When choosing from the hundreds of Italian restaurants in New York, the first question that comes to mind is “red sauce or regional?” It’s the difference between bread and butter and house grissini, tomato sauce on breaded veal versus simmered with al dente paccheri, or chicken francese versus couscous alla Trapanese.

Even when the boundaries aren’t abundantly clear, the city’s Italian food is recognizable as a particular type of “New York Italian.” Over in Actual Italy, of course, all of the food is Italian, and so chefs can afford to be less beholden to tradition. When a restaurant like Amo, which opened around the corner from Union Square at the end of July, takes a similar approach, its willingness to break free from Italy’s greatest hits can feel like a welcome surprise.