Since 1995, brother and sister team Babak and Azita Bina have made their names synonymous with the neighborhood's dining scene. Lala Rokh, their Persian gem, is a dependable outpost for all things saffron-laced and eastern spiced. With their latest culinary venture, they've brought that commitment to authenticity to a different region: Italy. Enoteca is the Italian word for a place where simple, elegant food is served to complement the wine on a list that's 150-choices long and features 50 wines by the glass. The wine list is perpetually growing, so there's plenty to complement at Enoteca. The Binas take such well-deserved pride in their incredible wine list – they hand-selected each bottle in their global collection – that the airy restaurant's entire design has a vineyard-inspired style. The coat hooks are corkscrews, the tables are walnut and the floors are bamboo.

But even with all that oenic emphasis, let's not disregard the food. All of the Stuzzichini (read: small bites) that Azita creates in the kitchen are made with local seasonal produce or ingredients imported directly from Italy. Depending on the season, you'll find creative enticements like smoked swordfish, cocoa tagliatelle with porcini and beef carpaccio with aged Parmesan and arugula, and lime flavored cold melon soup with ham and figs. There are small plates to share and full entrees to savor, so you can stop in for a bite and sip on your way out, or loiter for hours, Italian-style. -- Liza Weisstuch (Photo: Benjamin J. McElroy for AOL CityGuide)