If there was any positive to come out of the pandemic, it was the closure of Mountain View’s Castro Street to traffic. Instead of cars and motorcycles rumbling by, there are now cornhole games, a ping-pong table, and even mini putting green holes set up in what has grown into a veritable pedestrian playground with adults and kids alike.

Restaurants that line both sides seem even livelier now. One of the buzziest is Doppio Zero, with diners filling every sidewalk table. No wonder the founders of this mini Bay Area chain, Gianni “Johnny” Chiloiro and Angelo “Sanny” Sannino were inspired to open another restaurant just a few doors away.

Appropriately named Johnny & Sanny’s after its owners, it opened in May. Chef de Cuisine Santiago Avila Gonzalez and Corporate Chef Antonio Inguscio helm the kitchen of this establishment dedicated to Italian-American cuisine.

A couple weeks ago, I had a chance to check out the new restaurant when I was invited in as a guest.

The whole front of the restaurant opens up onto the sidewalk, making dining here seem even more festive.

The large bar commands attention at the front of the restaurant with its double-decker shelves of liquor overhead. More liquor bottles act almost as artwork, stacked on additional shelves on the wall under graceful archways.

A framed black-and-white photo of Sophia Loren adds a touch of glamour to the front dining room. In the smaller Teatro Room in the rear, a video of the Italian coast is projected on a wall.

Get in the mood with a barrel-aged Negroni Riserva ($17), a smooth, full-bodied sip with a deep bitter orange finish; and a black salt-rimmed Moonlight ($15) that’s smoky and tart from mezcal, Aperol, pomegranate liqueur, orange juice, and lemon juice.

Slices of crusty bread are brought to the table with a dish of olive oil with drops of balsamic.

Zucchini fries ($15) come egg-battered, fried, sprinkled with Parmigiano-Reggiano and piled on a plate with a crock of lemon-basil aioli. I couldn’t help but compare them to the signature ones at Little Original Joe’s in San Francisco, where they are a must-order. The ones at Johnny & Sanny’s are slightly thinner, and perhaps as a result are more limp and less crisp.

The standout for me was the octopus carpaccio ($18) with thin, tender slices dressed with an irresistibly tangy and briny anchovy salsa verde, frilly frisee, and crispy prosciutto that were like bacon bits.

While Dopio Zero showcases Neapolitan-style pizza, Johnny & Sanny’s focuses on Roman-style ones that are rectangular in shape.

The Castro ($20) is a vegetarian pizza blanketed in San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, soft chunks of fried eggplant, and a splash of basil pesto. The crust is crisp throughout, along the lines of a heftier flatbread.

Pastas are all made in house. The Grandmother Lasagna ($24) is layered with mozzarella and a meaty, chunky tomato sauce that was on the sweet side. The pasta sheets are supple but a little thick.

The gnocchi ($24) are tender, though not ethereally light. The lamb ragu in a Chianti red wine sauce is thick and hearty with ground meat.

For dessert, who can ever pass up tiramisu ($12) at an Italian restaurant? Here, it’s an ample square of lady fingers enveloped in voluptuous mascarpone and dusted with cocoa. The coffee flavor really comes through, too, leaving you energized for a game of corn hole outside the door.