“Like Rao’s, but you can get in,” The New York Times declared in 2011. While getting a table at Emilio’s Ballato is less impossible than the nearly mythic Harlem institution, it’s far from a Resy tap away. It doesn’t take reservations, so you will have to wait in a very long and eager line on East Houston Street before entering the unassuming dining room. But if it’s good enough for Rihanna and Barack Obama, it is unquestionably good enough for us. Like Rao’s, there is a clubhouse feel to the place. And, also like Rao’s, you’ll have your choice of old-school Southern Italian fare. You can’t go wrong with anything cooked in red sauce, and you better not skip the Chicken Parmesan.
—Clara Molot

Clara Molot is an Associate Editor for AIR MAIL