St. Louis, MOItalian

Chef Gerard Craft drew on travels in Italy and friendships made over food and wine for this Clayton restaurant's pastas, pizzas and desserts. Order shaved kale salad, canestri cacio e pepe, four-cheese pizza or butternut squash with herbs, balsamic and hot honey. An online waitlist and a deli next door offer other ways to eat here.

This brick-walled room on The Hill has checkered tablecloths, red sauces and wines, and four veal preparations. Order veal and carrot cake, or look for a courtyard table.

Brothers Steve and Jamie Komorek serve Italian comfort food at this dining room and sidewalk patio. The lobster risotto is available by request even though it is off the dinner menu. The bar also serves a weekday happy hour.

Chef-owner Peppe Profeta's Kirkwood dining room has crystal-encrusted mirrors, heavy crown molding and fresh flowers on the tables. Order shrimp scampi: fresh shrimp in truffled breadcrumbs, seared and finished with butter, garlic and lemon. Fettuccine alfredo can replace the default sides, with Parmesan added.

This family-run St. Peters restaurant changes its seasonal menu while keeping Neapolitan pizzas. Order a dish with Noto's burrata, whether on pizza, in pasta or as an appetizer. Cocktails include rotating off-menu choices and the Atrani Fizz with Tuscan vodka, limoncello, basil syrup and club soda. Bacaro, the Venetian aperitivo and cicchetti bar, shares the property.