Today, you’re as likely to find Pakistani kebabs as pizza capricciosa on Lygon Street. There’s delight in change, but this heritage hold-out should be celebrated, too. The setting is simple, worn by loving use, with bare tables, functional servingware and paper napkins.

But the welcome is warm, regardless of how many times you’ve visited over the restaurant’s 46 years. Maria Briscuso, 80, has been hand-making pasta for the Donninis for decades. Most tables order the signature trio: gnocchi with tomato and basil, spinach and ricotta tortelli with mascarpone, and tagliatelle with bolognese ragu – a joyful celebration of the carbohydrate.

You also need to find space for the spaghetti carbonara. Pork jowl is cured in-house for eight weeks, bringing concentrated, salty ballast to an emulsification of butter, egg yolk and parmigiano. It’s an exacting take on a popular pleasure, showcasing the reverence for tradition this institution is all about.

Best for: Lygon Street feasting and people-watching with the whole gang.

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.