This might come as a surprise to many people, but there have been quite a few notable restaurant openings in the past few months, with more planned for spring. It seems that a pandemic can’t stop all progress, and as a result, chefs have been busting out with stellar pizzas, mouthwatering pastas, and original Italian dishes galore.

Some of the most exciting openings have been happening on the left-hand side of the United States, which continues to disabuse the notion that great Italian food can only come from the Northeast — or, of course, Italy. Here are some of the most enticing recent Italian restaurant openings in the Western United States.