegetables for use across the menu come (in-season, of course) from Rosaly's Farmstand. &emsp;Online praise for Nonie's from patrons expresses the restaurant's hometown feel, with comments on Trip Advisor such as "a locals favorite" and "a true local haunt" with "friendly staff." &emsp;It makes sense, considering it's the foundation on which Smith built his business. &emsp;"We're creating a warm and happy place for the community to gather," he says. BOX: Nonie's 28 Grove Street #5 Peterborough, NH 03458 603-924-3451 Facebook: noniespeterborough