Zuppa

Zuppa's chef, owner, and pasta whisperer, Joseph Manzare, slings Southern Italian fare with extra flair to entertain diners from the eatery's open kitchen in the main downstairs level. No matter where patrons sit, Zuppa's menu sates faces and stomachs with classic Italian dishes made fresh with sustainably sourced, local, organic ingredients, including the farmer's market-inspired insalata di rucola ($9), which teams juicy strawberries with dairy-fresh picorino cheese on a bed of that peppery chlorophyll factory, arugula. Teeth desirous of a chewier conquest can chatter like a wind-up toy toward slices of the house pizzas, which boast tempting varieties such as calabria ($16), a smorgasbord of savory pancetta and smoky calabrian peppers, and funghi ($16), a succulent mélange of wild mushrooms and caramelized onions. Elsewhere on the menu, tagliatelle alla liguria wraps its wide ribbon-pasta tentacles around bright english peas, drizzled in basil pesto and dusted with pecorino ($15). For true medieval-style feasting without having to contend with the Black Death, dining duos can choose the whole-roasted Rocky Jr. chicken ($18/person), a Bacchanalian platter of tender roast poultry with a generous spread of toasted ciabatta, charred onions, and vegetables to offset its rich flavor, ensuring no diner goes home hungry and no stomach's elasticity goes untested.