Cortona’s Italian Cuisine & Wine Bar

Named for the picturesque Tuscan hometown of co-owner Simone Lucarini, this street-side trattoria in Fortville was packed from the moment it opened in late 2018, serving regional specialties and unusual twists not typically found at local red-sauce pasta houses. Crispy calamari is a standout among antipasti, but try a pizza baked in the wood-fired oven, such as a pie topped with gorgonzola and speck or one with artichokes, mushrooms, and olives. Lush cream soups and fresh-tasting salads are good intermezzos before such hearty dishes as pasta al fumo with a rich tomato cream sauce and pancetta or hearty veal-stuffed ravioli in a brandy cream. Entrées include veal scallopini in either a traditional marsala sauce or a sweeter treatment with prunes, and fish specials such as mahi mahi with a caper sauce are good bets. End with a chocolate-drizzled cannoli or a smooth house coffee. Reservations are a must, but the especially chummy, knowledgeable staff will make you feel like you’re a guest in Big Night. Dinner Tues.–Sun.