Have you tried the Eggplant Parmesan at Aldo’s Italian Kitchen? It’s outta this world! And the Chicken Piccata? Forget about it. Close your eyes and take a bite and you’ll think you’re sitting in a deli in Parma, Italy. Actually, it was in a similar place that Aldo’s owner, Emanuele Cognetti, was raised, and his entire life has been focused around cultivating and preparing delicious food and putting smiles on the faces of his customers.

“My thing has always been caring about the customer,” Cognetti told The Zebra in a recent interview. “We always go out of our way to accommodate their needs.” Aldo’s Italian Kitchen, at 2850 Eisenhower Ave, has been open for five years, and every day at lunchtime there is a line that goes out the door.