8. Rao's

"Is that in like harlem? Are you sure it's safe?"

Bring your companion to this out of the way over clichéd Italian Restaurant. I'm not sure what it is about Italian places and kitsch but they seem to go hand in hand in NYC. Most New Yorkers know about this place but feel indifferent. It's perfect for a cold winter night meatball fix. You could even reenact the Lady and the Tramp spaghetti scene for the bucket list. 

[Photo via @kirstenkincade247

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