Eric Maxwell, left, and his staff at Campo Enoteca in Manchester – coming soon to Main Street in Nashua for a second Italian-centric eatery. (Courtesy Photo)
NASHUA, NH – Campo Enoteca will open a Nashua location in the coming weeks, bringing house-made pasta and a family-friendly Italian dining environment to the city.
Owner Eric Maxwell plans to open by June 1.
It’s a homecoming for Maxwell, who grew up in Nashua and still lives in the city. Since 2023, he’s owned Campo Enoteca, a farm-to-table Italian restaurant in Manchester. He took over from previous owners Ed Aloise and Claudia Rippee, purchasing the entire business – recipes included. And while it’s not always easy to step into an already successful business and maintain regulars – and success – Maxwell has not only cracked the code, but is ready for expansion.
“I knew at some point my goal was to open one in Nashua as well,” he says. “That’s where I’m from. That’s the community I grew up in. A lot of people around here know me, so my goal was always to put one in Nashua.”
Maxwell even had a location in mind: The San Francisco Kitchen location at 133 Main Street. San Francisco Kitchen, an Asian fusion restaurant, was a constant in Nashua’s dining scene, open since 1992.
When he saw the listing for a restaurant location in Nashua, he had a hunch it was the site he’d been looking for.
“It’s such a great spot. The atmosphere there is lovely,” he says.
When he announced the second location on Facebook earlier this month, the reaction was immediate and positive.
“Everyone has been extremely supportive,” he says. “Everyone’s extremely excited.”
The Campo Enoteca menu features house-made pasta, Italian charcuterie, artisan bread, small plates, and regional specialties.
“I don’t think downtown Nashua has ever really experienced a true, homemade Italian menu. And that location, obviously it’s just central to Nashua,” Maxwell says. “I expect it to be sort of the go-to place on Main Street for families to to come and for people to go before they go to a show at the Arts Center.”
Between now and opening, Maxwell is making a few changes to the kitchen layout.
Then, it’s time to welcome his hometown into the restaurant.
“We’re just super excited to bring our family- like environment, our homemade menu from pasta to desserts to homemade drinks. Just super excited to bring it all to Nashua, and can’t wait to see everyone down there,” he says.
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