RUBIROSA

Run by Staten Island pizza gurus, Giuseppe Pappalardo, Angelo Pappalardo, and the legendary Beatrice Inn doorman, Angelo Bianchi, Rubirosa brings the charisma of the Italian family to NoLIta. A rustic, photogenic atmosphere includes a long, grand bar, antique art, wallpaper from your Italian grandmother’s house and ’50s tunes bouncing from the speakers. Start off the meal with mini rice balls (our favorite) or a marinated vegetable salad with arugula, pesto, and olives, then move on to entrees; be sure to try the mouth-watering Vodka pizza or indulge in the Black Tagliatelle with clams, mussels, shrimp, and tomato. The brick-pressed chicken is savory and succulent, and an experienced wine list rounds out the menu. The perfect end to your meal is one of their signature cocktails. All things considered, this is the ultimate enchanting date spot, explaining why the restaurant’s namesake is the famous ’50s playboy Porfirio Rubirosa. Fashion glamour meets Old World Italian charm to create Rubirosa’s intoxicating experience any night of the week.