Profile

Former Le Cirque pastry chef Iacopo Falai—also behind Falai Panetteria—continues on his savory streak with this Italian café that highlights fresh-baked breads. The teeny space preserves the chef’s sleek style: all-white walls and tables, a glossy tiled floor, and a row of sparkling chandeliers divide the dining area from the bustling open kitchen. With little room to maneuver, cooks press panini made with signature foccacia and bake egg cocottes throughout the day. Assembled antipasti from mozzarella-and-tomato salad to baby octopus tossed with white beans supplement the evening menu, along with simple homemade pastas like almond flour pappardelle speckled with mushrooms and cauliflower. For dessert, renditions of fluffy tiramisu and flourless dark chocolate cake are classically stellar, and Falai’s own creation, the Spring Dome, balances a light, nutty pistachio cake with creamy layers of citrus and raspberry filling. — Kaitlin Jessing-Butz

Related Stories

Featured In

• Where to Eat 2008 (1/7/08)

Recipes at Caffe Falai

• Firenze-Palermo (2011)