History: At 21 years old, Bottino, if human, would finally be coming of age, but in restaurant years, 21 represents an even more dramatic milestone in NYC's uber-competitive dining scene. Owner Danny Emerman and his partner, Alessandro Prosperi, have been feeding the art world since 1987, when they opened Barocco, a no-nonsense, Tuscan restaurant in Tribeca.

The restaurant was wildly successful, attracting an A-list crowd including Andy Warhol, Bianca Jagger, Isabella Rossellini, Madonna, S.I. Newhouse, andIsaac Mizrahi. (Gael Greene was an early champion.)