Villa Nova E., Pelham

For more than 40 years, chefs at the family-owned Villa Nova E. have been sticking to time-tested recipes and techniques to craft authentic Italian cuisine. They tuck cheese filling into homemade ravioli, douse veal and shiitake mushrooms in cognac sauce, and top sea-scallop scampi with an herb-and-white-wine sauce. Along with a gluten-free menu, chefs create a trio of catering menus built around buffets, brunch, and Sweet 16 parties, where each dish is cooked atop the engine of the guest of honor's new car. In-house meals unfold inside Villa Nova E.'s spacious dining room, or parties of up to 140 guests commence in two upstairs rooms.