Evelyn’s won the Daily Republic’s Readers’ Choice for best Italian restaurant, but gorgeous pie isn’t the only thing putting the restaurant on the map. If it’s food and it’s Italian, Piero “Peter” Tropeano and Evelyn’s has it. “If people come in here and they aren’t happy, I’m going to make them happy one way or another,” Tropeano said. “They always leave happy.”

Originally from Italy – from a village very near where TV’s “The Sopranos” came from – Tropeano came to America and began working in the restaurant business at 12 years old in the Bronx. His father still lives in Italy and at 98 makes the wine for the whole family during the holidays.

“It’s not easy to do,” Tropeano said.