Asti Trattoria in Hyde Park is a neighborhood gem, and one that functions equally well for a simple time with pizza and beer at the bar, for a quiet date night, or a chill spot to take your parents because your dad likes big Italian red wine and straightforward, uncomplicated food. True to the spirit of an unfussy Italian trattoria, the menu is short and focused, with pastas that are made in house, seasonally-minded, and somehow always al dente. From the rich and perfectly chewy rigatoni amatriciana to the springy spinach casarecce, the pasta here is sensational. 

The service is friendly and efficient, and you can tell that this restaurant has been around for a while. It opened in 2001, and the interior is maybe a little worn in, but there’s also a nice patio that offers some fun people-watching while you’re enjoying a wine you’ll try and fail to remember the name of later. The wine list runs deep, with a surprising amount of affordable by the glass options, with several glasses of wine clocking in at $10. There’s also a generous Happy Hour.

Since it is a neighborhood gem, Asti plays it pretty straight. There’s a dessert called a “Bag of Biscotti” and it’s not a highly conceptual ode to the pastry chef’s childhood involving a deconstructed biscotti with foams and powders and spherical gels. No, it is a literal bag of biscotti. Some are chocolate-chocolate chip, some are anise and almond.

photo credit: Raphael Brion