Last night I caught up with an old friend at a little gem in the West Village ^[1]: La Lanterna di Vittorio ^[2]. I’d been there once before, but it had been winter. Now their courtyard garden is open.

An elegant establishment, the cafe contains a cozy, street level room with fireplaces and paintings, a downstairs jazz bar, and the garden. Unfortunately, by the time we got there (which was only 7:30 or so), there was a long wait for their esteemed courtyard. We settled for a seat upstairs (to avoid the cover for the jazz bar).

While classical music played, my friend and I sipped Reisling. The service was a bit slow, but eventually we got our food – a generous platter of three different cheeses (not a bad deal for $11.50). The menu also includes a variety of entrees, desserts, and coffees. It was a bit toasty inside and we did wish we could have sat in the garden. But I’d gladly come back (a bit earlier next time) for another bit of wine, cheese, and ambiance.