Nonna Marie's Gelato & Coffee Bar — Restaurant in Hilton Head Island

Summers in Hilton Head truly test those who embrace the decadence of what Mother Nature has to offer. The air is rich and smells of the sweet flora that grows effortlessly in this God given Fertile Crescent. The animals sing their songs day and night, longing for connection to those who hear them. And the sun shines down on the land as of it to reach out to those willing to embrace it’s beautiful majesty. While there are those who brave the sun’s magnificence without aid, I found myself needing relief from the sweltering heat that brings so many to the Island. It is here where you could say my opinion on frozen deserts, perhaps my perspective on life, changed.

In a quaint strip mall located in between an olive oil shop and Italian restaurant, which some may call “The Italian Corner” of Hilton Head, stands what I thought was simply a mirage beckoning me to rest. A simple font sign “Nonna Maries Gelato and Coffee Bar.”

I walk in and am immediately greeted by the friendly staff behind the counter. Soft Italian music plays in the background. A man in the back, who I must assume is Willy Wonka but Italian, churns his craft.

I peer behind the glass to see their offerings expecting to see flavors upholding the status quo. What I find is a beautiful combination of the familiar, and the adventurous. Biscoff, Biscotti, a cherry flavor with a name too Italian for me to retain. A tip of the cap not only to the origin of this desert, but where the owners purchase their ingredients from. Other flavors such as “Unicorn” are too wondrous for me fathom.

I order a double scoop of the biscoff and banana pudding, with a drizzle of honey on top. While the cones seem to be the all too perfect vehicle for this Amalfi wonder, I am gluten free, and use a Nonna Maries Gelato branded cup. I take my delicacy outside where they have stools set up alongside the storefront.

This is not ice cream we are dealing with here. To compare Nonna Marie’s Gelato to a Hagen Daz or a Breyers to me is comparing the Great Colosseum of Rome to my backyard. I don’t have a backyard.

The texture is impeccable, as it is served at a comfortable 10 degrees fahrenheit. Not only does this create a more enjoyable eating experience, but allows the flavors to truly show off their personality and grandeur. I was unaware of the true power taste had as one of the five senses before this point.

The biscoff transports me back to holidays with my Nina. The sounds of the Christmas carols outside while I sit on my grandmas lap eating her biscoff cookies as she drinks her espresso. As a side note, they also sell espresso. The banana pudding flavor brings me to every time I have eaten a banana, which if counted correctly, is a very big number.

The sun kisses my skin. As I showed up at 5, which is when they open, I was the first of many to follow in a short period of time. The hustle and bustle of this strip seems to be concentrated in this one spot. A beacon to those who want something more. Quality? Flavor? Ambience? Service? Those who want one get them all. Nonna Marie’s is not simply a treat to eat, but a treat for the soul....

We stumbled upon this gem when looking for an alternative to the overly crowded ice cream joints on HHI. We arrived to only about 4 people in line, but had to wait for another member of our party to arrive. In about 5 minutes, this place became packed as a huge group of about 10 and a large family of 6 showed up all at once. However, the young lady and the woman behind the counter kept their cool and dealt with the sudden influx with kindness, patience, friendliness and humor. This place has a fun italian vibe, fun decor (the dog portraits in traditional Italian attire were great), and lots of options for gelato and desserts. We only waited about 10 minutes to order and ended up talking to the woman as she rang us up. She thanked us sincerely for coming in and I complimented their selection and what appeared to be handmade pastries and desserts. She happened to be the owner, along with her husband. The young lady helping her was her daughter. She said they make all of their gelato, pastries, and desserts by hand right there in the shop. Now that's special and dedication! Our gelato was tasty. Hubby got bourbon chocolate, I got butter pecan in a waffle bowl, and our son got vanilla bean. They were all delicious and so light and pleasant on the palate. Although we didn't get them, they had toppings like fresh whipped cream, sprinkles, etc. They also had flavored waffle cones like red velvet, lavender, and matcha. Wonderful variety, high quality, and great service. We will definitely be back on our...

If you have food allergies or are vegan you should go somewhere else. Five of us just walked out without buying anything. Two have milk allergies and one is lactose intolerant. Three employees, including one whom I assume is the owner, couldn't figure out which flavors were milk free. We know they always have some since we have eaten here before, but the flavors rotate so we had to verify. When we asked, there was suddenly a lot of confusion, and my daughter's know that if you have food allergies and don't have confidence in the people serving you, you don't risk it. That's at least twenty orders they won't be getting during our week here, which is a shame for Nonna's and for us. It's just hard to believe that you can run a business and be clueless about your product. The only thing I can guess is that they don't make this Gelato on site. Probably bought from a commercial supplier. If it were made there, they would know by heart which ones have milk and which don't. Regardless, in this day and age, if you are serving food, just mark your products as vegan and list whether it has any of the major allergens. It's not...