Ristorante Due Rose, Pinole

Since opening in 2003, Ristorante Due Rose has combined the open, family-style ambiance of an American diner with hearty, pan-regional Italian cuisine. Old World techniques endure in the kitchen, and the chefs lend a homespun charm to their meals by baking their own bread and by making fresh pasta and gnocchi in house. Medallions of filet mignon, seafood stew brimming with prawns and clams, and pizzas topped with prosciutto demonstrate the range of the menu, which overflows with iconic dishes from virtually every corner of Italy.

Taupe-hued half walls run throughout the generous dining room, dividing the space into small areas that cater to both couples and large families. Amid the white linens and the neutral-toned walls, a handful of décor accents add splashes of color, too. A burgundy awning sits above shelves of wine, evoking old-country trattorias, and verdant potted plants tower above the half walls, evoking the thick jungles of Tuscany.