The Red Hen

Cozy doesn’t begin to describe this rustic corner bistro in Bloomingdale. It’s essentially one huge hearth, thanks to the wide-open kitchen’s grill, which runs on 100 percent Virginia oak. Most of the Italian-leaning dishes make a pit stop in the fire before hitting your plate; one great dish is the Madale pasta, made with a symphony of mushrooms, rosemary, toasted breadcrumbs and cheese. Best of all is the handmade rigatoni with sausage ragu, which will have you throwing all your carb cares to the wind. I also adore the desserts here, particularly the panna cotta, which comes with a seasonally-flavored sauce; I've loved the maple and blueberry iterations.