The best thing La Vista has going for it is its incredibly low corkage fee: it makes up for it with food prices—grilled mains are all solidly in the twenties, with pastas not far behind. Comparatively speaking, these prices are quite low, but for the cruise-ship quality of the cooking and combinations, it’s troubling. (Not so for superlative steamed mussels in white wine sauce, La Vista’s absolute best work.) Everything else is workable, at best: doughy pizzas, too-dense gnocchi with cinnamon-tinged venison ragout, overcooked shrimp on lumpy polenta, thinly crusted rainbow trout with too-sweet citrus sauce—and its accompanying crab and shrimp enchilada that comes off like an underseasoned seafood crêpe.

We like the decade-old Fountainview locale, where neighborhood locals rub elbows with wine industry insiders. Take a seat at one of the many pleasant, shaded outdoor tables in front of the restaurant’s big, glassy entrance. At prime time, it might be a while before you can grab one—there are no reservations here. BYO glasses, too, if you’re bringing a finer wine, because La Vista’s stout glasses won’t do it justice. The house wine list is mass-produced and boring, but if you like Santa Margherita (does anyone really like it, or do they just think they should, given the unreasonably high price?), you won’t find it priced lower at any other restaurant.