Isn’t it a lovely thing when a new restaurant lives up to its buzz? SPQR, a gem amidst the high-end boutiques of Fillmore, is the newest effort from the folks who gave us A16 and does not disappoint. This twenty-table trattoria serves up delicious Roman-style dishes, and for anyone who thinks all Italian’s pasta and all pasta’s the same, a meal at SPQR will be quite the eye-opener.

Just as Chef Nate Appleman does with the menu, Greg Lindgren, the designer behind A16, stuck to simplicity with the set-up of the space that formerly housed Chez Nous. A beautiful, marble-topped bar stretches half the length of the restaurant, which seats many of the place’s guests. This Italian eatery is meticulous about its unfussiness; everything down to the local-artisan-made dishware consistently encourages guests to relax and enjoy the best that simple goodness has to offer. The tables lining both walls might have you rubbing elbows with fellow foodies, but it’s a small price to pay for a seat at all. A few mismatched prints and black wainscoting are all that adorn the white walls, and that goes a long way to make the cramped space feel a bit more open. While it is true that the Friday night wait for a table will be a long one at this no-reservations hot spot, it’s equally plausible to be sat immediately on a Sunday afternoon. And SPQR’s brunch and lunch offerings make a scrumptious alternative to dinner.

Simple culinary preparation and limited use of spices mean the show’s all about the ingredients and technique. The Grilled Pecorino on the hot antipasti menu might seem simple enough, but just one bite into this crispy-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside cheese and you’ll be a believer. This delicious appetizer comes geniusly paired with grilled radicchio that cuts the saltiness of the cheese and prepares the palate for the next bite. Even the olive oil and pugliese, a starter as common as water at Italian eateries, taste of richness and freshness that will ruin you for all other bread and oil pairings.

So the next time you’re bumming around the Fillmore, wander into SPQR for a glass of sparkly-dry prosecco, delicious hand-made pasta, and artisan olive oil. The staff will welcome you kindly and do what they can to get a seat. The lucky feeling of actually getting a seat will quickly melt into a sated contentment at SPQR where it’s all about the best ingredients and simple, precise preparation.