La Favellina

The winding drive up into the Lessini hills is part of the deal at this family-run, Michelin-starred restaurant tucked into the Veneto countryside. A mother handles the pasta from the kitchen while her sons run the rest of the show, front and back, which gives the whole evening a warmth that's hard to manufacture. The cooking ranges widely across Italian ingredients with the occasional unexpected pairing thrown in for good measure.

One honor, in evidence: