Ilbosto (Our Gang Cafe)050

This has to be the only restaurant in town where the Statue of Liberty greets you at the door and the laundry line greets you on the patio. It's all business as usual at the Our Gang Café, a Valley pizzeria that strives to make New York transplants feel right at home.

The strip mall location doesn't look too promising from out front, but kids love that patio (owners Robert and Dino Brescia's Disneyesque version of the old family neighborhood in Little Italy). The food is the main draw for Our Gang's loyal customers. A bottomless basket of gratis, garlicky foccacia bread sets the tone for the rest of your meal - a leisurely-paced affair in a fun environment that's bound to be noisy and cheerful.

There's no children's menu, but ask your server about the daily kids' specials (typically a choice of pasta or 7" cheese or pepperoni pizza for under $5). Adults will find the portions generous (the Antipasto Salad is a complete meal), the prices reasonable, and the dishes authentically Big Apple Italian. Create-your-own or specialty pizzas are popular options, as are huge calzones with spunky marinara sauce, creamy pasta creations, and Black Angus beef. The dessert menu is irresistible - as long as you remember to wear your stretchy pants.

High chairs and booster seats are plentiful, but you'll need to bring your own crayons and paper. No reservations, so plan on a wait, particularly for patio seating. The atmosphere's worth the extra wait and provides a fun mealtime diversion for fidgety bambini.