Bocca del Vino

At lunch, the seasonal vegetable pasta is a particular draw. One diner chose carciofi peperoncino from the day's blackboard menu: a mildly spiced dish that made generous use of the artichoke, from bud to stem. Their account of the different textures and flavours in each part captures the pleasure of a pasta dish that makes use of the whole ingredient. They also ordered an assorted appetiser plate, with 11 varieties served in small portions, and recommended it as a chance to compare the flavours one by one.

It is also worth choosing pasta by the pairing of noodle and sauce. The homemade thick noodles in cacio e pepe, with pecorino cheese and black pepper, have been described as a substantial lunch. Other options include “Bottarga”, homemade short orecchiette with squid and bottarga sauce, and “Polpo”, linguine with tomato sauce. The listed main courses include oven-roasted anglerfish, braised wagyu beef and veal layered with prosciutto. That gives diners room to decide whether to centre the meal on pasta or add a meat or fish course.

For dessert, consider the tiramisu, generously soaked with espresso. Those after a sweeter finish might opt for torta caprese, a chocolate and almond cake; cassata, a chilled dessert of ricotta cream with dried fruit and nuts, is another option. Whether taking time over appetisers and pasta at lunch or adding a main course and dessert at dinner, it may be worth booking ahead.