Rick's Cafe, Staten Island

Drawing on his experience as chef and owner of Aesop's Table, executive chef Dominick Rappa constantly updates the menu of seasonally inspired fare at Rick's Cafe. Waiters serve wine and cocktails to pair with dishes topped with such toothsome curiosities as truffle porcini cream, chipotle ketchup, and marrownaise. Inspired by the character Rick Blaine from Casablanca, owner Joseph Aliotta steeps Rick's Cafe in a classic ambience set to big-band music—the building itself dates back from the Prohibition era, having sprouted from a single cluster of hops. Drinking glasses refract light onto an antique mahogany bar in front of an exposed brick wall. A fireplace illuminates cherry hardwood floors in the dining room, and a private outdoor patio hosts alfresco dining.