Padre Figlio, New York

Father-and-son restaurateur team Antonio and Mario Cerra pride themselves on Padre Figlio’s masterful presentation of Italian cuisine, which spotlights fine seafood and USDA Prime meats flavored with roasted garlic, rosemary, oregano, and extra-virgin olive oil. The upscale steak house cultivates its elegant atmosphere through walls decked in warm vermillion and brilliant gold leaf, tucked-away booths, and dining areas bordered by velvet drapery. Cloth-clad tables frame plates laden with imported buffalo mozzarella, Chilean sea bass, tender porterhouse steaks, and plump gnocchi dumplings swimming in tomato-basil sauce, all paired with cocktails and martinis from the bar or selections from an extensive wine list. Intimate dining experiences unfold in three private rooms with distinct visual accents, from the garden balcony's sweeping views of 44th Street to the velvet room's up-close vistas of textile weaves.

The Cerra family and friends serve their Italian steak-house fare backed with plenty of critical acclaim, earning a coveted Zagat rating and winning over New York Magazine with the restaurant's traditional sicilian pastas, tender cuts of steak, and creamy gelato.