Big, brassy and hot, it demonstrates that chain restaurants can do it right.

The Scene
At first glance, Il Fornaio looks too frenetic and unwieldy to be a serious restaurant--but it is. The sprawling, stylish dining room attracts a diverse crowd and the mile-long bar is a magnet for the young and well-tanned. Adding to the show are the pyrotechnics in the gleaming open kitchen. At peak hours, the place can be loud, but not distractingly so.

The Food
The kitchen turns out well-honed renditions of regional northern Italian fare, with a dozen or more daily specials. For starters, salads are vibrant and attractive, as is the grilled ciabatta bread swathed with chopped tomatoes, basil and kalamata olives. All the pastas can be recommended--don't miss the ravioli filled with Swiss chard and pinenuts, and the mesquite-grilled chicken flattened with a brick (no joke) to make it extra crispy. Be sure to check out the impressive and fairly priced wine list.