Roma Luncheonette

How does a Bolivian guy wind up running an Italian restaurant in the Bronx? Lucio Orozco, a former employee, bought Roma Luncheonette from its original owners a few years back; he’s also pals with the Italians who run the neighboring stores (they pronounce his name LOO-cho). Splurging on the chicken parmigiana will make you regret ever ordering a bastardized version at your local pizza shop. The chicken is tender, the mozzarella bubbling, and the tomato sauce surely contains secret ingredients. The pasta alla romana, topped with marinara sauce and smoky bacon, is the house specialty. You’ll never go back to that other Little Italy (you know, the one where you get great Chinese food).