The owner of Cucina Vitale talks about cooking like other people talk about becoming a stand-up comedian or an astronaut. His story whisks the imagination away on a whirlwind tour of Italian grandmothers slow-simmering sauces hours before guests arrived for Sunday dinner, and grandfathers plucking herbs and veggies from the garden. He loved cooking so much growing up, he even took a job as a dishwasher in his teens just to get some hands-on experience in the industry.

Flash forward, and today, he runs Cucina Vitale, serving traditional Italian fare that pays homage to his childhood experiences (and the lessons he learned in culinary school). Lush, family-style meals pop with flavorful details, such as the homemade mozzarella in the mozzarella pomodoro, the handmade ravioli, or the aged balsamic in the chargrilled rack of lamb. There's even a breakfast menu filled with off-the-beaten-path entrees. These include a calabrese frittata with Labriola sweet sausage, and the bananarama—a decadent waffle baked with maple-glazed bananas and topped with walnuts and fresh whipped mascarpone.