Evelina ★9.5

Evelina: The Neighborhood Italian That Refuses to Coast

Every neighborhood has an Italian restaurant; Fort Greene has one that critics call an overachiever. Evelina looks like a sleek corner hangout — dim lights, long bar, sidewalk tables — then cooks like a place with something to prove, running a market-driven menu over a grill perfumed with cherry-wood smoke.

The Concept

Evelina opened in late 2017, the work of Riccardo Buitoni — the restaurateur behind Williamsburg’s long-running Aurora — and Giuseppe de Francisci, a veteran of Aurora, Emporio and The Standard High Line, with an opening kitchen led by a Daniel and Boulud Sud alum. The pitch: Mediterranean cooking with a strong Italian accent, menus that shift with the market, and a cherry-wood-chip grill that leaves its signature on whatever passes over it.

What to Order

Open with the pinsa bianca, zucchini blossoms or fritto misto, and let the tartare duo — tuna or grass-fed beef — set the tone. The pasta list swings from a benchmark bucatini al pomodoro to burrata ravioli and spaghetti alle vongole. On the larger end: black sea bass, pork chops, a dry-aged Creekstone ribeye. In summer, gazpacho and the peach salad track the season. Weekday mornings quietly serve breakfast and lunch; weekends bring a proper brunch.

The Space

A dark, intimate corner room with a long bar and low light that flatters everyone in it — noticeably cooler in style than the average neighborhood Italian. Outside, sidewalk seating and an expanded patio run deep into the cold months thanks to heaters.

Who It’s For

Dates that need a sure thing, Fort Greene locals who eat well without crossing the river, and small groups grazing through antipasti and pasta over interesting wine. Big rowdy tables are the one mismatch.

Good to Know

How do I book? Through Resy; there is a dedicated contact for group reservations.

Is there brunch? Yes — weekends from mid-morning to mid-afternoon, plus weekday breakfast and lunch service.

Can I sit outside in winter? Yes, the sidewalk and patio seating is heated in cold weather.

What should vegetarians try? Pinsa bianca, zucchini blossoms, melanzane alla parmigiana, bucatini al pomodoro and the risotto make an easy meat-free spread.

Why does the menu keep changing? By design — the kitchen rewrites it frequently around the market, so repeat visits rarely repeat.

Opening hours