Marco Polo, a Court Street Italian restaurant that's been around since the ’80s, still perfectly preserves the Carroll Gardens that used to exist before the Sweetgreen-ification of the city. Here, everyone is spiritually “bella” or “boss,” regardless of ancestry or lineage. On a typical Sunday evening, one of the following is likely happening, if not both: a baptism afterparty in the event room upstairs and a multi-generational birthday dinner in the back. At the bar, there are bound to be longtime regulars, some of whom were possibly present when the last living descendant of the actual Marco Polo stopped by for a meal. Even if you’ve never been in before, you will find yourself mumbling “I’m so glad this place is still open” before the antipasti hits the table. The food is generally hearty and respectable, and unafraid of jumping around Italy. On the menu, Calabria, Venice, Bologna, and Umbria, along with their associated pastas, are all present (a spicy bucatini with ’nduja is a highlight). There’s a Florentine steak in the mains, and a pizza Pugliese too. Most dishes come garnished with a sprig of basil, and there’s always an opportunity to add a shower of extra cheese to whatever you order. Happy hour is a great time to visit for a big pour of wine, as is whenever the mood for veal meatballs or ravioli strikes. Just make sure to weave in a trip to the bathroom downstairs. Family photos and scenes from the restaurant over the decades line the hallway, and the nostalgic grain of those images is a great reminder that the best things in this neighborhood are neither shiny nor new.