Fugazzi Bar & Dining Room

Fugazzi is a striking New York-style Italian restaurant by Laura and Max Sharrad (who also run Hyde Park pasta favourite, Nido). The menu here is personal, drawing on the Sharrad’s travels through Italy.

For snacks, one highlight is the “Roman Vegemite” finger: a trinity of anchovy, whipped butter and lemon on toast that packs just as much umami as the classic spread. Other snacks include golden potato cakes served with salmon roe, creme fraiche and chives, plus raw tuna with smoked mayo and chives on a thin crisp, and pillowy fried gnocco fritto with whipped ricotta, honey, black pepper and sea salt.

One must-try dish, when it’s on the menu, is the “lasagne pizza” – ragu (meat or mushroom) and bechamel on a crisp, wood-fired pizza. Elsewhere, the menu draws on northern Italian cuisine, including a comforting potato-filled ravioli with pork ragu. Another pasta dish, the “Fugazzi Carbonara” – maccheroni, Kampot pepper, guanciale and pecorino – is a highlight.

The decor blends the comfortable and familiar with luxe touches: the interior has been decked out with intimate booths, timber and brass accents, and a striking marble bar. The result is a lavish spin on the storied Italian institutions found throughout New York City.

For drinks, there’s extensive wine list of local and international drops. Unsurprisingly, there’s a big contingent of Italian vino on the menu, but there’s a sizeable contingent of French wines, too.