Palma

A Cornelia Street townhouse turned trattoria where flickering candlelight and handmade pasta make you forget you're still in Manhattan.

The narrow dining room and back garden feel plucked from a side street in Rome, all exposed brick and soft amber light. Pasta is the reason to come—the cacio e pepe arrives glossy and peppery, twirled tableside with the kind of confidence that comes from doing it the same way for decades. Book the garden in warmer months; it's the closest you'll get to al fresco Italy without a passport.

Best for: A candlelit date or a special dinner with someone you're trying to impress