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Big, dark, and warm, Sala is the East Village tapas joint smart downtowners cherish—for both its hip, low-key atmosphere (you won’t see any drunken Wall Streeters reliving their JYAs in San Sebastian) and its well-executed little Spanish dishes. A sampler platter of tostas includes almond-stuffed, bacon-wrapped dates and pan tumaca (tomato, garlic, and Serrano ham on bread), and the slightly larger raciones gets more inventive, with dishes like fried goat cheese dabbed with honey. If you’ve still got room, lamb chops, and a paella await, not to mention Sala’s Spanish wines and sherries, most available by the glass. — Matt Gross