NYC Italian Eats: Enotecas

Bellavitae

Real Italian products are the focus here, where a bottle of balsamic is referred to as "the Rolls Royce of vinegars" and the kitchen proudly boasts the gran riserva, an 18-month prosciutto from Parma. With a to die for mozzarella that's imported once a week and only available three times a week (Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays), it’s no secret that this special-ingredient-based menu focuses on hard-to-find Italian groceries, obtained by the quality-obsessed owners. Tucked away in one of the Village's most charming alleyways, Bellavitae proffers wine list that's similarly enticing: Emphasis is on small, family-owned wineries that have a real sense of the Italian terroir.


Bellavitae
24 Minetta Lane between Sixth Ave. and MacDougal St.
212-473-5121