Hungry? Why not try The Hungry Pumpkin? A treasure trove of quality food nestled in the Lace Market, this small cafe has already gained a big following. Our new Food Co-Editor Julia Head stops by to find out why so many people are so in love with Nottingham’s own ‘Little Italy’...
Tucked away down a quiet stretch of High Pavement, you will find this gem, known to locals as 'The Little Italy'. As you step inside, you are transported to a busy Italian cafeteria with a cheery greeting from the owner, Marco Cartolano - who prides himself on his warm hospitality. You will be lucky if you can find a table here. Some die-hard patrons even opt for outdoor seating in the cooler months, just to get their Hungry Pumpkin fix.
I wanted to chat with Marco to learn more about his story, the origin of Hungry Pumpkin, and a journey that started more than 1,500 miles away.
"I grew up in the small village of Buonabitacolo, not far from Salerno in the South of Italy,” he tells me. “I spent some time in Manchester before being offered a general manager position in Nottingham at Piccolino, where I worked for fifteen years. When I saw that Hungry Pumpkin was up for sale, I was ready for the adventure and jumped at the chance to buy it and create my own family-run business."
We would like Hungry Pumpkin to remain as most of our customers describe it: a small, cosy, lovely, and welcoming coffee shop in town
As it did for many other eateries, the COVID pandemic halted the coffee shop's plans. However, Marco and his family used this time productively, and got to work on a number of renovations, while also installing a few personal touches to make it their own. The menu largely stayed the same as it was, but taking their heritage into account, a few delicious Italian twists were added in.
The Pumpkin now offers tasty dishes such as pasta, pollo milanese (my personal favourite), paninis, homemade soups, and cannelloni. They serve plenty of vegetarian options too, including traditional English-style breakfasts. Customers can check out their display fridge for daily specials. And thoughtfully, they also stock rare Italian goods on the shelves for customers to purchase and take home.
With three talented chefs in the kitchen, Marco stresses the importance of everything being of the highest quality. This means all items must be prepared fresh daily for their customers. And as a regular diner, I can personally attest to how tempting the selection is: the sandwiches are huge, the pasta is spot on, and the coffee comes hot. What more can you ask for?
Some things are just ideal the way they are - and 'Little Italy' is undoubtedly one of them
Hungry Pumpkin's top-notch hospitality and warm atmosphere will be here to stay for a while. The Cartolanos have made all the changes they were planning to make. They've got a winning formula, which requires no further fine-tuning. Marco is a passionate supporter of other independent businesses in Nottingham as well, and a firm believer in making patrons feel welcome. These values are integral to his vision for the family-run business.
"We would like Hungry Pumpkin to remain as most of our customers describe it: a small, cosy, lovely, and welcoming coffee shop in town. A friendly place where customers want to return,” he muses. “We feel strongly about supporting independents, therefore we will continue to source local produce where possible."
Molto bene! One of Nottingham's greatest independent venues itself, and a home-comfort to many Italians in the city, is here to stay. Some things are just ideal the way they are - and 'Little Italy' is undoubtedly one of them.
You can find Hungry Pumpkin at 38 High Pavement, Nottingham, NG1 1HN
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