Family dining in Elkridge can be a tough thing. Elkridge is turning into a food desert, with most of the restaurants in Columbia or by Arundel Mills. However, for down home cooking and comfortable dining, look no further than Pazani.

Pazani (6060 Marshalee Dr.) is located in Elkridge near the Giant at Lyndwood Square. The restaurant has been open for three years, and if you haven’t checked it out by now, for shame.

The first thing I noticed was that they have whole wheat and gluten-free pasta options. It wasn’t something that appealed to me, but it's great to have those choices. The next thing was the cupcakes—from Kupcakes & Co. Score one for Pazani, supporting local business.

My husband ordered the Pancaprese panini with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and pesto spread. My daughter ordered a slice of pizza, and I had the gnocchi Caprese. My meal came with salad and bread, and had I read the menu, I would have known that. But instead, I ordered garlic knots because they looked so good. All of our food came out to be close to $30, including soft drinks.

All was freshly made and served within a reasonable time. It felt like food was constantly coming to our table. The staff even made sure our daughter was served first and double-sliced the pizza so it was easy for her to hold.

The food was great. My gnocchi was soft and flavorful. The sauce was light. My husband enjoyed half his panini, and we took home all of the unfinished food, which I ate for lunch for the next two days. Conveniently, the drinks, carryout boxes and condiments are all located so the customers can help themselves.

The best part of our experience was the family-friendly atmosphere. The entire staff was extremely warm and caring.

This is not a fancy Italian restaurant where you would go on your tenth wedding anniversary, but is the perfect place to take the family after swim classes or a baseball practice. With great food, very reasonably priced, it’s family dining at its best in Elkridge.