Midtown Italian with great food, good bar scene?

[Rafie]

I'm posting this request for my boss who's looking for a good midtown italian joint with great food and a solid bar scene

In his words, what he's NOTlooking for is the nice Italian restaurant with an afterthought of a bar scene.

Prices should be under $35/plate ideally for a casual business dinner.

I've suggested Insieme, A Voce Columbus Square, Alto and Convivio. Any other recs - or choices amongst that bunch?

[Rafie]

Thanks all for the excellent suggestions!

As bosses are wont to do, he totally bypassed the suggestions I made (and yours too, which I passed on) - and ended up at Beppe in WV.

Using Chowhound in the future for MY own purposes! Appreciate the weighing in :)

[RGR]

Just to note that Beppe is not in the West Village. It's in the Gramercy Park area, on 22nd St., b/t PAS & B'way.

http://www.beppenyc.com

[princeofpork]

and serves excellent italian food in a beautiful setting. It doesnt nearly get enough good PR.

[RGR]

EVen though it isn't far from us, we've somehow not managed to get there. Putting on the "go to" list.

[ChefJune]

imho Beppe fell off the radar when Cesare Casella sold his interest in it.

[princeofpork]

Maybe off the radar but certianly an excellent meal.

[orthorunner]

Vice Versa on 51st (b/w 8th and 9th) may fit the bill. Solid Italian food (despite being in the general area of some not-so-solid theater district spots) and a busy upscale bar scene including during the week. Definitely not an afterthought of a bar scene, plenty of businessfolk in there for post-work drinks.

[egit]

I'm not sure I'd call it Great Food, but Accademia di Vino has a pretty lively bar scene. Though it depends on your boss's age and what he considers "solid." From what I recall the A Voce location on Madison had a fairly lively scene that was a bit more mature than AdV's scene.

[gutsofsteel]

How about if he goes to a bar first and then to dinner? Because I'm assuming he wants to sit down at a table for dinner anyway?

[RGR]

Convivio's bar area is very small, and I've never noticed any kind of "scene" there.

The only Italian spot I can think of off-hand that has a bar scene as well as a restaurant side with very good food is 'inoteca Gramercy. Obviously, not in Midtown.

[gutsofsteel]

Insieme has something like 4 seats at the bar - absolutely no bar scene at all.

Alto has a small bar and it's upstairs at the entrance, not in the restaurant itself.