Gio Italian Grill

Bolstered by their Sicilian heritage, lifetime of restaurant experience, and on-location culinary training abroad, husband-and-wife team Tony and Giovanna DiMaio are restaurateurs—and Gio is their baby. Each visit to Gio is virtually a trip to Sicily, where this Mediterranean kitchen whips up classic fare alongside unique house specialties. On any given night, you’ll prob- ably find Giovanna taking care of guests in the dining room while Tony mans the hearth in the open pizza kitchen, where he’s happy to chat about old-world cuisine and the imported Tipo 00 flour behind his top-notch pies. Look for an approachable wine list and martini twists at the bar, like the Cactus Pear Martini, made with house-infused cactus pear vodka.

Did You Know? This restaurant grows its own organic basil. Sit on the patio and enjoy the aroma of the hydroponic basil growing outside, then enjoy a taste of it in dishes like Caprese, made with fresh basil puree.

Insider Tip: Try a pizza–any pizza. There’s no wrong choice, as owner Tony DiMaio is something of a pizza wizard. He started tossing pies when he was 11 in the family business, and later completed an internship at a historic restaurant in Sicily to learn the ins and outs of authentic Italian pizza.