What? Another Santa Monica corner taken up by an Italian restaurant? When Elon Musk finally gets to Mars no doubt he will find an Italian restaurant on the nearest corner and a Starbucks nearby. But wait! This one is a step ahead of the others, run by a real Italian restauranteur, and with a superior menu to most of the others.

You’ll have no trouble meeting the owner, Andrea Inio. He’s always there and always meets and greets the customers. And he’ll remember you the next time you come in. He grew up by Lake Garda in a restaurant family. This puts him close to my heart because for the past 40 years each year Bonnie and I have visited friends with a summer home on Lake Garda.