It was hard to look away when I first laid my eyes on the bar at Chianti Il Ristorante. The lights dangling above the decorative racks, holding glasses over the bar, certainly caught my eye, but it was the bar’s glowing honey-amber-onyx countertop that was truly mesmerizing.

Chianti Owner David Zecchini discovered the lighting technique two decades ago, and since then has worked to perfect the Downtown Saratoga Springs restaurant’s cozy and elegant ambiance. Only the to-die-for Italian classics prepared in the open kitchen, visible from the bar, and the exquisite cocktails, mixed up behind the bar, outshine the light that emanates from within it.

What a place to celebrate a romantic anniversary, a big promotion or just a typical Wednesday night. For any occasion, Chianti lights the way.