Don't sleep on Casa Santo Stefano

Details: Housed in a century-old macaroni factory with photos of Sicilian families from the area on every wall, the environment is warm and comforting.

• And the rooftop bar also looks like a blast for nights out.

But honestly, I'd sit on the floor of an abandoned Sears if it meant I could still get the same Casa Santo Stefano food.

• Don't skip classic Sicilian appetizers like the arancini and scachatta.
• Star of the show: Seafood pasta. The noodles are imported from Sicily, along with almost everything from the restaurant that isn't house-made — including the water.

Dish du jour: The house-made squid ink noodles in the Spaghetti al Negro con Polpo were melt-in-your-mouth amazing. The dish is worth every cent of its $32 price tag. For a more economical option, try Zappone's Linguine con Vongole ($18) for another satisfying seafood pasta.