Elena has a multi-level backyard terrace and happens to be one of the most fun spots in the entire city, in addition to being one of the few fine dining restaurants open seven days a week. We like to start with a fernet cocktail and then get into small plates of beets and stracciatella, or the kale caesar piled high with parmesan, before digging into a wood-fired sourdough pizza and one of the pastas (make it the mafalda). The same folks who run Elena also have two other equally wonderful places in the Sud-Ouest: the Italian-leaning, grill-focused GiaGiaGia and classic trattoria Nora Gray, which has some of the best pasta in town.