In the midst of townhouses and storefront lofts in Manhattan’s Upper West Side sits a small new Italian eatery called Osteria Accademia. In Italy an “osteria” is a small restaurant that serves wine and a simple food menu.

Accademias are places of education and learning with collections on display. In the case of Osteria Accademia the collections on display are books that are lined up on floor-to-ceiling stacks along the walls of the restaurant. Another key to the ambiance of the restaurant is the low lighting, with candles at every table.