Michael Chiarello is a genuine triple threat. An award-winning chef, TV personality, and successful entrepreneur, he has the golden touch. And he’s also a very nice guy.

So the opening of his new restaurant, Bottega, in Yountville last year was hotly anticipated. It opened to rave reviews and has continued to garner positive notices — and diners – in what is probably the best food town per capita in the United States.
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The Napa and Sonoma Valleys of Northern California are a traveler’s dream with luxurious resorts, beautiful scenery, world-class wineries, and outstanding restaurants. In fact, the little town of Yountville has four restaurants with Michelin stars.

The area is still largely agricultural, so there’s all kind of fresh produce in abundance. And the lifestyle and climate have attracted artisanal cheesemakers, butchers, and more. Eating well is as much a part of wine country life as enjoying great wine. Read more…

Hawaii is blessed with lots of locally grown fruits and vegetables, and a wide variety of fresh seafood. So the food on Kauai is very good. But after a week of kalua pork, coconut shrimp, and mahi mahi, you may find yourself craving some good Italian food.

Although Kauai doesn’t have an Italian restaurant on every block, like some cities, it does have several outstanding places where you can enjoy top-notch Italian cuisine and wonderful ambience. Read more…

The Windy City has so many great Italian restaurants that narrowing it down to ten is a challenge.

Virtually every neighborhood has at least one traditional trattoria where you can get a great plate of pasta and a good glass of wine. And these days, most Chicagoland suburbs have one too.
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