Open for: Lunch and dinner

Price range: $$

“Fine dining is dead,” reads one poster as you step into this ultracasual venue in the Mouraria neighborhood. Tasca Baldracca is among a new generation of tascas (no-frills, affordable, traditional restaurants) where chefs are showing that the genre can be updated without losing the essential character of the neighborhood hangout. Though it may look casual, the restaurant surprises with food made with refined techniques and quality ingredients at affordable prices. There’s a lively mood in the dining room, where dishes designed for sharing generate a convivial atmosphere. Start with the couvert (sourdough bread and spreadable goat cheese), followed by items such as beef tartare, gizzard tempura, and roast suckling pig.

Must-try dish: The house take on fried chicken, dubbed CFC (Caesar’s Fried Chicken), comes perfectly crisp, topped with Caesar dressing and a generous shaving of Parmesan.

Rafael Tonon