Having honed their craft at leading restaurants in Sydney and Europe, Cassandra and Matthew Bugeja always knew what sort of place they wanted to open.

Their love child, Ain’t Nonnas at the western end of Market St, recently celebrated its second birthday, having built up an enviable reputation and loyal following despite the tough conditions facing the industry.

“We wanted it to be like a mamma and pappa trattoria in Italy, where you feel you are being welcomed into someone’s home,” says Cassie.

“They sit you down, put food on your plate, and share their passion.

“We had a clear vision, we kept with it, and we have found our people.”

The chefs met while working at Justin North’s acclaimed Bécasse restaurant in 2011, and their CVs since then include Bilsons, Quay, Three Blue Ducks and Bourke St Bakery in Australia, and Michelin-starred The Clove Club and top cheap eat Balls & Co in London, as well as stints at leading restaurants in Copenhagen.

Their love of travel has seen them take advantage of every opportunity to have new food experiences, with Italy’s all-embracing food culture winning their hearts.

The dream was always to open a place of their own, and on returning to Australia they gravitated back to the Illawarra (where Cassie grew up) eight years ago.

Biding their time, most notably at Kneading Ruby and the Postmans at Thirroul, they eventually tested their idea of a family trattoria by running the kitchen at The Throsby Wine Bar for a year as a pop-up of the Ain’t Nonnas concept.

“We were looking to build our confidence and make sure the brand worked before launching into our own space,” says Cassie.

Originally they were looking for something on Crown or Keira to get more foot traffic, and were expecting to do just nights, but they just couldn’t go past a new space they found in Market St.

“We added a cafe because we really liked the site with its sunken courtyard, and the owner wanted the ground floor to be activated,” says Cassie.

“Without the success of the pop-up I don’t know if we would have had the confidence to do a space this big, off the main street.”

Instead of a 40-seater dinner venue, they ended up with a space for 70 open six days from morning till night.

“It is a fun challenge and I think the success we have had comes from having so many elements,” says Cassie.

While she manages the front of house with style and warmth, Cassie relishes the time she gets to spend in the kitchen baking focaccia and cakes early in the week.

It is hard not to be envious of nearby office workers who call this their local during the week, given their access to housemade focaccia (Roman pizza style with toppings such as potato and gorgonzola, and broccoli and fennel) and pasta, and small plates of deliciousness (don’t miss the arancini). Not to mention the cakes and the drawer of tiramisu.

“Our regulars know you can come in and ask for a cabinet sandwich – just say meat or vegetarian and the chefs put on whatever they like,” says Cassie.

Evenings broaden their client base, turning it into a lively dinner venue that regularly serves 80 to 100 people on Fridays and Saturdays.

The open kitchen adds to the atmosphere, with the skill of the small team (often only two chefs) on show.

“Having that interaction, getting to talk to your customers, is part of the fun,” says Matt.

The small but perfectly formed menu changes with the seasons, and the quieter mid-week dinners are more likely to offer specials as the chefs have more time to play.

While the occasional fusion dish makes an appearance, they mostly keep true, in a non-traditional way, to their Italian inspiration.

“We always put little spins on our dishes. That’s why we’re Ain’t Nonnas,” says Cassie.

Ain't Nonna's is at 83-85 Market St, Wollongong. Open Mon-Tues 7-11am, Weds - Sat 7am - 2pm then 5pm - late, visit aintnonnas.com.au

Liked Ain't Nonnas? Try these 3 too

• Kneading Ruby, 5 Crown Ln, Wollongong. Open: Tue-Sun 5pm-late, Fri-Sun Noon-3pm. kneadingruby.com.au
• The Iron Yampi, 96-106 Wentworth St, Port Kembla. Open: Weds 4-9pm, Thurs & Sun Noon - 9pm, Fri & Sat Noon - 10pm. theironyampi.com
• Ciro's Pizza, 1  Raymond Road, Thirroul. Open: Monday: 5-9pm (Pizza only, No Kitchen), Wednesday: 5-9pm, Thursday: 5-9pm, Friday: 5-9pm, Saturday: 4-9pm (Pizza from 4pm, Kitchen from 5pm). cirospizzathirroul.com