North Italia

Following the success of True Food, Phoenix-based Fox Restaurant Concepts has launched another winning venture with this reasonably priced Italian eatery, where community dining is part of the appeal, along with homemade pastas and pizzas. A soaring space lit by bulbous overhead lighting and well-coiffed customers, North Italia manages to captivate and nurture our love affair with Italian cooking. Dishes to try include the seasonable vegetable salad, the highly touted bolognese, fig-and-prosciutto pizza, ricotta gnocchi with braised beef short ribs with horseradish crema, and Italian donuts. Call ahead for reservations or avoid peak hours if you hate to wait. North Italia, with a view of the kitchen behind floor-to-ceiling glass, is packed and loud during prime times. But that's part of the fun.