Veronica Sandolo says a few days in Ponza, the picturesque Italian island where her extended family lives, is “like therapy.” For the newest iteration of her family’s Norwalk restaurant, she is highlighting the best of the island, including its traditional food, culture and warm, family-friendly service.

Sandolo is a second-generation restaurateur, and she has been transitioning her father’s eatery, John’s Best Pizza, into Ponza Italian Kitchen & Bar over the past few months. John Sandolo has owned the Connecticut Avenue Italian restaurant since 1980, and the next generation is taking over, she said.