Domenica

A partnership between two heavyweights—celeb restaurateur John Besh and his acclaimed protégé Alon Shaya—this splashy, happening hub in the Roosevelt Hotel operates with maximum panache, yet minimal fuss. To say that the pizzas at Domenica rival any found in Italy is almost an insult, because of course they do; fancy pastas like the dramatically black-and-white squid-ink tagliolini with blue crab enjoy equal fame. But the most notable dishes are often the most humble and soulful, from ragged-cut stracci in oxtail ragu with fried chicken livers to the bean-and-bread stew called ribollita (“twice-boiled”). To wash it all down, beers from Italy’s burgeoning craft-brewing industry are a rare treat; here in the Big Easy, though, cocktails prove hard to beat.