Bella Vita Italian Restaurant, Kerrville

When restauranteurs Billy Gene and Janie Smith first teamed up with Chef Dave Waide in 2008, their plan was to open a small seafood and steak place with a specialty in Italian cuisine. But after Billy Gene and Janie moved Bella Vita to its larger, current location in 2012, they also decided to update their menu to be primarily Italian (and transformed the former location into a steak house). Today, Bella Vita serves country Italian favorites, from sausage and peppers to lasagna and spaghetti with meatballs. Seafood and steak entrees can still be found, though, including their signature rib-eye steak, a 10-ounce certified Angus beef rib eye with a mushroom red wine reduction demi-glace.