Try old-school Italian fare at Bamonte's in Brooklyn.

If you’re anywhere near as obsessed with the old-school Italian American culture and aesthetic as I am, you need to get yourself to Bamonte’s in Williamsburg. The atmosphere is an unreal time capsule of 1950s Brooklyn (though it’s been there since 1900). True story: I sat at a table right next to former Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Tommy la Sorda on Easter weekend. Something about this place tells me that probably wasn’t a rare occurrence. This is absolutely the place to take your parents or some out-of-towners in search of an authentic Brooklyn experience.

I’m partial to the cheese ravioli, one of the many pastas there that is hand made, and won’t break your bank (their main courses tend to be on the pricier side). Their antipasti apps are really nice as well, especially if you’re a struggling vegetarian in a sea of things that more often than not contain meat. The house red wine is as it should be taste-wise, and reasonably priced.

My overall advice is to definitely go for the ambiance, as it’s pretty much a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but be careful with ordering plate after plate. It can be incredibly tempting to try everything, even if they’re just apps or first courses, but it all definitely adds up.

– Anna G. from Broke-Ass Stuart’s Goddamn Website

[Photo Credit: Flickr/Troy McClure SF]