Yelp’s ‘Grandma-Core’ and ‘Nonna-Stalgia’ Restaurants Serve up Cozy Comfort and Rave Reviews
Yelp's top picks bring vintage vibes and home-cooked meals that'll warm your heart and fill your belly
Yelp recently released their list of the Top 100 Places to Eat, and it includes two “Grandma-Core” dining options that are the perfect blend of comfort and coziness. But what exactly is “Grandma-Core” and why is it gaining so much traction on the internet? We break down the trend and share the restaurants Yelp users recommend to experience it.
What is ‘Grandma-Core?’
Grandma-core is an aesthetic going viral online. The idea: to achieve a feeling of nostalgia, coziness and comfort through things like vintage patterns, florals, foods and crafts. Along with the design aspect, there has been a rise in popularity in activities like baking, gardening, sewing and needlepointing—all of which are referred to as “Grandma-core hobbies.”
“Grandma-core reflects a growing desire for slowness, comfort and predictability in an overstimulating world,” explains therapist and content creator Meredith Van Ness, LCSW. “The hobbies tied to it, like baking, reading, walking, crafting or spending time offline, tend to be calming because they are repetitive, low pressure and not tied to performance or productivity. They naturally help people feel more settled.”
“There is also a permission element to Grandma-core that feels important,” she continued. ” It values rest, simplicity and pleasure for their own sake, which can feel especially appealing during periods of stress or burnout. I recently started playing Mahjong with friends on the weekends and making sourdough bread, and there is something incredibly grounding about doing things slowly, socially and without a screen involved. These activities offer connection and enjoyment without the constant push to keep up. And instead of picking up my phone to mindlessly scroll, I am making a loaf of bread for my family!”
A look at Yelp’s Grandma-core restaurants
Yelp’s 100 Places to Eat list includes two restaurants the crowd-sourced review site calls “grandma-core dining options. Hint: Both are Italian-themed.
“Often called ‘nonna-stalgia,’ this cozy trend encourages diners to step out of their fast-paced lives for old-fashioned, slow-cooked family recipes made with simple ingredients—often served on charmingly mismatched dinnerware in warm settings that remind them of simpler times,” the company explained in a press release.
The first restaurant Yelp chose for their Grandma-core category is the pasta restaurant Pepp & Dolores, in Cincinnati. It’s ranked number 10 on the list, and Yelp says the restaurant is “known for its comforting, nonna-inspired Italian food and hospitality. Brother-owners Joe and John Lanni founded the restaurant to honor their Italian-Canadian grandparents—Pepp and Dolores.”
“The menu features Grandma Dolores’ meals, like traditional, slow-simmered, tomato-based ‘Sunday sauce’ (served here over spaghetti with a veal and pork meatball and braised pork shoulder), as well as her warm hospitality,” Yelp continued.
The second restaurant is Carmelina’s, an Italian restaurant in Boston that Yelp ranked number 91.
“My grandma was straight off the boat from Italy and this place was on par if not better than her cooking! Best Italian food I’ve ever had at a restaurant and can’t wait to go back one day,” writes one happy customer.
To view Yelp’s entire Top 100 United States Restaurants, click here!
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