The village of Hamilton is set to welcome a new restaurant to its food scene, expanding the dining options available to both locals and Colgate University students. The location is the latest venture from the team behind Nola’s Restaurant in Clinton, N.Y., a dining spot celebrating its 19th anniversary this year. The new restaurant will be located at 18-22 Utica Street, a mixed-use building currently under construction, and is scheduled to open in November 2025.
According to Leah Fay, one of the co-owners of Nola’s, the decision to open a location in Hamilton came about after a conversation with the Hamilton Initiative, an LLC — whose sole member is Colgate — designed to purchase and renovate buildings while recruiting retail businesses to enhance the economic vitality of Hamilton.
“We weren’t necessarily planning or looking to open a space there, but everything just sort of fit into place and felt like the right move at this time,” Fay said.
This new restaurant will have a distinct focus on Italian and Mediterranean cuisines, marking a departure from the broader, globally-inspired menu of Nola’s in Clinton.
“What we do in Clinton felt a little too close to what maybe the Colgate Inn, Poolville [Country Store] or the Hamilton Inn are already doing,” Fay said. “This menu and this restaurant in Hamilton for us is going to be a little bit more cuisine-focused.”
Fay also pointed out that the new restaurant will fill a gap in Hamilton’s current offerings.
“When we looked around, it felt like that’s where there was kind of a hole,” Fay said. “We’re adding to it, and not trying to compete, but hopefully just adding value to the village.”
For Colgate students, the restaurant hopes to serve as a welcoming space, especially during busy times of the year. Fay shared how she had adapted to similar events for Hamilton College students in Clinton.
“We boost our staffing and open up as many tables as possible on weekends like Family Weekend. We try to be open and accommodating for those busy weekends,” Fay said. “We’re looking forward to being a little home away from home, a space for you to catch up with your families when they’re in town. Hopefully, the students will visit us too when their parents aren’t in town, maybe for special occasions.”
Sophomore Luca Yurchak expressed his thoughts on the new restaurant.
“It’s exciting to see a place coming in with new cuisines that aren’t represented well in Hamilton,” Yurchak said. “Most of the spots we have in Hamilton are more casual, so this could be a great option for when we want to go somewhere a bit nicer, whether for a date night or just a change of pace from the usual.”
The new location will also feature an outdoor patio, providing a welcoming space for diners to enjoy meals outside during the warmer months. Sophomore Louie Derechin believed the new restaurant would be an exciting addition for Colgate students.
“I think a new restaurant will be really fun for Colgate students because they will be able to try something new,” Derechin said. “We already have really great food options in Hamilton, but it’s always great to be able to try something different.”
