Marc Vetri’s newest venture, Amis, is modeled after a Roman trattoria – that is if the trattoria was run by a world-renowned chef and its interior was industrial chic.

Amis is a boisterous spot, brimming with laughter and conviviality. The tables are impossibly close together, forcing one to sidle through sideways while saying something trite to your neighbor like, “It’s a good thing I’m doing this before, rather than after, dessert.”

The menu features good, simple food, meant for sharing. Our meal began auspiciously, with a tasty onion focaccia delivered to the table. We then ordered a number of appetizers. It was a difficult choice but we finally decided on the mortadella mousse bruschetta, artichokes alla giudaia, and arancini with a meat ragù. Well done!

For our entrees, we selected the tonnarelli “cacio e pepe” with pecorino and black pepper, rigatoni with swordfish and eggplant fries, turkey cutlet alla Milanese, and the gnocchi with oxtail ragu.

The wine list is succinct, Italian-centric, and all offerings are available by the bottle and the glass. We chose a lusty primitivo, a perfect foil for the rustic cuisine. 

Amis means friends and takes its name from the Bergamascan dialect (of Lombardy, Italy) for “amici.” It is the kind of place to go with old friends and make new ones.

Read our review of Vetri’s signature, eponymous restaurant.