Marinoni's, Columbia

Marinoni's Restaurant and Pizzeria's chefs whip up authentic, homemade Italian dishes and pizzas. In addition to wood-firing pies, they insert 8-ounce salmon filets into the brick oven, imbuing each bite with a smoky, robust flavor. They swaddle sausage and beef with pasta to make their signature cannelloni, and coat eggplant slices with breadcrumbs and mozzarella for eggplant parmesan. The restaurant stations its guests in a spacious, dimly lit dining room or outside next to a fountain that speaks nothing but gibberish. Live entertainers amuse crowds every Friday and Saturday, and trivia hosts query patrons on Thursday nights.