Stefano's Trattoria

So many gems of the Orlando metro's dining community are ensconced in anonymous strip-mall digs and Stefano's Trattoria is just such a jewel, this one at the intersection of Red Bug and Tuskawilla in Winter Springs. Its gracious hosts, chef/owner Stefano LaCommare and wife, Marie, greet each diner as though they are guests in their home and make no mistake – you will leave as sated as you would have from your Sicilian grandmother's table. Hearty gnocchi and lasagna, rich sauces and an array of other crowd-pleasing favorites – the heavenly cioppino, mussels puttanesca and tortellini di Stefano come to mind – keep locals coming back for what so many call the best Italian in the area.