Upland

Chef Justin Smillie is in partnership with Stephen Starr (Morimoto) at this lovely, warmly lit Park Avenue South restaurant where he layers a California sensibility over an Italian foundation. Upland is Smillie's hometown in Southern California, but he became known for Italian food during a celebrated stint at NoHo's Il Buco Alimentari e Vineria. A few Asian and Spanish accents flavor pasta, fish and meat dishes, which change seasonally. And though it's not your typical pizza place at all, pizzas are a highlight. The copper-trimmed bar is like theater in the round, encircled by comfortable booths and tables dressed in gingham. Wine bottles and jars of preserved lemons and artichokes line shelves, evoking a high-design country store.