BRERA Ristorante

If you find yourself venturing downtown, check out chef Angelo Auriana’s lively and delicious Italian trattoria in a converted gas-meter warehouse. I’ll come here with a group of friends after going to galleries in the Arts District. The menu changes often but this is the place for risotto, oven-roasted fish, and slow-braised meats. Ask for the farinata, an irresistible crepe cooked in the wood oven, and order a good bottle of Barolo. Start with one of their special negronis, a creative and delicious way to kick off an evening.