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Don't expect dishes that pack a Sicilian punch or a delicate Ligurian touch—the emphasis is on generic Northern Italian cooking and with more than 80 pizzas and pastas, there's one for every personality. Enriching the trattoria's all-inclusive style is a tiled décor resembling the garden of an Italian palazzo, complete with terracotta ornaments and a collection of glazed plates from around the world. The uneven kitchen is no matter to the cheap-eat groups and older regulars packed in like sardines on weekends. Mushrooms may be undercooked or the salmon ravioli slightly fishy. But bold Rigatoni Sardi (with lamb, mushrooms, pine nuts, and fennel) is united by a subtle olive oil and white wine sauce, and Farfalle di Spiagga is studded with huge lobster chunks and shrimp in a silky cream sauce that includes green peas and avocado. Tomato sauce–based dishes reflect not so much a melting pot of Italian styles as a timid attempt to appease every palate. Although toppings on the crispy pizzas are fresh, they're not always well-integrated. Desserts shine: The huge, homemade tiramisu is made with the freshest, smoothest Mascarpone cheese, and flourless chocolate truffle cake in a strawberry reduction is like eating a pure truffle. — Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld

Soho businesspeople flock here for lunch—dinner-sized portions for only $8.95 plus a salad or homemade soup-of-the-day.

Farfalle di Spiaggia, $13.50; tiramisu, $5; flourless chocolate cake, $5