Nonna’s Pizzeria celebrates Filipino Wednesdays

Posted on October 22, 2026 by Vauxhall Advance

By Heather Cameron
Vauxhall Advance
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Ron and Melissa Mercado, owners of Nonna’s Pizzeria in Vauxhall stated that their motto at Nonna’s is “Where Moments Matter” and that it reflects what they want the restaurant to be: a place where food brings people together.

The restaurant, Melissa Mercado explained, has been run by both her and her husband since 2019, and over the years, they’ve tried to make Nonna’s more than simply a place to eat.

“Being in a small community means you get to know your customers,” said Mercado. “You see families grow, you know your regulars, you support community activities, and they support you in return.”

One of the things the Mercados do to support community is their Filipino Wednesday event, an occasion where customers can come in and order the Filipino Wednesday event, either to eat in or take out.

“We are originally from the Philippines, and even though Nonna’s is a pizzeria, I thought it would be nice to share some of the food we grew up with,” said Mercado. “Food is such a big part of Filipino culture. Instead of adding a full Filipino menu, we decided to introduce it slowly—one Wednesday and one dish at a time. It also gives people who may never have tried Filipino food before an easy way to experience it right here at our restaurant. There isn’t a huge Filipino community in Vauxhall. But we have many local customers from different backgrounds who are curious about Filipino food, and some of them had been asking us to offer it.”

The idea for Filipino Wednesday, Mercado added, came from both her and her husband.

“When you own a restaurant and cook the same menu every day, you don’t necessarily want to eat those same dishes yourself every day!” said Mercado. “We still crave the traditional Filipino food we enjoy at home, so Ron and I thought, why not share it? Whatever Filipino meal we decide to cook for ourselves that week, we make extra and offer it to our customers on Wednesday. In a way, whatever we’re eating, our customers are eating, too. That’s why the Filipino Wednesday menu changes. It feels more like sharing our table with the community than creating another regular restaurant menu.”

The response to Filipino Wednesday, Mercado said, has been encouraging with the meals often selling out very quickly.

“We are very thankful for how the community continues to support us, not only with Filipino Wednesday but with all the different things we try at Nonna’s,” said Mercado. “Filipino Wednesday started as something small, and we want to keep the heart of it that way—simple, limited, and something people can look forward to each week. We really enjoy seeing people try Filipino food, especially someone who has never had it before. Food is one of the easiest ways to share a little bit of your culture with someone else. For us, it doesn’t have to become something big. If someone comes into Nonna’s, tries a Filipino dish for the first time and enjoys it, that already means a lot.”

Nonna’s Pizzeria is located at 431 2nd Ave. North in Vauxhall.