Victory Tap

When you’re having a sh*tty week and pasta is your emotional crutch of choice, consider Victory Tap. You’ll perk up after a meal here, whether because of the crackling fireplace, the friendly staff cheerfully chatting with all the regulars, or because it's possible to make friends with the stranger sitting next to you at the bar.

The food is nearly as pleasant as the atmosphere (although some nights can get uncomfortably loud), with a menu that includes tavern-style pizzas, entrees like chicken marsala and pork chop calabrese, and 13 different pastas. The pastas can be hit-or-miss (see: gnocchi swimming in what’s basically a bowl of tomato soup), and most things verge on being too salty. But the portions are huge, and the eggplant parm and double pepperoni pizza with chili-infused honey will improve whatever kind of mood you're in.