Formerly a pasta factory and then an Italian grocery, this Brooklyn shop is now home to Café Mars, an unusual Italian restaurant that’s looking to expand what the definition of what an Italian restaurant actually is. And no, it has nothing to do with outer space.

Nestled in the historically Italian neighborhood of Gowanus, the location of Café Mars alone is steeped in Italian history and sits across the street from where co-chef Paul D’Avino’s great grandfather arrived from Tramonti (Campania), Italy in 1901.