Mangiami (CLOSED)

What’s not to love about the name (“eat me” in Italian)? It’s no surprise that LES locals have followed the order. Every meal begins with gratis olives and crusty bread—dig in while you ponder the well-priced wine list (glasses start at $4). Some pastas, like spaghetti carbonara, are deliciously rich, while lighter bets include the involtino di pollo—chicken stuffed with mozzarella and spinach in a lemony tomato sauce and a long list of excellent pressed sandwiches. Owner Gianfranco Costa designed the space himself, hanging large fabric-wrapped canvases on the walls and bringing in sleek zebra-wood chairs. The restaurateur gene runs in the family; his brother Michele is the man behind Pepe Rosso.