Atlanta just didn't have enough authentic Italian restaurants to suit Paolo Tondo. When the San Francisco resident started looking for a place to open his own eatery, he knew that the Big A was the place to be.

"I have been in the restaurant business for 23 years, and I've helped other people be successful," said Tondo, who was raised in Florence, Italy. "I decided I wanted to do that for myself. And I liked the weather and the people in Atlanta. So why not here?"

Renee Brock/Special (ENLARGE)
The new Taverna Fiorentina is part of the revamped Kroger shopping center at 3324 Cobb Parkway.
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Tondo also found a location that has a neighborhood feel yet is close to Vinings and Buckhead. His new Taverna Fiorentina is part of the revamped Kroger shopping center at 3324 Cobb Parkway. (It's the same center that's home to C & S Seafood.)

"This space was a hairdresser's, so we wound up doing everything inside from scratch," said Tondo, who opened the taverna with partner Jasmin Reyes. "We imported most of the items like the dishes and silverware from Tuscany. We had the tables and chairs custom-made."

The Tuscan accents are part of a small dining room, outfitted in pale yellows, greens and grays, that has room for 50 diners. A small porch is being converted to outside seating for the warmer season.

That's Italian

"I love to cook, love to eat and love food," Tondo said. "I've been around restaurants all my life and know how the favorites are supposed to be."

For Tondo, "supposed to be" includes pastas and breads made fresh daily. They're blended into a menu that begins with small plates of toasted Tuscan bread, topped with olive oil and garlic or spread with tomatoes and garlic. Other starters include beef meatballs in tomato sauce; marinated filet with Parmesan; grilled calamari; and a spread of thinly sliced imported salami and prosciutto. Go green with salads of spinach, endive and radicchio or arugula with poached pears and Gorgonzola.

The traditional dishes of penne in a cream, basil and tomato sauce and lasagna Bolognese share the menu with seafood linguine or ravioli, tagliatelle with beef ragu and a daily risotto. Check out the Taverna version of mac and cheese: a blend of macaroni with garlic, onions, pancetta, red pepper and sliced pecorino cheese. The signature item that has patrons coming back for more is the pappardelle with wild boar. They're also big on the wild boar that's marinated and braised in a red wine sauce. Other hearty main dishes are pork tenderloin, a 12-ounce New York strip, veal scaloppini, grilled lamb chops and a catch of the day. Still hungry? Add a side of grilled vegetables, tagliatelle in a creamy Parm sauce or sauteed spinach with garlic.

Kids can get the basics of penne topped with butter, cheese or tomato sauce, with or without a meatball. At lunch, the menu features a few of the favorite starters and salads as well as pastas, veal, steak and seafood entrees.

From the bar

More than 80 bottles line the wine list, with about a dozen offered by the glass. Prices start at $20 for the largely Italian options, with a few California choices as well. The bar serves four bottled beers, including two Italian brews, and a full cocktail menu. Martini lovers will want to sample the pineapple upside down cake, espresso and Key lime concoctions.

TAVERNA FIORENTINA

• Where: 3324 Cobb Parkway, Atlanta. 770-272-9825

• Signature dish: Wild boar in a red wine sauce

• Entree prices: $15-$29

• Hours: Lunch, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; dinner,

5:30-10:30 p.m. daily

• Reservations: Yes

• Credit cards: Yes