The Ride-Along Report: First Takes From Last Night’s Dinner

"What It Is: An Italian restaurant/bar with bocce courts and outdoor seating at the north end of Union Square Park Perfect For: Drinks And A Light Bite, Date Night When we first heard about a new indoor/outdoor place in Union Square Park with bocce ball courts and pizza, we were skeptical. It sounded a little gimmicky, like something for tourists. Then we went to Bocce USQ, and we now regret the fact that our office isn’t closer, because the open-air bar with a few bocce courts is perfect for an after-work drink. It was extremely crowded when we stopped by, but we still got some seats at the bar and tried both the pizza and the frozen negroni. They were great. Just be sure to make a reservation if you want to eat at a table. The Verdict: If you live or work around Union Square, this is now your best option for eating and drinking outside. We’ve added it to the Hit List." - hannah albertine, bryan kim, katherine lewin, hillary reinsberg, chris stang, matt tervooren