Trattoria Roma (CLOSED)

Rome it ain’t, but this place can get so packed you’d think the pope was in the kitchen. It’s been like this since 1985, and here’s why: a carpaccio salad comes with thin slices of beef, arugula and shaved parmesan; soft morsels of veal flanked by sharp, garlicky, wilted spinach; and a rich wheel of tricolor pasta in sweet and nutty four-cheese sauce touched with nutmeg. Skip the store-bought berry tart in favor of housemade tiramisu and cheesecake—authentic touches amid the faux Roman-ruin decor.