A Voce means word of mouth and we’re happy to add our voice to those praising this exceptional restaurant. Actually, two restaurants—the original Madison Square Park location and a spinoff in the sleek Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle.

Some may remember the original A Voce opened to great fanfare, with Andrew Carmellini at the helm. After a falling out with ownership he moved on (to even greater acclaim at Locanda Verde and The Dutch) and Chicago chef Missy Robbins took over the kitchen.

Robbins has continued the restaurant’s focus on simple Italian comfort food and under her watchful eye elevated the humble to an art form. A perfect example of this is the old Tuscan standard chicken al mattone, made fresh with the addition of fennel and chili and served over a bed of braised greens and gigante white beans. The pappardelle, coated in a succulent wild boar Bolognese and dotted with pecorino and rosemary, is another example of a peasant dish elevated to a whole new level.

While the food trends rustic, both restaurant spaces are elegant and modern, with leather Eames chairs, contemporary art, and in the case of the Columbus Circle location, dazzling views of Central Park and the adjacent boulevards.