Gigi Trattoria feels as colorful, bustling and authentic as anything in Venice or, for that matter, midtown Manhattan, from which it's two hours away. NYC restaurant veteran Gianni Scappin and his cookbook-author wife, Laura Pensiero, offer what they call "Hudson Valley Mediterranean," huge portions crafted with local ingredients. An all-Italian wine list put together with the help of Steven Kolpan, wine instructor at the nearby Culinary Institute of America, complements the menu, offering plenty of excellent buys under $40 - and more excuses for Dutchess County weekenders to stay for dessert and miss their trains back to the city.

—Leah Caplan

Gigi Trattoria, 6422 Montgomery St., Rhinebeck, NY; 845-876-1007.