Sabatino’s (CLOSED)

Few restaurants hold the unexpected magic of a time machine, but step inside this North Side Italian gem and the spell is set. Sabatino’s has all the retro charm that today’s hip Italian spots can’t seem to echo—servers are outfitted in tuxedos, the tables are set with fresh flowers and thick leather menus and violinists serenade diners in the candlelight. When ordering, it’s hard to make a mistake amid the menu of old-school classics, like tender veal saltimbocca in a sage wine sauce, or the baked Alaska for two, which is lit at the table with festive sparklers. Any occasional imperfection seems charming in the atmospheric glow, bolstered by excellent red sauce and generous pours of wine. Even after all these years, Sabatino’s still has us enchanted.