Gusto Vino & Caffe Gusto Vino & Caffe

Snacks pretty much made childhood: you had "times" for them, you traded them, and lied to your mother about sneaking them, helping you realize that lying is completely worth it. For a resto that lets you snack all you want, hit Gusto.

From a bunch of boot-country buddies who learned to meld French and Italian food while working/really not working at all in St. Barts, Gusto mixes the two cuisines via tapas, in a setting that's less about "dinner" and more about sitting around shooting the breeze with your mouth really full. It all starts off with inventive carpaccios like beef w/ king crab drizzled in lemon & olive oil, swordfish w/ julienned carrots, and pineapple w/ red peppers, mint, ginger, & vanilla ice cream; further small plates include salads like the Carpino (goat cheese, cantaloupe, fresh mint), oyster w/ leeks, red onions, champagne & pomegranate, and "Tortino de Pecorino", a salty/savory cheesecake souffle served with apple-infused balsamic, fresh pear, and honey -- although you'd better not call it that in the workplace. Gusto also offers platters served on cutting boards and designed for one, two, or three people in your choice of meat (prosciutto, speck, salami, bresaola, etc), cheese (gorg, mozz, Pecorino truffle, Parm, Brie, etc), or a combo of both, all alongside pears, honey, and jam; there're also platters of mini pastries, plus quiches & pizza cut into finger food-size slices for easier sharing, which sucks.

For thirst, Gusto serves beer (Peroni, Moretti, several domestics) and wine (Amarones, Borolos, Brunellos, Chiantis, Pino G's), and plans on offering three-pour flights in the happy hour-like Italian tradition of "aperitivo", where you buy the wine, and they cover the bar with a spread of snacks so thick you'll have to lie to yourself about your cholesterol.