Sartiano’s

There is no real reason to go to Sartiano’s. It’s an expensive Italian restaurant at the Mercer Hotel, and in a city with no shortage of great Italian restaurants, nothing about it stands out. But if you’re in Soho with your rich aunt who’d like to take you out, you can definitely get a table here, even though they might act like you need a reservation (you don’t). It’s got all the makings of a hotel restaurant: low lighting, spacious booths, and an open kitchen, where you can watch someone in a chef's coat cook a pricey cut of red meat. Share some perfectly nice pastas and a caesar salad, and get the umami martini, which comes with a black truffle caviar bump—after all, you’re not paying, and who knows if you'll find yourself here again.

photo credit: Teddy Wolff