Get a taste of authentic Italian food without the fuss at this Smyrna restaurant

My first night at Mezza Luna, I fell a little bit in love.

I’d found an open seat at the bar. Over in the corner, an accordion player filled the air with a charming tune. The open kitchen had a line of gas burners turned up so high that it might as well have been a roaring fireplace. And, when I ordered a glass of Montepulciano, the pour was so generous I thought I might have stumbled into someone’s Italian home, not a joint on an unremarkable corner in suburban Atlanta.

Everyone, staff included, seems to be as comfortable here as they might be at home. When there’s a slow moment, Tony Strangolagalli, who runs the front of the house, likes to chat in Italian with the chef, Luigi Tartaglione, and sip espresso. They own the place together. Everybody speaks a little Italian: buonasera, buon appetito, il vino buono? It’s a charming routine that puts everyone at ease. Nothing happens in a hurry. People tend to linger, laughing and drinking and eating plate after plate. Tony and Luigi seem to love it.