Caffé Bondi (CLOSED)

Chef-owner Salvatore Anzalone was concerned about the authenticity of his cuisine, so he consulted a Sicilian food historian when creating this traditional Southern Italian menu. The research paid off: The pasta con sarde—percatelli al dente covered with sardines, pine nuts, fennel and currant sauce—was delicious, as was the rich carbonara studded with smoky pancetta. Thinly pounded veal cutlets are rolled around a stuffing made from mushrooms, walnuts and a smattering of bread crumbs. And although you’re not likely to have a long wait for a table, the bar in the far corner of the butter-yellow dining room is a lovely spot to sip a little chianti and listen to soaring voices of Italian tenors.