Il Cane Rosso

First, there is the location. Deep Ellum practically craved a restaurant like Il Cane Rosso to arouse a sense of "dining-destination" resurgence. It's a casual restaurant suitable for everything from date nights to young families to special-event get-togethers. The surprisingly spacious dining room has a polished bohemian feel to it, which befits the restaurant's location. The furniture-rustic wood tables and benches-is simple, but a marble winding bar top adds some refinement. There's not a full bar, but in its place is a decent wine collection displayed on shelves along the wall and several beers on tap to go along with a bottled beer selection. Basic pies like the Margherita and Prosciutto e Rucola showcase the strengths, such as a killer tomato sauce and fresh ingredients. What makes Cane Rosso's pizza so adored, though, is the Neapolitan-style thin and chewy crust (thanks to the imported 00 finely milled flour) and the high quality cheeses and toppings used.