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Casual but pricey, this Upper East Side Italian restaurant is one of the city’s best-kept secrets. The fresh pasta served here is perfect, cooked to just the right texture, and the Bolognese sauce—a flavorful mix of beef and veal ragu—is succulent. Less traditional pastas include the ravioli zucca (squash ravioli). Finish your meal with a deliciously rich ricotta cheesecake and a surprisingly flavorful decaf espresso. Indoors, the rustic red tile floor can make for a noisy experience, but diners have the option of sidewalk dining in the summer months. Service can be somewhat aloof at times, but donÂ’t let that stop you from coming to this excellent restaurant. — Tom Samiljan

Insalate di barbe, $12; fettuccine Bolognese, $20