Dio Mio

"Available from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, the happy hour menu at this RiNo Italian fixture is compelling, featuring $6 versions of such appetizers as black butter-marinated artichokes with oranges and croutons in olive sauce, gorgonzola arancini with celery root puree, and stracciatella-prosciutto toast, as well as a couple of the kitchen’s most popular pastas for $5 off the regular price. It all pairs nicely with $9 cocktails or 2-for-1 glasses of wine at $11. More in the mood for pizza? Check out Dio Mio sibling Redeemer a few blocks away, where slices go for $6 with a beer or $9 with a glass of wine, among other deals, in the same time frame." - Ruth Tobias

"A fast-casual Italian concept with a small, seasonal menu focused on house-made pasta. Known for creative dishes like mafaldine cacio e pepe with pink peppercorn." - Kevin Chau

"Though it’s a counter-service operation in a small, simple RiNo space, Spencer White and Alex Figura’s wildly popular pasta shop has proven itself far more vital to the neighborhood than any mere fast-casual joint could ever be (in fact, it has earned itself a sibling in the form of Redeemer Pizza a few blocks away). The compact menu over-delivers on intrigue for its size: While spaghetti and meatballs or cacio e pepe are always soothing options, it’s seasonal creations like squid ink fettuccine in miso cream sauce with calamari and chili crunch or cappelletti stuffed with duck confit and mushroom duxelles and accompanied by pickled rhubarb, oyster mushrooms, and fried leeks, not to mention bold starters such as black butter-marinated artichoke hearts with oranges in olive sauce, that have earned Dio Mio its stripes. (The beverage list is equally stylish.)" - Eater Staff

"Chefs/owners Spencer White and Alex Figura have a background in fine dining, but this popular fast-casual concept thrives on an accessible, laid-back format." - Kevin Chau

"To say that Dio Mio is an Italian restaurant is like saying Beyonce is a singer—technically accurate, but not really painting the full picture of just how glorious each is at their respective craft. The radiatori pasta coated with basil pistachio pesto and topped with sesame and seaweed furikake is next-level, and the nearly foot-long chicken parm is the best in town thanks to a layer of sweet salami compote and spicy and tangy Thai chile giardiniera. The setting also happens to be fast-casual, meaning you can get in and out as quickly as you’d like, and for non-bank-breaking prices (half of the generous-sized entrees are under $20). " - allyson reedy