The owners of Ferrante’s Restaurant in Mequon credit their success to family recipes from Rome that have remained unchanged for 40 years. "If you would have told me I will be serving my Italian-American fare in 2017 when I opened in 1977, I may not have believed you,” said Amy Ferrante-Gollwitzer, owner of Ferrante’s Restaurant and Signature Catering.

The dining room and a large bar area were packed with patrons when we arrived to dine in this little part of Italy recreated. It was lasagna night, and there were portions of the dish as big as the lunch box I used to take to elementary school.