Dante

Dante turned the negroni into a lifestyle and the sidewalk on MacDougal into the closest thing New York has to a Roman piazza.

Order the Garibaldi at 4pm and watch the room fill in slow motion: regulars in linen, first dates pretending they come here often, all of it lit gold through the front windows. The vitello tonnato is thin-sliced and generous with capers, the crudo bright with citrus, and the pasta list changes just often enough to keep you honest. Come for one drink, stay for three, and don't be surprised when the bartender remembers what you had last time.

Best for: Aperitivo hour and long lunches that turn into longer afternoons