Franceschetta58, Modena, Italy

This was definitely the best place we ate while on our recent trip to northern Italy and I would 100% make the trip back to Modena to eat here if I was nearby. Massimo Bottura has a better known and Michelin lauded restaurant that has been called the best or amongst the best in the world, and this is not that, but it was pretty spectacular and a fraction of the cost. This dish, which was gambas that were grilled on one side and raw on the other, which sounds unpleasant, but was the winning dish of the meal--topped with fried tempura batter, it was just perfect.

The second best dish was a bowl of homemade tortellini, which the region is renowned for, in a parmesan cream sauce, was something so god you savored every single bite and ate it slowly enough to really enjoy just how special it is. I hope the parmesan we brought home from Modena serves us well over the next year.