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Bay Ridge's restaurant row along Third Avenue has, since the mid-1990s, turned into a wonderland of multi-ethnic eats. Vesuvio, serving up pizza and classic Italian-American fare since 1953, still keeps the old-school flag flying high. But don't expect nostalgic charm; past the busy pizza counter, the dining room has been renovated into strip-mall blandness. The décor updates haven’t extended to the menu, which is rife with the usual suspects, done with wildly varying degrees of success. A hot antipasto platter of stuffed clams, peppers, eggplant, and mushrooms is fried and red-sauced into sodden, indistinct oblivion. Pizza, in large and individual "gourmet" pies, is competent, but the crust lacks the snap of Brooklyn's best. It’s wise to follow the locals’ lead and order one of the huge plates of pasta. Lasagna is all tangy, gooey, unregenerate pleasure; a creamy pink vodka sauce matches well with fresh-made cavatelli. Close your meal with a cup of good, strong espresso and you'll be presented with a bottle of sambuca to add as you please. Some classics you don't mess with. — Steven Stern

Vesuvio has a separate party room for christenings, celebrations, and business functions. Catering menus, which can be tailored to order, range from pizza parties and family dinners to over-the-top buffets that can accommodate up to 90 people.

Pasta with vodka sauce, $9; lasagna, $8.50; chicken scarpariello, $16