What’s the difference between old-fashioned and classic? How important are trends versus quality? They’re questions to ponder from within this clubby, teak-clad dining room over a bowl of fat scallops. Seared just enough to take the translucence from the flesh and not a second more, they’re bathed in light tomato consomme with nasturtium petals, pea shoots and slivers of white asparagus.

Quail meat is made into a lush sausage, wrapped in prosciutto, and served with fresh fig and a scoop of gorgonzola gelato. That bug spaghettini? A fixture for a reason: decadent, generous, classic. Your server at Il Bacaro won’t crouch by your side and try to make friends; they’re the type who knows how to read a table, while the sommelier, Giuseppe Messa, will talk you through his broad but manageable list with aplomb and zero snootiness. The cheesecake might echo another era, what with the pop rocks and the fairy floss, but the streets would riot if it were ever to go. It’s part of the Il Bac DNA; what strong genes they are.

Good to know: A selection of half-bottles offers a less spendy way to sample the good stuff.

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