72 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {food coloring} the mix and people-watch at the bar. We have local businesses that have their staff dinners and large meetings here on weeknights, and families with parties and receptions here on weekends.” Dinner is currently served seven days a week with no immediate plans to open for lunch just yet. They also now offer glutenfree and vegan options. But like the saying goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Only minor seasonal tweaks have been made to the menu over the years and that’s just how guests like it. “We’ve tried to change the menu and people get angry,” Alisa says. “We know what they like, and it’s important that we’re consistent with the quality of our food. Every little detail is important because that’s what matters to the guest.” Items like Stella’s signature rich and meaty osso bucco served with mascarpone polenta, housemade pastas (like rigatoni with a smoked pork and bell pepper ragu sauce) and Nonna’s potato gnocchi have helped solidify the restaurant’s reputation for authentic Northern Italian cuisine. Maintaining a warm and welcoming atmosphere has always been Alisa’s priority for both incarnations of her restaurant. “I changed schools a lot when I was a kid so I know what it’s like to sit at the lunch table by your-
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