Lucia

Walking into Lucia is much like walking into a home. The hostess (who is the chef's wife) is genuinely gleeful you've arrived; perhaps that makes it better than home. Anyhoo. You'll definitely want to make reservation. And if the long wait seems daunting, click that box for alerts, which will notify you when there's a cancellation and you'll likely get a notification within a week. Be sure to start your visit with a brown butter Old Fashioned, one of the best drinks we've ever had. Then consider chef David Uygur's prized salumi board, which is blessed with house-cured meats, pates and mousse along with house-baked bread. Beyond that, the menu changes seasonally and while it is Italian at its core, this isn't your typical romp through fettuccine and red sauce. Try dishes like bucatini with mussels or Amish chicken with marinated greens and toasted pecans and croutons. Just know, there are no misses here - it's all hits.