Estela

This boisterous SoHo alcove is an ideal place to convene with friends over exquisite nibbles and quenching cocktails. The talented chef behind this operation, Ignacio Mattos, is unfaltering and impressively consistent in his creative renditions of such bold and iconic dishes as ricotta dumplings with mushrooms and Pecorino Sardo. The menu also offers an array of shareable plates that changes regularly, but if you spot that delightful risotto special, jump on it.
Dinner might kick off with perfect, sashimi-grade tuna accompanied by woodsy black trumpet mushrooms or dramatically plated fried arroz negro scattered with tender squid and hazelnut-studded romesco.
A soft and custard-y panna cotta decked out with vinegar, honey and smoked sea salt is an exalted ending.