Forte Martini Bar and Restaurant

The first week they opened in downtown West Palm Beach, the staff at Forte di Asprinio reported that a table of customers had spent $25,000 on dinner and tipped the waiter another five grand. But you don’t have to spend like Imelda Marcos on Ritalin to get a good meal here. In fact, 20-something Top Chef celeb Stephen Asprinio has designed his menu specifically to accommodate gangs of foodies his own age who want to sip and sample without having to empty their trust funds. Asprinio is no longer the chef but the small, Tuscan-contemporary menu is exquisite. Starters in the $10 to $20 range that also make great bar food include plates of salumi dressed up with delicate vinaigrettes and mostarda fruit and a quartet of fish tastings, each with its own indelible personality. Homemade pastas and risottos, like a lobster ravioli or buccatini in cream sauce, sound obvious but enchant with ethereal and unexpected flavor pairings. Wine flights are dispensed from a gleaming machine at the bar.

• Cuisine(s): Bar Food, Contemporary, Italian, Wine Bar

  Hours: Open for Lunch, Dinner, and limited late-night menu from 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.

  Price: $$, $$$, $$$$

  Payment Types: All Major Credit Cards

• Attire: Business casual

  Features: Smoking, Patio/Sidewalk Dining, Takeout, Delivery, Private Party, Wheelchair Accessible

  Serving: Dinner, Late Night

  Alcohol: Full bar

• Reservations: Accepted, Highly Recommended, Required for Large Parties, Online Reservations Available, Recommended on Weekends

  Parking: Meters, Street, Valet