These days, the building at Huisache and McCullough in Monte Vista looks more like a fortress than an Italian restaurant, the brick parapets reaching toward the sky like middle fingers of defiance. “BARBARO IS OPEN” comes the battle cry from the red banner by the street — all-caps, so you don’t miss it driving by. “For takeout,” it also declares, though smaller and less enthusiastically.

Barbaro is a citizen of the pandemic world, and it does what it takes to survive. Right now that means pizza, cocktails and pasta seven days a week for pickup from a red tent on the sidewalk. Right now that means a pizza dough reformulated especially for the hustle and shuffle of carryout. And right now that means stuffing the nightly carnival brio of Barbaro into bags and boxes.