Vetri

To see Marc Vetri standing at his antique meat slicer, cutting delicate strips of prosciutto for antipasto, is to see a chef in love. That love is infectious. Eating at Vetri is like being involved in a torrid two-hour affair. The food, from sublime spinach gnocchi to homemade tortellini to guinea hen stuffed with foie gras, shows that it's possible to challenge and endear at the same time. There's nothing flamboyant at this 35-seat gem; the pleasure comes from the intimate tone that everyone from the chef to the servers helps create (1312 Spruce Street; 215-732-3478).