Sistina

After three decades on Second Avenue, Chef Giuseppe Bruno relocated his restaurant to 81st Street, bringing a menu rooted in his Salerno ancestry. Bruno shops the markets daily for the kitchen's seafood and local produce. While it is decidedly expensive, the kitchen delivers large portions of classic fare, including a celebrated bread basket, sea bream, and house-made lemon cake. The staff is highly attentive—though you might want to take notes when they recite the famously long daily specials list. Located steps from the Met and the Frick, it functions as a sophisticated lunch spot or a celebratory dinner destination.