Mama Ricotta's

Frank Scibelli opened the restaurant in August 1992 to recreate the cooking he grew up with. His relatives' different regional backgrounds informed the menu, and the kitchen continues to make sauces, sausage, bread and desserts from scratch. The mozzarella is served less than a day after it is made, placing freshness at the center of a familiar starter.

Goat cheese and mascarpone dip comes under warm tomato-basil sauce with grilled ciabatta, while penne alla vodka includes pancetta in a spicy tomato cream. House radiatore carries a family meat sauce of beef, pork, veal and plum tomatoes. Pasta provides a moderately priced entry point; the twelve-hour Chianti-braised short rib over pappardelle is a more expensive main.

The family-size ordering menu turns several dishes into a shared spread, including chicken Parmesan with spaghetti and platters of mozzarella and tomato. For an evening out, an enclosed patio has a fireplace, and a separate brick-lined dining room accommodates private gatherings. The Nutella pie adds mascarpone and peanut butter to chocolate-hazelnut filling, with dulce de leche over a graham cracker crust.