Medusa Pizzeria owner Ernesto Villico was grinning, though you could hardly tell because of the giant orb of fresh mozzarella he’d shoved in his mouth as a joke. He held a pizza peel with a freshly-stretched dough in his hand, had his name stitched along the back of a custom Italia soccer jersey and sported a lipstick outline on his cheek from where his wife Casimira laid a smack on him after a fun group photo session. He was having a ball, and it showed.

Both Ernesto and Casimira seem like they’re always smiling, and their friendly hospitality warms the atmosphere at their Fishtown restaurant. The dining room at the corner of Gaul and York is huge, and though it’s appointed with hardwood tables and decored with lots of local art, it looks almost aseptic when viewed from the outside.