When somebody says a restaurant’s food is better than it has to be, it’s only half a compliment. Usually they mean that the food isn’t great, but it could be worse than it is and crowds would still keep coming because the place has other things going for it, like location or view.

Lodi, an Italian cafe that touched down near the end of the summer in Rockefeller Center, is so much better than it needs to be that it’s disorienting. Given its location — across from the Christmas tree, the ice rink and the window of the “Today” show set where fans used to jump up and down with hand-lettered signs for Hoda Kotb and Al Roker — it will never want for customers.