Lido

Chef and James Beard Award–winning author Serena Bass helms this Harlem restaurant serving modern Italian fare. The seasonal menu follows the Italian tradition, splitting dishes into primi, secondi and dolce courses. You might be tempted by the grilled octopus with cannellini beans, shallots and fresh oregano ($14) to start, or perhaps the crostini with ricotta, gorgonzola, pear, prosciutto and balsamic ($10). Pasta options include a wild mushroom lasagna with sage pesto ($20) and spaghetti with veal meatballs and San Marzano tomatoes ($19). For your more substantial second course, there’s a pan-seared pork chop with creamed spinach and currants ($24) or steamed mussels served with grilled bread ($18). Dessert fiends might want to try the chocolate budino enriched with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt ($9) or red velvet cake with lemon-scented mascarpone and vanilla gelato ($10). Plus, there’s plenty of white and red sangria ($9 for a glass, $29 for a carafe) to wash it all down.