Covo (CLOSED)

The owners of Fragole and Max Soha rehash their cheap-Italian formula at this giant, industrial eatery in Morningside Heights. A wood-burning oven turns out a dozen-plus puffy-crusted pizzas, the highlights of an otherwise unsatisfying meal. Gummy grilled calamari was charred to the point of tasting ashen, and homemade pastas—like a rubbery pappardelle with a short-rib and honey ragù—were consistently lousy. The atmosphere is stunning, with a simple outdoor patio basking under the stunning stone wall and steel latticework that props up Riverside Drive. As a first-date perch, it’s impeccable. But the food ultimately fails the environs.