Carmine's.

Destination · Italian · West Village · $$$

walk-in

Rita Sodi and Jody Williams cook Tuscan at 51 Grove Street from late morning until late, without a break, and the dish three cooks name first is a heap of lettuce dressed with olive oil, vinegar and a little water.

Solid · Italian-American · Nolita · $$$$

booking essential

Torrisi winds a slice of prosciutto around a warm zeppola, which Bryan Kim calls one of the most compelling bites of food in the city, and the kitchen dry-ages its duck two weeks before it meets the mulberry mostarda.

Solid · Italian-French · NoMad · $$$

booking essential

The crab mille-feuille at Café Carmellini is a tower of thin wafers and sweet crabmeat in a golden Meyer lemon sauce, and Bryan Kim, who liked very little else on the menu, still calls it a fun party trick.