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In a neighborhood flooded with bars devoted to suds, this wine and panini bar is a welcome respite for oenophiles and those seeking a light Italian bite. Vero, which opened in 2002, has a cozy black stone-topped bar, where patrons can sip martinis or choose from among 28 wines by the glass and 45 by the bottle—most from Italy, California, and France. The softly lit dining room’s wood-framed mirrors reflect the opaque tubular fixtures and sensuous red-orange walls; brown leather banquettes surround small black wooden tables. Sprightly antipasti, salads, and sandwiches emerge from a piccolo-sized open kitchen, including a crispy bruschetta topped with a Tuscan white bean purée infused with tangy lemon-basil pesto or minced sweet figs and salty prosciutto. Properly pressed paninis meld bresaola, sopressa salami, and prosciutto in numerous permutations with mozzarella, ricotta fresca, onions, tomatoes, garlic or basil aioli and herbs, for well-crafted sustenance that speaks to the senses as well as the appetite. — Michael Anstendig

Fig and prosciutto tartare and ricotta fresca bruschetta, $10; prosciutto, buffalo mozzarella and basil aioli panini, $12; cookie monster, $10