Nonnas ending explained: Was Joe's restaurant business saved?

Stephen Chbosky's Nonnas somewhat feels like a continuation of La Dolce Villa, but this time we have a restaurant instead of a cooking school. And we have a couple of tall men we love to see in comedies: Vince Vaughn as Joe Scaravella and Joe Manganiello as Bruno.

Joe is trying to save his crumbling restaurant business by trying to get a review from a food critic. He did manage to do that and what was supposed to be the final night of the restaurant becomes, sort of, the first of many fruitful days to come (hopefully).

The title goes well with the film's theme, where Joe's restaurant employs only grandmothers to cook for the visitors in there. It's a real-life inspiration, and the lead has praised the original owner of Enoteca Maria, the restaurant, and told ScreenRant that

"I had the pleasure of going down and meeting him. I was really impressed with him. He's a real artist. He loved creating the experience. He was focused on the idea of it."

Everything Joe did, he did for his grandmother and mom. The story might leave some in tears, as it's one of those emotional roller coasters.

Joe almost shut the restaurant down in Nonnas

Vince Vaughn is Joe Scaravella in the film. (Image via Netflix)

There's a time in a business when an owner realizes when things have gone too far and are not working out. Eventually, things have to be closed down so they won't have to bear that loss that's eating them alive. Joe had to go through a similar experience where he decided that it's time.

That decision comes after the place fails to get some visitors despite nonnas in the kitchen to serve them some food that'll just take them back home. All of them were just a perfect kitchen squad in there. However, that realization was hard to come by, as you'll see in Nonnas.

While it all feels heartwarming, there are still some practical decisions to be made. The restaurant isn't working out, so it needs closing, so that's where Joe gives up, almost.

One review, and things went all delicious after that

Nonnas was released on May 9, 2025. (Image via Netflix)

Now it's time to bid farewell, so Joe decides to throw a close-in party for the restaurant. Before this, he had tried approaching a food critic, Edward Durant (Campbell Scott), for a review of Enoteca Maria. However, the way Joe approached it was a big turn-off for someone whose life revolves around food. Though Joey (Matt LeBlanc in Friends) wouldn't have minded what Joe did.

Initially, Mr. Durant rejects his proposal for review, which is one of the main reasons our protagonist has lost hope for his food business. However, the food critic sends down one of his associates to visit there.

This turns out to be a surprise, both for Joe and Mr. Durant. For the latter, his restaurant is exceptional, unlike the one he thought was mediocre. For the former, Durant's associate's visit made what was supposed to be the restaurant's end in Nonnas a beginning.

While there's no sequel for Nonnas planned yet, and there likely won't be one. It's a happy ending, and we don't really need a sequel.