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Paper tablecloths and black-and-white Coney Island photos set the casual tone of this beloved hole-in-the-wall with food reminiscent of an Italian grandma's. The menu—with garlic bread, pastas, brick-oven pizzas, parm- this and marsala-that—is agreeably frills-free, which feels appropriate in this corner of Gravesend. Olive pasta hits the right salty, umami note, and while chicken champignon and veal marsala are both mushroom-battered to greatness, the sauces could rely on less oil. Heaping servings mean the $9.99 early-bird special (soup, salad, wine, entrée, ice cream) will keep you full for a day. To set the mood, Frankie Valli and the like serenade you over the speakers, save for packed karaoke nights, where lasagna would perhaps be best served with an Advil. — Jill Weiskopf

Garlic bread, $3.50; Valentino pizza, $7.25, $11.25; Chicken cutlet parmesan, $12.95; Olive pasta, $11.95