After 20 years of working in the tech industry and vacationing in Italy, Tom Prince decided that he needed to end the virtual chapter of his life. And the direction he would turn toward was obvious once he compared the authenticity of Italian food to the franchises and chains back home. So Tom and his wife, Mary, took a leap.

They began with a menu of traditional eats, such as potato gnocchi with spring vegetables and veal cutlets with fresh mozzarella. The further along they got, the more glowing reviews they received, and the more they decided to focus on how their ingredients were sourced and raised.

Now, they pair sustainable meats and produce with an Italian wine list at Tomasso Trattoria—a winning combination that earned them Wine Spectator’s 2015 Award of Excellence. They also make nearly everything from scratch: the pastas, the sauces, even the breads. Such care not only enhances their food, but also keeps them grounded in the reasons they opened the restaurant in the first place.