The house made lasagna at Anna’s Kitchen consists of a large rectangle of the dish that was served up, with multiple layers standing tall and the nose of tomato, meat, and cheese wafting up, perfuming the air. The noodles were tender and a wonderful platform for the meat sauce and cheese cling onto the ridges for the perfect bite. Patrick Evans-Hylton/freelance

My introduction to Italian food was very rudimentary and sporadic. Growing up in the American South in the late 1960s and early 70s, there weren’t an abundance of Italian eateries. Most importantly, my grandmother — who raised me from infancy — always looked at anything other than the dishes she grew up with as suspicious.

So I started with spaghetti at Shoney’s, and the occasional frozen pizza. But somewhere in my high school years, I discovered lasagna, and I was truly hooked.

Lasagna is a delicious, hearty dish, with layers of flat noodles, meat sauce, and ricotta and other cheeses. There’s bad lasagna, where the noodles are too crispy or the cheese is too oily. But then there’s good lasagna, where all seems right with the world.

It’s good lasagna they serve up at Anna’s Kitchen, located in Hilltop in Virginia Beach. This venerable eatery comes by it honestly. Namesake Anna Alosa and family came to America from Calabria, Italy, and dishes served up here were handed down from her mother.

Anna’s is a quaint restaurant located in Regency Hilltop shopping center, with faux-brick lined walls and dark wood accents. The aroma of tomato sauce hits you as soon as you open the door, and if you aren’t hungry already, you soon will be.

My partner Doug and I started with the Greek Salad ($10.99) which was promised to be big enough to share. It didn’t disappoint — in fact, it was large enough to bring home for lunch the next day.

A large bowl was filled with crisp, chilled romaine lettuce as the base, and built up on top and around the perimeter of the dish with sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, kalamata olives and a generous sprinkling of feta cheese. A well-seasoned olive oil-based dressing came on the side.

The salad was fresh and delicious, and a great way to start the meal.

The Greek Salad at Anna’s Kitchen was a delicious offering of a large bowl filled with crisp, chilled romaine lettuce with sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, kalamata olives and a generous sprinkling of feta cheese. A lovely, highly seasoned olive oil-based dressing was wonderful dried on top. Patrick Evans-Hylton/freelance

After some bread with olive oil was brought out, we shared some chicken wings and waited for the main event: lasagna.

A large rectangle of the dish was served up, with multiple layers standing tall and the nose of tomato, meat, and cheese wafting up, perfuming the air.

Everything here is made in house, and it shows. The noodles were tender and a wonderful platform for the other ingredients. They cut easily with a fork, and while delicate, the dish was sturdy enough to have the meat sauce and cheese cling onto the ridges for the perfect bite.

I loved the meat sauce: there was a nice underlying sweetness in the tomato base, and hints of Italian seasonings — basil, thyme and garlic among them — added savory notes. Fine pieces of browned, ground beef were throughout, adding taste and texture. Cheese also was throughout the layers, and delicately sprinkled on top.

Between the salad, wings and lasagna, we also had a portion to take home to enjoy the following day.

There’s no beer, spirits or wine on the menu at Anna’s, so I enjoyed a glass of water. If you have leftovers for dining at home the next day, I’d suggest a lovely classic chianti to pair with anything with a red sauce.

Anna’s Kitchen is at 1940 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach. Call 757-491-5050 or visit www.AnnasPizzaKitchen.com.

Parrotheads, take note: Key West Fest at Commonwealth Brewing Company. The event starts at noon Aug. 13, and includes island-inspired slushies and a pizza bar menu, live music and more. The fete follows the release of Hemingway Key Lime Goes, Islamorada Goes on Aug. 9 and Tranquil Dark Mexican Lager on Aug. 12.

Commonwealth Brewing Company is at 2444 Pleasure House Rd., Virginia Beach. Call 757-305-9652 or visit www.CommonwealthBrewingCompany.com

Let’s taco ‘bout it at the Virginia Beach Taco Festival, with varying times Aug. 20 and 21 at The Shack. Crunch on 10-plus offerings from area taco restaurants and food vendors, enjoy a margarita bar, tequila sampling, live music and general vendors. There also will be a taco and a chili pepper eating contest. Prices range based on experiences, from $9 to $59.

The Shack is at 712 Atlantic Ave., Virginia Beach. Call 757-319-5146. For information and tickets, visit www.VirginiaBeachTacoFest.com.

Patrick Evans-Hylton, PatrickEvansHylton@gmail.com