Original owners Sal and Odessa Barresi sold their restaurant to Sarah Wagner back in 2005. She had bused tables there in high school, and then returned after attending culinary school and honing her skills in a few other kitchens. While Wagner has adapted Barresi’s to a new generation of diners, she has remained true to what made this restaurant a classic in the first place: the family recipes. The white tablecloths and candlelight make the dining room very intimate, and the menu is filled with Southern Italian gems such as pesce Florentine and beef tenderloin with crab gorgonzola. Italian classics including Zabaglione and Cannoli are on the dessert menu.

See more: Hamilton County restaurants, Deer Park restaurants, Italian restaurants