Italian

Zano’s Pizza (11401 Donner Pass Rd., 530/587-7411, www.zanos.net [1], daily 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m. and 4–9:30 p.m., Fri.–Sat. open until 10 p.m., $12–30) can hook you up with huge pizzas and tremendous salads in a big, casual dining room with the latest games playing on the TVs over the bar. A mural depicting the Italian countryside (complete with cows) graces the rear wall, and glass block semi-walls break up the sweeping dining space for a cozier feel.

The full menu includes pastas and Italian entrées. At lunchtime, the hot, crisp paninis taste great. But it’s the thin-crust pizzas that rule the house here, and you can pick one of Zano’s interesting combinations or build your own from the list of fresh ingredients. Should the kids get bored, an arcade at the back can provide easy entertainment.