"From Italy, with Love"

This was the title of one of the earliest articles about Nonna Tata, not too long after opening in 2006, and it still holds up today.
At a time when the city of Fort Worth was devoid of authentic Italian cuisine, Donatella Trotti's close friends urged her to take her culinary gifts (which they had been enjoying at fabulous dinner parties) and open a trattoria, so the rest of the city could experience what they had come to love: Fresh pasta, simple ingredients, masterful preparation.

"I'm not kidding!" is Donatella's catchphrase because, to this day, she is still astounded by how it came together. With no prior restaurant experience, just the recipes her mother and grandmother taught her growing up and keen creative instincts, she found a cozy little spot on the sleepy street of Magnolia Avenue and opened up shop. Convinced she would be closed within six months, she was blown away by the crowds of people showing up. The tiny restaurant even instituted a "Bring Your Own Table" policy just to accommodate everyone!

In 2010, Donatella was asked if she would participate in the annual Top Chef competition held by Fort Worth, Texas Magazine. She was the only female chef in the competition and, after multiple cooking challenges, her dishes reigned supreme. "I still think I am going to wake up and it did not really happen," she said the next day. "It was phenomenal."

Since then, many things have changed. Magnolia Avenue has grown into one of the most exciting areas for restaurants wanting to make a name for themselves, just like Donatella did. Fort Worth has experienced a culinary renaissance, and grown into a city of foodies. But, some things never change.
"I want people to feel like they're in my living room," Donatella once said, while hanging a painting of a Tuscan hillside on the patio. "The food and the people at Nonna Tata will always come first."