The Grand Cafe, Jefferson City

To the staff of The Grand Cafe, a meal isn't just a time to eat; it's a chance to make a memory. That's why they get excited when their dining room gets a little loud—it means people are having a good time. And in that dining room, which is capped by the building's original tin tiles and grounded by beautiful hardwood floors, groups buzz over Italian-style dishes such as potato-crusted salmon in a roma-tomato sauce and carbonara pasta with wild mushrooms. There's a lunch menu as well, because apparently afternoons are not immune to hunger, and a full bar with hand-selected wine varietals and infused vodkas. And thanks to these rotating vodkas and seasonal dishes, it's likely your meal will be exactly what the staff hoped it would be—memorable.