Baldo's Restaurant, St. Louis

After leaving his hometown of Salemi in Sicily, restaurant proprietor Baldo Gandolfo began dazzling locals with mouthwatering Italian recipes honed through four decades. Baldo's wife, Madda, welcomes guests on their arrival to the mirror- and artwork-flecked dining space, and Baldo's sister Rita keeps a generous supply of saucy pastas, rich veal, and succulent chicken dishes flowing from the kitchen. Diners sit down to sup at linen-cloaked tables in the floral-wallpapered dining area and toast to a satisfying meal over glasses of espresso and flavorful Italian wines. In addition to dishing out hearty entrees and gelato-tinged desserts to families and friends, Da Baldo's provisions larger gatherings with a private banquet space capable of comfortably fitting 90 people or 60 Shriner cars.