The place: Bella Nonna Bistro, 2801 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, (941) 355-4620.

The fare: Italian and Mediterranean dishes at lunch and dinner every day in a charming and friendly little place across the street from the Ringling College of Art and Design.

The bottom line: The $2 pizza slices should be popular with thrifty art students, but the lunchtime treat I’m touting is a discovery worth trumpeting. The chef bills it as the world’s best grilled cheese, and I’m inclined to agree. On golden grilled sourdough, this platonic ideal of the sandwich layers brie, cheddar, American and provolone cheeses, then sets off that robust and tasty blend with a layer of swoony apple-almond chutney. Savor it with chips and a superior deli dill pickle spear for $5.95 or go crazy and upgrade from chips to a side like yummy marinated artichoke salad for $1.95.