A central difficulty faced by the hopeful Italian restaurateur lies in a delicate, and largely consequential, aesthetic balance, between elevated luxuriousness and authentic comfortability. Many establishments of the type fall into this pitfall in one way or another, sacrificing the homey for the upscale or, conversely, emphasizing warmth but lacking in quality. The late Elio Guaitolini and his namesake uptown spot, Elio’s, not only strikes this equilibrium terrifically but serves as a model for its ultimate execution. Elio’s interior is classy but friendly, its food high-end yet familiar. The restaurant is humble in its excellence—despite its well-known reputation as a celebrity haunt—and is evidently aware of its charm, considering how little it’s changed since opening in 1981. Why mess with perfection? —Jack Sullivan

Jack Sullivan is an Associate Editor at AIR MAIL