Brio

A second outpost of the popular Upper East Side Italian restaurant, the Flatiron version of Brio features a different menu than the uptown location. Say goodbye to pizzas and hello to a rotating selection of pastas and seafood—think housemade cavatelli with cauliflower, sausage and chili ($16), or seared Portuguese octopus with chickpea puree, radicchio and endive ($15). The lime-green-and-eggplant-hued paint jobs warms the high-ceilinged, white-tableclothed space. A liquor license is in the works, as is a brunch menu for the spring.

See more: Flatiron restaurants, Italian restaurants