Strada 18, Norwalk

While on his honeymoon in northern Italy, Chef David Raymer found the best pizza not at a lauded restaurant, but at an out-of-the-way truck stop. And, he was pleased to discover, the chef didn't limit his offerings to the savory pies. There were also fresh salads, entrees, and desserts, many of which were prepped with local produce. When he returned to the states, David decided to indulge in the sincerest form of flattery—imitation.

Strada 18 now serves up David's dream daily. In the spirit of that humble Italian truck stop, the eatery exceeds expectations with artisanal pizzas and Italian plates that use local ingredients in gourmet combinations. The red pizzas are topped with house-made mozzarella and tomato sauce, then crowned with everything from hot sausage to duck confit and roasted radicchio. White pizzas, on the other hand, come with fixings like fresh spinach and wild mushrooms, but without the sauce and the tacit disapproval of bulls everywhere. Other warming meals range from baked pastas to roasted chicken and fish to the braised meat of the day—all paired with a careful curation of wine and beer. And for dessert, the kitchen bakes warm apple tarts even as it chills homemade gelato.