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When Neapolitan Luga DiPaolo opened this Italian eatery in 1979, the sign atop the building read Casa Nova for its previous occupant, a Spanish restaurant. DiPaolo shrugged then Italianated it by tightening the moniker and bringing his native comfort food to the kitchen. A 2007 renovation maintains the casual, working-class front room with wood tables and a red tile floor; a small formal dining room at back steps it up with white tablecloths and slightly creepy murals of island scenes and a troubadour. Most dishes are typical red-sauce fare: cheese pizzas, chicken/veal parmigiana, and spaghetti and meatballs. The house specialty is the Famous Grandma, a gigantic rectangle of a pizza simply seasoned with marinara sauce, melted mozzarella, chopped garlic, and fresh basil leaves. Although Casanova is located at a grim intersection before the Casimir Pulaski Bridge, for an authentic slice, it’s almost worth a pilgrimage. — Laurel A. Fantauzzo

Famous grandma pizza, $18