A16

Shelley Lindgren, co-owner of this southern-Italian favorite (named for the highway that runs through Naples), has built a wine list that practically demands exploration; the 350-bottle list is stocked with obscure varietals like Aglianico, Casavecchia, and Pallagrello. But this is no snooty oenophile’s den—the restaurant also hosts weekly Meatball Mondays, where the plates heaped with light, almost fluffy meatballs (chef and co-owner Nate Appleman’s secret is ricotta and bread crumbs) draw everyone from downtown suits to bike messengers. The regular menu includes winning starters such as fava beans grilled whole in the pod and tossed with green garlic and crushed red pepper. And then there’s the famous pizza: its wonderfully chewy crust is made with “00” Caputo flour, the Neapolitan standard.