
5

"A lively Italian-American restaurant and music venue on Broadway that pairs high-end Italian sourcing and techniques with an unpretentious, approachable menu and nightly live music (plus Sunday brunch). The kitchen, led by a chef who previously worked at Eataly, highlights imported and DOP cheeses (pecorino Romano, Fontina) and meticulous house-made charcuterie and sausages—the antipasti board features a long, skinny pork “Slim Jim” smoked in-house with a satisfying snap alongside Tuscan-style liver mousse, stuffed peppers with speck and provolone, marinated olives, zucchini pickles, and fried pizza dough. Standout dishes include a classic red-sauce rigatoni based on the chef’s grandmother’s recipe, potato gnocchi (seasonal, with corn and smoked ricotta) that can be topped with charcoal-grilled Peruvian beef hearts, and a sausage-with-peppers-and-onions sandwich made with heritage-breed pork and Fontina. There are also snacks like grilled mushrooms, meatballs, and grilled oysters fra diavolo, plus a simple, indulgent burger of two thin patties with American cheese and sweet garlic mayonnaise. The bar emphasizes seasonal, showy cocktails (examples: a black-tea–infused gin “These Knees” and a matcha-twisted pisco sour), a wine list of smaller producers and unusual varietals, and a beer selection mixing classics with local brews, and the space will connect to a neighboring pizzeria for late-night pies." - Rachel Leah Blumenthal