Located in The Hill, the St. Louis Italian district, LoRusso’s Cucina offers diners a special experience. Past the quaint little foyer, the owner and his wife stood at the front desk and personally showed us to our table. He greeted familiar faces, making me wish I was a regular just to receive some famous Italian hospitality.

Walk into Gioia’s, a little deli on the Hill, and you’ll find a place that is indisputably Italian. Just look around to see not one, not two, but upwards of three full-sized Italian flags posted inside and outside the one-room restaurant. The place is quaint but not trite, with wooden floors, a fancy chalkboard menu and a company consisting of many regulars.

Friendly service, fun ambiance and respectable food: It’s all part of the experience at the Hill’s famous bakery and sandwich shop, Amighetti’s.