Ciao Restaurant Bar & Grill, St. Louis

Ciao Restaurant is a new addition to the St. Louis dining scene—it opened in August 2012—yet its chef has no lack of experience. He's helmed professional kitchens for more than 20 years, including some in Italy and Germany. At Ciao, his menu of Italian classics works in tandem with brick archways and stone floors to transport senses to rustic Europe.

The crew makes each batch of pizza dough from scratch and then tops 12-inch crusts with combinations of italian meats, sharp aged cheese, fresh tomatoes, and a smattering of unusual ingredients such as gyro meat. For fork-and-knife fare, patrons can peruse entrees of zesty shrimp, schnitzel with mushrooms, and chicken la matricciana garnished with black olives and capers. As diners gaze around the dining room, the octagonal stone bar draws attention to plentiful bottles of wine and harder liquids, such as wet cement.