Il Ritorno — St. Petersburg

This is where St. Pete's food-obsessed crowd goes when they want Italian that actually pushes the envelope. The vibe is rustic meets modern, the pasta is handmade, and every dish has something unexpected happening that makes you pause and go "oh wow." Jamie ordered the thing that sounded weirdest on the menu, loved it, and now does that every time we go. This is the kind of restaurant where you let the chef drive and just enjoy the ride.