Sheri Rabanal did not plan to open a restaurant as soon as she graduated college. She planned to work at a restaurant, gaining experience until she took the leap. It was her parents’ insistence that she should not put off her dreams that led her to opening Taglia Fresh Italian in September. “The support of my family made it the right moment,” Rabanal said.

The restaurant serves Italian food—all freshly made, including the restaurant’s bread and pasta, with produce delivered to the restaurant daily. Rabanal believes this sets her restaurant apart from other Italian restaurants, even though freshly made, simple dishes are a hallmark of Italian cooking, she said.