I love Italian food, I grew up on it and it's easy to make. 25 old-school restaurants in the country are the best for getting Italian food. One of those 25 is located in Missouri.

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You will find Charlie Gitto’s on the Hill in St. Louis and experts claim this is one of the best old-school restaurants to get a good Italian meal. It's also located where the famous toasted ravioli was invented...by accident.

Charlie Gitto Jr. opened this place in 1981, on the site formerly occupied by a restaurant called Alfredos, where his father had been maître d’hôtel. Alfredo’s was famous because it was reportedly there, in 1947, that a chef accidentally invented the most famous St. Louis contribution to the Italian-American culinary canon: toasted (actually fried) ravioli.

I've been to the Hill several times, but never have had the pleasure of eating at Chalir Gitto's. Now that they are getting national attention I might have to put this on my St. Louis bucket list for places to visit.

For over 40 years, Charlie Gitto's has been serving up the best Italian food in the St. Louis area, and even better it's a family-run business. Everything on the menu looks amazing, but I am all about the dessert menu. OMG! We are lucky to have an amazing Italian restaurant in the Tri-State area, but if you're looking for a new restaurant to experience Charlie Gitto's would be my pick.

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