Drago Centro

The most fancy-pants of Celestino Drago's roster of Italian eateries, this Downtown outpost is where fine dining meets LA power lunching. The three-course, prix-fixe lunch is a steal at $25, while those on an expense account can splurge on a five-course tasting menu ($70) with optional wine pairing ($45). The kitchen rolls out exquisite, freshly-made pastas of different shapes and sizes from pillowy agnolotti filled with butternut squash and toothsome papparadelle with morels and tender pieces of pheasant. Turf is just as masterful as surf plates with chile foam-topped seafood cappuccino and tuna with garlic risotto cake, sunchoke and pomegranate mustarda—thoughtfully dressed and thoroughly modern. The dining room also translates to molto Milano than Positano, and may not be much to look at, but the dead-on view of the public library transports you to another place where a two-hour lunches are part of a normal work day.