Father-and-son duo Dante and Massimo Liberatore brought their heritage to Frederick with the opening of Cucina Massi. Gaze out the window at the restaurant and you’ll be greeted by a mural depicting the Italian town of Palena, from which their family hails.

While their Frederick eatery is about two years old, the family has extensive experience operating Italian restaurants across Maryland under the name Liberatore’s. Now it’s Massimo’s turn to step up as the next generation of restauranteurs. The Cucina Massi menu is packed with dishes that include mozzarella, marinara, meatballs and pasta.