New York

Eventually, a master's gotta let his apprentice spread his wings: Miles Davis decided Coltrane deserved to go solo, and Batman decided Chris O'Donnell deserved to guest star on Grey's Anatomy. For a few months, one master's letting you spread your beer: Jimmy Carbone, at 1 Dominick.

JC's the suds-savant behind EV rathskeller Jimmy's No. 43; now, he's opened a (for now) BYOB Italian b'fast/lunch/dinner sleeve with accordion doors opening onto the sidewalk -- so having already received your brew-telage in Jimmy's cave, you can show all Southern Soho how much you've forgotten. Grub-wise, AM options include pastries (custard-filled bombollini, brioche w/ green market jam) and savories (garlic-rubbed country bread w/hard-cooked egg, apricot panino), plus organic mud from Brooklyn's Gorilla Coffee (stimulates early-rising artistes to write like Mamet of the Apes). Lunch is a chalkboard selection of small plates and paninis made-to-order, but the real deal's dinner: a collection of warm and cold share plates like Alici (marinated white anchovies, celery heart, black olives, pine nuts), Anguria (watermelon, ricotta salta, cherry tomato, mint, olive oil), and Fried Bologna Tramezzino -- so now your bologna has a first and last name.

Eventually, the BYO will end when 1D's beer/wine license arrives; they plan to serve Italian bottled suds, plus a large selection of Italian wines -- preparing you to eventually spread your wings toward vino, before splashing Icarus-like into a familiar sea of beer.

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