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After a downcast restaurant season post-2001, only one of the three original Rafaella restaurants in the West Village remained—in a high-ceilinged square space in Chelsea. Fans continue to appreciate the generous portions and fresh ingredients at this holdout. The atmosphere feels like a cavernous café that coincidentally has table service; mismatched chairs, plush couches, marble-topped tables, and colored charcoal art hangings make up the interior, punctuated by exposed brick and huge windows. The far-reaching menu runs to crepes, salads, pizzas, and pastas—such as ziti and fresh tomatoes topped with arugula and chunks of broiled salmon. Don’t overlook the homemade cakes and tarts shielded by the glass display case, especially the Vesuvius cake, a decadent blend of chocolate mousse, caramel, nuts, and vanilla cream. — Laurel Fantauzzo

Penne capri, $13.95; salad de chevre chaud, $9.95; Vesuvius cake, $5.50