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Push through the heavy doors of this Spanish restaurant, and you might feel as though you’ve stepped into a Velàzquez painting. Cherrywood arches give way to walls hung with tapestries of the vendimia, or grape harvest—a fitting backdrop for the earthy Riojan reds and robust fare, like sauce-laden veal and snapper, rooted in the Castilian heartland. Zesty tapas are served in the traditional sense: They’re here to pique the appetite. Pulpo, or octopus, is so fresh it seems to unfurl on your plate; hot, creamy chicken croquettes assert a claim as Spain’s comfort food. Of the fish entrées, baked red snapper emerges the winner, its milk-white meat smothered in a piquant tomato sauce. Although lunchtime sees midtown deal-makers wielding expense accounts as the thick carpets suck up the sound and the energy, overall, like the lusty wines behind the bar, the ever-elegant Toledo has aged very well. — AnneLise Sorensen

Octopus appetizer, $14.95; croquetas, $11.50; baked red snapper, $30.95