An authentic family-run Italian restaurant is expanding on its two existing sites by launching a riverside pop-up at Pangbourne Meadows.

Nino’s Trattoria Italiana first opened its doors in Pangbourne in 2013 and was run by founder and namesake Nino Bartolomei – who opened his first Berkshire restaurant, Nino’s Market Place, way back in 1980 – before he sadly passed away in 2018.

His son Nino Junior has picked up the mantle in the years since and seems set on capitalising on the business’s local popularity – first by opening a deli last summer and now by launching a pop-up truck in a pretty recreational area overlooking the River Thames this month.

Described as a “summertime gelato and coffee pop-up”, Nino’s will be serving ice cream, hot and cold drinks and snacks from a truck on the waterside for the whole of August – and beyond, “weather permitting”.

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The new addition to the Nino’s family was funded by West Berkshire Council as part of its REPF Small Business Grant Funding Scheme – something Nino Junior said he was “massively thankful” for in a post announcing the new enterprise on social media this week.

He also thanked the Pangbourne community for its ongoing support, writing: “It’s always daunting (to) stretch and try new things. But I have the most amazing team to help me, and we are all so excited to get scooping in this new location.”

Despite the odd bit of heavy rainfall – that saw one customer rock up in a kayak to grab a cone from the food truck – the pop-up has already drawn crowds in its first few days of business, with Nino Junior spotting “lots of new and familiar faces alike” which understandably turned “concerned” for the staff after “the heavens opened” on Thursday, August 1.

A sunny Friday and Saturday have spelt good business for the family restaurant’s newest endeavour, however, and have seen a rise in popularity of the aptly-titled Signor Whippo – “looks like a Mr Whippy, tastes like a Mr Whippy, but served by an Italian pop-up, so why not?”

With customers already taking to social media to share their enthusiasm about the new truck – with declarations of “fabulous” food, a “beautiful” spot and “fantastic” coffees – it’s a late summer attraction that’s not to be missed.

While trading times are tested and adjusted, Nino’s Trattoria’s pop-up truck will be open for business daily between 8:30am and 8pm. Take advantage of the sunshine to get down there and check it out for yourself!