Vesta

Vesta is a neighborhood place with a mission: childhood friends and now owners Giuseppe Falco and Leo Sacco are also homegrown in Astoria. Their Sicilian ancestors left them with fine palates for food, wine and loyalty. Vesta's products are locally gathered and made: from the homemade bacon to the pea tendrils that grew on New York City's first rooftop farm to Long Island wines, this place is all about nearby. Arrive before 7 PM to try out the wines-on-tap for $5 a glass, yes they were among the first to have wine-on-tap. Highly recommended: Mussels and Manila clams sprinkled lightly with chipotle pepper, bacon, ribbons of basil; homemade duck prosciutto with strawberry mostarda. Everyone loves the very thin hangover pizza. Shrimp Spaccatelli is out of this world delicious either with the squid ink pasta or if not that, the cavatappi. Leo and Giuseppe also own Pachanga and Ventura, both in Queens.