A month ago, my friend Davis emailed a nymag article that listed where to get the “Best (fill in the blank).” After perusing the list, I voted that we check out the gnocchi at Estela, a gastropub in Nolita that serves Mediterranean-inspired fare.

After bounding up the stairs to the nondescript entrance in the rain, I cursed myself for not bringing an umbrella. My anger dissipated when I saw my dear friends Julia and Davis at the bar. Sipped some of Julia’s delicious Rosemary Society cocktail (Gin, pear brandy, lemon, grapefruit, rosemary) and recounted my recent adventures in Barcelona, San Sebastian, and Copenhagen. We were unable to get a reservation in the packed, tiny gastropub but were able to wedge into a nook at the bar.