"True to the spirit of an unfussy Italian trattoria, the menu at Asti Trattoria in Hyde Park is short and focused, with pastas that are made in house, seasonally minded, and somehow always al dente. There’s also a nice patio that offers fun people-watching while you’re enjoying a wine you’ll try hard to remember the name of later. The wine list is all-Italian and runs quite deep. There’s a good selection of lambruscos, barolos, and chiantis that would probably work pretty well on the shaded patio paired with either the fungi pizza or the rigatoni amatriciana. There’s also a good amount of affordable by-the-glass options clocking in at $10-$14, and a generous Happy Hour with $6 house wines." - nicolai mccrary, raphael brion
