As a native Austinite and its most notable restaurateur, Larry McGuire always has his eye on what’s next. And for years, what he saw as the city’s most glaring culinary deficiency was the type of old-school, Italian American red-sauce joints that he liked to frequent on both coasts—places like Dan Tana’s in LA and Emilio’s Ballato in New York’s Little Italy.

But how to recreate the magic of places with decades of history, timeless family recipes, and the type of vintage charm that’s devoid of kitsch? For that, he knew he needed just the right space.