Bottle Inn – Someone who didn’t know The Bottle Inn is a fine dining restaurant might think it was a wine shop – and indeed there is an impressive selection of wines here, but their destiny is to be paired with impressively authentic Italian food. The pastas are homemade, the sauces rich with the flavors you only get from fresh herbs and patience, and the specials board always has items using the best produce of the season. The Bottle Inn’s cozy, classic atmosphere and outstanding food has been keeping locals happy for 35 years and shows no signs of slowing down.
Bottle Inn: 26-22nd St., HB. (310) 376-9595. www.thebottleinn.com
Runner-up: La Sosta, 2700 Manhattan Ave., HB. (310) 318-1556.