Bar Cotto Editor’s Pick
One can pretty affordably assemble a giddy repast from some 10 varieties of salumi, several vegetable nibbles, a half dozen bruschetta, and a dozen or so pizzas at Bar Cotto, originally a sort of sister restaurant to Ethan Stowell’s late Anchovies and Olives. Toppings are beautiful on the pizzas—particularly housemade guanciale, mozzarella, and a sweet dusting of fennel pollen—but the crackly-pillowy-blistery crusts skew oily. Then there’s salumi with torta fritta (the hot, savory beignets Northern Italians melt their salumi around) along with a perky toss of, say, marinated beets with pistachios and golden raisins, and a nice, stiff (exquisite) cocktail. Via Tribunali alum Brandon Barnato recently took ownership, but don’t expect any drastic changes to the menu—though handmade pasta is in the works.