Although he was already plenty busy running Brooks Tavern with the help of his wife and daughters, Tom Verri still longed return to his roots serving Italian fare. An effort to buy Renzo’s on Main Street had fallen through at the last minute.

When one door closes, another opens. When a wine distributor told him that Mona Lisa owner Franco Bonaduce wanted to sell his Church Street restaurant and retire, Verri jumped at the chance. He bought the place and hired a contractor to modernize the intimate space.