There’s a reason you feel so comfortable settling into a banquette, booth, or even a bar-stool at Aleo; and no, it’s not what’s under your buns. The warm colors, draped red fabrics, and aroma of Italian and Mediterranean dishes are homey, but the vibe is really more implicit. Inside the little storefront on a relatively quiet Flatiron block is the heart and soul of owner Peter Raimondi, who named the place by combining his mother’s first initial with his father’s first name; and the Italian New Yorkers in framed photographs on the walls are actually them. But you don’t need the history to enjoy Carmeltinis or raspberry mojitos, especially in the backyard garden, which is covered and heated in cooler months. Aleo’s welcomed weddings, bar mitzvahs, and neighborhood BBQs, but it’s best known as a serene nook for an evening rendezvous away from the mania of the metropolis. Open Mon.-Fri. noon-11pm, Sat. 4pm-midnight, Sun. 4:30-10pm.

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