Joe's of Avenue U

We’re convinced New York City has more Italian restaurants than parking spots, but very few of them make food from Sicily. That’s why we love Joe’s of Avenue U, a Gravesend spot for Sicilian specialties like eggplant caponata, and softball-sized rice balls under a thick layer of tomato sauce and grated parmesan. There’s a takeout counter in the front where neighborhood folks pick up meatball heroes for lunch, and a large room full of red leather booths off to the side, where people will assure you that everything is very good, in between bites of their pasta con le sarde. Joe’s has more common red-sauce dishes on their menu too, but we'd recommend this pizza parlor-like space for a carafe of wine, panelle, and tender tripe in tomato sauce, with peas and soft chunks of potato.

photo credit: Willa Moore