Outside of Italy the distinction between a ristorante and a trattoria has become as blurred as has that between a bistro and brasserie outside of France. Traditionally, a ristorante is a mid- or-upper level dining establishment of whatever size offering a fairly extensive menu, whereas a trattoria is small, unfussy, usually family run, with a short regional menu.

New York has an applaudable number of the former, but not really many good examples of the latter, which tend to be Italian-American or pan-Italian. Sandro’s, on the Upper East Side since 2007, is the epitome of what a true trattoria should be, and the fact that it’s run by one of the most ebullient masters of the form, Sandro Fioriti, makes it one of the best Italian places to dine in New York or anywhere else in America.