Around the corner from Arthur Ave. on Crescent Ave., Roberto’s restaurant can be found inside a broad yet unassuming storefront under a simple green awning. If you see a light blue ’57 Fiat 500 parked outside, it means that chef Roberto Paciullo himself is in the kitchen, or outside of it, going from table to table to talk with patrons.

Paciullo is originally from Salerno, a town on the Amalfi coast, but has been creating dishes inspired by all regions of Italy for nearly 40 years. When Paciullo immigrated to the Bronx by himself at 17, he realized quickly that “it’s home, [so] I stayed here.”