In November of 1994, Butler, Pennsylvania saw the opening of a great Italian restaurant named Villa Grande.

Liman Ballanca, the owner of Villa Grande, learned his trade by making Italian cuisine in the two meccas of Italian cuisine: Rome and New York City. His story is not typical of those who currently have restaurants. His mother or grandmother didn't teach him everything he knows. Instead, he learned by teaching himself and by watching the people he used to work for and with. With his skill in front of stoves and ovens, he found a place in Butler, Pennnsylvania that he believed would make a great restaurant. He was right. Fourteen years later, Villa Grande continues to be one of the best places for Italian in the Pittsburgh area.