NYC Italian Eats: Trattorias

Al Di La

Brooklyn favorite Al Di La is so mind-numbingly good that the restaurant's sheer presence justifies the astronomical real-estate prices in that part of Park Slope. Unpretentious and inviting, husband-and-wife co-owners Anna Klinger and Emiliano Coppa adeptly manage the mobbed dining room and an expert kitchen famous for Venetian-inspired pastas like malfatti (an oversize ricotta–swiss chard gnocchi) and beet–and–poppy seed ravioli. Because of the no-reservations policy, waiting for a table can be a chore, but the next-door wine bar soothes the situation.

Al Di La
248 Fifth Ave. at Carroll St.
718-783-4565