Mediterraneo Midlothian, Midlothian

Since immigrating to America from Sicily three decades ago, Joseph Lo Presti and his brothers founded a family of Italian-inspired restaurants that includes Piccola Italy and Maldini’s. At Mediterraneo, Joseph’s son Anthony has crafted a slightly more inclusive style by incorporating recipes from his wife Sofia, a native of Seville, Spain. Her influence can be seen in the tapas selection, which includes small plates such as patatas bravas and pinchitos threaded with chicken, pork, or sausage. Entrees revert to Italian classics—diners can dig into linguine tossed with fresh clams or housemade beef lasagna. However, pizzas are the specialty, made with regular or gluten-free crusts baked from scratch in a brick oven and slathered with ricotta and fresh basil.