Baby

One slinky riverside location (formerly Pearl) plus owner Chris Lucas (Chin Chin) equals flash crowd. From day one, folks have crammed around the bar and in the smart no-bookings dining room for the pacy vibe as much as the simple ingredient-driven Italian food. Baby's huge menu (big enough to double as a placemat) covers all bases, but mostly pizza bases, with more than 20 kinds including, perhaps, zucchini flowers, fior di latte and mint. Otherwise, there's a range of things to share: salumi and mozzarella, say, or butterflied sardines scattered with fresh peas. Panini, pizza and pastries at breakfast? Yeah, baby.