They talk about Chicago, but Milwaukee has some of the best pizza west of Italy. This year, West Allis’s Flour Girl & Flame won several Shepherd Express Best of Awards, as did Balistreri’s on the West Side. On the East Side, there’s Carini’s and Zaffiro’s. Many swear by Papa Luigi’s in Cudahy. With its Italian American history, Bayview seems especially blessed with DeMarini’s, Tentuta’s and Santino’s Little Italy. The list could go on and on, but let’s focus this month on Santino’s.

Like many local restaurants known for their pizza, Santino’s has a short menu of pasta dishes and a pleasing antipasti array, including a generous portion of bruschetta, six toasts topped with cherry tomatoes, basil and shaved Romano cheese lightly drizzled in virgin olive oil. The arancini (rice balls stuffed with cheese and spinach) are delicious, the deep-fried calamari is tender and the “bocce ball” is a filling meatball served with marinara sauce, cheeses and olives. The salads are ample.