Frizzante Italian Bistro

While the rest of the city is packed with more reliable trattorias than you can shake a stick at, this affordable casual Italian restaurant is a welcome addition to Harlem's dining scene. The clean, brightly-lit dining room is notable only in its conformity—the light wood and mirror-bedecked walls wouldn't feel out of place in Chicago or the Upper West Side. Same goes for the non-regionally specific Italian menu, which includes crowd-pleasers like vegetable lasagna, veal parmigiana and mussels in white wine. You won't mistake Frizzante for the newest offal palace from Batali or Carmellini, but if you're looking for a family-friendly, low-priced (entrees $13 or less) neighborhood restaurant in Harlem, you've found your place.

See more: Central Harlem restaurants, Italian restaurants