While saddened that downtown Sarasota lost Made Restaurant last month, I'm thrilled the city's most famous dining district recently welcomed Trattoria Bella Napoli, just a half-mile stroll down Main Street. For those not fluent in Italian, the restaurant's name roughly translates to "Beautiful Naples Eatery," and it's the latest and greatest place to savor authentic Neapolitan dishes, including, yes, a masterful pizza margherita.

Located at 1551 Main St., Bella Napoli sits next door to the landmark French café and bakery C'est La Vie, replacing Ama La Vita, a fine-dining Italian restaurant. Bella Napoli favors warmth over pretense, with its intimate dining room and open kitchen brimming with laughter and, yes, the dulcet tones of lively Italian voices that make the atmosphere as charming as the traditional cuisine of their homeland.