"This Italian restaurant is small and dimly lit, with vintage touches like ornate mirrors and moody candelabras dripping wax decorating the space. And you’ll probably be happy as soon as you sit down, because your meal at Elina’s begins with complimentary garlic bread, cheesy focaccia, and salami. While the delicious free stuff is fun, the menu also has tasty dishes like clams casino, rigatoni a la vodka, and chicken parmesan. The service is attentive, and the busy restaurant works just as well for date night as it does for catching up with friends. Elina’s only has about 28 seats, so plan on making reservations in advance." - adrian kane, veda kilaru, john ringor, nick allen