Babbo

"This quintessential Greenwich village spot lives on as a flourishing destination for visitors and locals alike. Housed along a charming block, the exterior too is a draw and has remained the same since its inception in 1998.Chef Fortunato Nicotra helms the stoves and delivers winning dishes, like citrus and fennel-dusted sweetbreads with Jerusalem artichokes. Pastas are, per usual, a priority and include the rustic beef cheek ravioli filled with squab liver; or the full-throttle garganelli tossed with wild mushrooms and black truffles. This is food with a palpable sense of simplicity. For validation, look to the grilled lamb chops paired with broccoli rabe pesto and grilled onions. You're likely to be too full for dessert, so finish with a sip of amaro." - Michelin Inspector

"But raising prices isn’t on the table for all restaurants. At New York’s Babbo, $28 would be toward the low end for a pasta dish, which can go as high as $39 (not counting the $85 tajarin with black truffle)." - Corey Mintz

"This is one of the Joe Bastianich group's best restaurants, serving up his perfectly executed, regional Italian dishes in a dressed-up, white tableclothed setting. Unlike many other upscale NYC restaurants, Babbo has a fun (and never stuffy) vibe. It's hard to get a table but we like to go to the bar for an incredible plate of pasta and a glass of wine. The private room is a great place to host a fancy lunch."

"The WeWork chairman had a tasting menu dinner at Babbo following company layoffs." - Serena Dai

"With its cramped environs, inimitable pastas, and a rockin’ atmosphere, Babbo helped set the stage for a deformalizing of ambitious dining throughout the city. The food is still largely what one would have experienced a decade or more ago: powerfully flavored, fatty, high-acid small plates, pastas, and mains." - Robert Sietsema