Bella Napoli 6229 Brookside Boulevard, 816-444-5041
There's a map of Italy posted in the back of Bella Napoli, an Italian deli in Brookside. The boot-shaped country looks like a pin cushion, attached to the wall by more than thirty thumbtacks marking the provinces in which owner Jake Imperiale has traveled. When he decided to open an Italian deli two years ago, Imperiale says, he had the experience to make it authentic. The store offers more than forty cheeses, ten varieties of fresh olives, handmade pasta in every geometrical shape, and gelato. The Imperiale family also runs a coffee shop in the corner of the store. "It's a little corner of Italy and Brookside," Imperiale says. "A lot of people here have traveled throughout Italy and they like the food. This is one of the few places they can find it."
