Few ethnic cuisines are better represented in Milwaukee than that of the Italians. We've got nearly everything, from traditional Italian-American red sauce joints to upscale eateries and adventurous menus. There has been an upsurge recently in fine Italian dining in Milwaukee and so it's time to present some highlights of Italian dining in Brew City.

Of course, there are far too many restaurants to list them all, so here are some of our favorites. Add your favorite using the talkback feature at the bottom of the story.

Buon appetito!

Balistreri's Ristorante
812 N. 68th St., (414) 475-1414
www.balistreris.com
A Wauwatosa favorite, Balistreri's is best known for its delicious pizza, but also serves a variety of other traditional Italian-American favorites in a lively, intimate setting.

Buca di Beppo
1233 N. Van Buren St., (414) 224-8672
www.bucadibeppo.com
This chain opened to great reviews from the public a few years back thanks to its kitschy interior (hello, Sophia Loren!) and gargantuan portions. If family-style tables, a loud and lively atmosphere and heaping bowls of OK pasta are your thing, Buca is for you.

Cafe La Scala
631 E. Chicago St., (414) 223-2800
www.italianconference.com/restaurant
A new outward focus -- i.e. al fresco dining in the courtyard -- has given some new legs to this trattoria located adjacent to the bocce courts at the Italian Community Center in the Third Ward. So has its reformulation as a family-style place that now offers pizzas to diners and for take-out and delivery to the many new nearby condos and apartments.

Cafe Vecchio Mondo
1137 N. Old World Third St., (414) 273-5700
www.cafevecchio.com/cafevecchio/
Located on Historic Old World Third Street, Café Vecchio Mondo features a 100-bottle wine list, 20 martinis, microbrews and espresso drinks. But there's more than just drink and atmosphere at Vecchio. Relaxed dining features fondues, focaccia sandwiches, soups, entrees and desserts.

Calderone Club
842 N. Old World Third St., (414) 273-3236
8001 N. Port Washington Rd., (414) 352-9303
A trio of old-style checkered tablecloth Italian restaurants, Calderone dishes up mounds of pasta like mamma used to make. They also make some of the city's most beloved pizza. Visit the Bartlett Ave. location for the most atmosphere and the chance to meet Mamma herself.

Carini's La Conca d'Oro
3468 N. Oakland Ave., (414) 963-9623
Housed in a former Mexican restaurant and tavern, the Carini brothers serve up the city's best seafood-based Italian cuisine. From shrimp and scallops to swordfish and more, the dishes here will transport you to Palermo and the original Conca d'Oro. The lunch buffet is also a good option.

Il Mito
605 W. Virginia St., (414) 276-1414
www.ilmito.com
Opening an Italian restaurant in the heart of Milwaukee's mexican neighborhood (and a Mexican eatery mecca) is a bold move. The atmosphere is inviting and the menu good enough to lure folks to the near south side. Alas, the reconstruction of the 6th Street Viaduct can't be helping poor Il Mito.