NYCReview
At Velma, you can drink a martini with a sidecar in a massive red leather booth full of nine of your nearest and dearest, and you likely won’t even need a reservation to do so. The big, Italian spot in Ridgewood feels similar to a lot of other restaurants that go heavy on nostalgia—like Bernie’s, or Long Island Bar—but it’s a good spot to remember if you live in the area and want to eat on a red-checkered tablecloth without leaving the neighborhood. The square pies and pastas are solid, if not particularly exciting, but you’re mostly here to gaze upon a mounted deer head while sipping a martini so cold it almost tastes like nothing, but in a good way. In an order-another-one way. Get a booth or a seat at the bar, and order a pie or two to soak up the gin.
