West Lake Road has turned into a strip of fine restaurants, headed by some of Erie’s most talented chefs. Peppino’s Italian Chophouse fits right in. The elegant restaurant and wine bar, run by well-known Erie chef Joe Colao, has been open since 2008. Colao emigrated from Italy to the U.S. in 1969, and stepping into his restaurant is almost like being whisked to the Mediterranean.

The rich, ornate decor suggests a trattoria that would feel Italian anywhere on the globe, and the menu puts you in the seat of an honored guest. Colao himself will most likely make it to your table to say hello, too. I should say that as comfortable as it is, this is a restaurant meant for a special occasion — by which I mean be ready to drop $35 on a New York strip steak.