Ask anyone in Coral Gables for a restaurant recommendation, and chances are Caffe Abbracci will be at the top of the list. Known for its Northern Italian specialties and topnotch service, the Italian eatery is turning 30 this month. How does a restaurant keep its status as one of Miami's best-loved culinary destinations? It treats its staff and all who visit the restaurant like family, according to Caffe Abbracci's founder and owner, Nino Pernetti. "I look after my restaurant like It's a 2-year-old toddler," he says.

Since opening Caffe Abbracci in 1989, Pernetti has walked the dining room daily, getting to know his customers and ensuring his staff extends the same respect and warmth to regular guests and celebrities alike. When Robert Redford visited for the first time, Pernetti greeted him like a friend: "I'm finally glad the man who everyone says looks like me is here." He said that greeting prompted a loud laugh from of one of his favorite actors.