In many ways, opening Osteria Bianchi was all about a homecoming for Josh and Kelly Bianchi. For one, Kelly is a Kansas City native, so the return here seemed like the right fit for their family after the glitz of Las Vegas.

The American Italian restaurant is also a return to some family roots: Josh’s grandmother is from Sicily, and the restaurant’s tightly-composed menu of Italian dishes draws a lot of inspiration from traditional recipes. On top of that, the Northland Kansas City-based restaurant is all about continuing to establish a chef-driven community near Liberty.