Best of Boston

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: City chef heads to the ‘burbs, ditches fine dining for comfort fare, and watches culture-starved locals pour in. Original or not, we’re smitten with Il Casale, which opened this spring in Belmont’s old fire station. Maybe it’s because owners Dante deMagistris and brothers Filippo and Damian grew up in the neighborhood. Or it could be the simple family recipes. Who cares? We just want some more of that gnocchi with porcini cream, burrata with pistachios, and fluffy tiramisu.