Nello

696 Madison Avenue

212.980.9099

Ambiance

Cosmopolitan, with open-air seating, weather permitting.

What to order

Nello recommends angel hair pasta with tomato and basil or dover sole with champagne sauce.

Who comes here

A great mix of celebrities, fashionistas, and businessmen.

Sweet Tooth

The apple strudel with vanilla ice cream.

Cipriani Downtown

376 West Broadway

212.343.0999

Ambiance

Warm, welcoming décor, high ceiling with beautiful Venetian chandelier. The walls are hung with photographs by Peter Beard, Marco Glaviano among others.

What to order

The classics from Harry’s Bar in Venice are a sure bet, such as baked tagliolini with ham, risotto, beef carpaccio, or calf’s liver alla Veneziana.

Who comes here

An eclectic crowd including artists, models, people from the entertainment business and finance.

Sweet Tooth

The vanilla crème meringue, or the Cipriani chocolate cake.

Scarpetta NYC

355 West 14th Street

212.691.0555

Ambiance

Jovial, relaxed, and inviting. The décor is urban Milan meets rustic Tuscany, all within an 1840s Greek revival townhouse.

What to order

Creamy polenta with a fricassee of truffled mushrooms, or the yellowtail with ginger oil.

Who comes here

Anyone who loves a good meal  will savor it down to the very last taste.

Sweet Tooth

The chocolate cake with burnt orange-caramel gelato and espresso sauce.

Rao’s Restaurant

455 East 114th Street,

212.722.6709

Ambiance

Much smaller than their Vegas location, this old-school Italian interior always packs a full house (it’s booked through 2011).

What to order

There is no menu. The Lemon Chicken is a hit, or choose your favorite Italian dish, as it will probably be the best version of it you’ll ever have.

Who comes here

Celebrities and A-listers lucky enough to snag an almost impossible reservation up to a year in advance.

Sweet Tooth

Their homemade ice cream.