Cafe Altano

Recommends

Chelsea Lin

Joined 6 years ago

For modern Italian fare day or night, try this sunny spot.. In a neighborhood already boasting solid Belgian, Mediterranean, Spanish, Jewish and Japanese cuisine, this light-filled, mostly Italian resto flies under the radar. The eatery's dark wood detailing, painted brick walls, white cloth napkins and a mix of window-side tabletops and cocktail-height communal tables imply finer dining, but menu prices are downright affordable: classic Italian apps like bruschetta and caprese salad start at just $5, while dinner pasta plates like house-made squash ravioli and seafood fettuccini range from $14 to $16. Thin crust pizza is everywhere these days, and Altano's version (available, like the rest of the menu, until midnight daily) is at once chewy, crispy and generously topped with arugula, prosciutto and sweet-savory tomato sauce. And don't let the half-empty dining room fool you: If it weren't for the fierce competition nearby, this cozy neighborhood joint might be filled every night of the week.