• Italian restaurants in Gahanna, Ohio, range from the upscale to the casual.pasta image by Yvonne Bogdanski from Fotolia.com
  
  Voted one of the country's "Best Places to Live" by "Money" magazine, Gahanna, Ohio, is a tight-knit community with a welcoming charm. Three creeks characterize the region, and the burgeoning old town district of Creekside bustles with new business and restaurants. Among the many new businesses popping up in what was formerly Olde Gahanna, is a high-end Italian restaurant joining the more casual eateries in town.
  
  

Mezzo

• Located in the newly revitalized Olde Gahanna, Mezzo is one of the first upscale restaurants to open in the sleepy city. Boasting Tuscan-style interior with wrought-iron accents and a terra cotta interior, the restaurant's most characteristic feature is its outdoor seating area near a stone pit fire. The restaurant prides itself on a menu that spotlights only the in-season ingredients and a diverse wine list with Old and New World selections. Taking a cue from its big-city comrades, Mezzo offers wine pairing suggestions for several dishes on its menu, alleviating guests' deliberation over selection. Additionally, guests seeking a more casual meal will thank Mezzo for its pizza offerings.
  
  Mezzo
  
  130 Creekside Plaza
  
  Gahanna, OH 43230
  
  614-476-9900
  
  mezzoitalian.com
  
  

Rotelli

• The exposed-brick bar area and curvy archways hints at rustic Italy, but the red leather booths say Rotelli's is a modern eatery with a family-friendly atmosphere. Large appetizer portions of fried calamari beg to be shared, and weekly pizza specials make dinner a no-brainer for busy families on a budget. The restaurant's signature dish of sausage-stuffed banana peppers are a hot item, and customers savor the overstuffed submarine sandwiches
  
  Rotelli
  
  1344 Cherry Bottom Road
  
  Gahanna, OH 43230
  
  614-476-1900
  
  rotellicolumbus.com
  
  

Kristino's Pizza and Pasta

• Partnered with Gahanna Pub, Kristino's offers a menu that thinks outside of the pizza box. The Mexican, topped with hamburger and jalapeno, promises a pie with kick, and the chicken bacon ranch surpasses the less interesting choices of Kristino's corporate competitors. Italian subs pack in provolone, pepperoni and salami and the antipasta's pile of meat, cheese and Italian dressing is a salad that defies the word "diet."
  
  Kristino's Pizza and Pasta
  
  207 W. Johnstown Road
  
  Gahanna, OH 43230
  
  614-471-2800
  
  gahannapub.com