A rose on every table, a dimly lit dining room filled with guests dressed to the nines, engaging intimate conversations, exceptional wait staff attentive to diners’ every request, mellow jazz music filling the room like it’s a lovers’ paradise. This doesn’t just paint the picture here on Valentine’s Day; it’s the scene year-round at Ferraro’s Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar. Whether for a first date, wedding anniversary or just a few friends having a nice meal out, the family-owned eatery headed up by Gino Ferraro and wife Rosalba has been creating memories for Italian food aficionados for more than three decades.

Before you look at the menu, scan the extensive list of more than 12,000 wines from all over the world, 900 of which are Italian. Eighteen are offered by the glass, including the crisp, fruity 2012 Abbazia di Novacella Kerner white wine and the 2012 Tormaresca Torcicoda Primitivo, a full-bodied red zinfandel. Although you might feel overwhelmed, don’t be—the friendly staff is more than willing to offer advice.

One or two bread baskets of fresh-baked rosemary focaccia bread and housemade rolls will do just fine; don’t get too full, because you’ll want to order a starter—perhaps the grilled spicy sausage or fresh Italian-imported bufala mozzarella and 24-month aged San Danielle prosciutto. Find delight in a salad with heirloom tomatoes, avocado, red onions, fresh mozzarella cheese and balsamic vinaigrette or the light sweet potato soup with roasted chestnuts.

The osso buco, a fall-off-the-bone succulent veal shank, stars in this house. A specialty since the restaurant opened more than 30 years ago, the osso buco is lightly braised in a red wine reduction. Although you can order osso buco at many Italian restaurants, Ferraro’s version of the Milanese dish is decadent, simply melting in the mouth. A more exotic meat would be the coniglio brasato, braised farm-raised rabbit with sautéed spinach. It’s also a longtime specialty entrée—if you’ve never had it, it has somewhat of a turkey-like texture, yet a bit moister.

House-made pastas round out the menu, including raviolini di ricotta, house-made small ravioli with sheep’s milk ricotta, zucchini and guanciale, and gnocchi pomodoro, potato dumplings tossed in fresh tomato sauce, basil and olive oil. Another favorite pasta is the pappardelle Mimmo, wide ribbons of pasta with scallops, lobster, asparagus, butter, sage and truffle oil.

Even if you feel full after this munificence, you’ll still want to try one of Ferraro’s decadent desserts. Satisfy your sweet tooth with the pistachio passion—a rich walnut-crusted dessert layered with pistachio cream and cream cheese custard, drizzled with chocolate sauce around the edges. A traditional favorite, you can’t go wrong with tiramisu either, the light, lady-fingered espresso dessert that is oh-so-famous in the Italian cuisine.

Special for Valentine’s Day only, Ferraro’s is offering all couples a complimentary rose and a special four-course prix-fixe dinner starring lobster ravioli or veal ravioli and filet mignon. It’s is available for $75 per person, and you can also choose from the daily menu as well.

4480 Paradise Road, 11:30 a.m.-2 a.m. Mon.-Fri., 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Sat.-Sun. 702.364.5300