Though the area is very touristy these days, there still exists a certain kind of Italian restaurant there that I’ve grown to love, and that many others have, too. These are small, intimate, unflashy places that put a pure, uncut focus on the food. Chances are, the chefs are more like cooks, working every day with little fanfare, and the decor and vibe are low-key and modest.

They’re the kinds of restaurants that remind me of Bocca Osteria Romana, newly opened on South Main. There’s no star chef, no big bucks decor, no see-and-be-seen vibe. It’s a small, neighborhood Italian restaurant, run by two brothers and their cousin, that offers a refreshing change of pace from many of the city’s new flash-focused restaurants; it’s also one of the best restaurants to open this year.