Snack Hard and Drink Wine Upstairs at Roscioli From Rome

The upstairs a la carte spot from Roman import Roscioli will open on October 2, a more casual alternative to the $130 per person tasting menu and wine cellar that opened in July on the lower level.

Roscioli, the Roman institution that started in Italy with a bakery, followed by a salumeria, then a wine bar, is a partnership between Rimessa Roscioli partner Alessandro Pepe and Ariel Arce (Air’s Champagne Parlor, Tokyo Record Bar), in what had been Niche Niche. The duo opened the downstairs in July as a tasting menu restaurant.

With 40 seats, the upstairs space is as much a provisions-and-wine shop as a restaurant, with shelves lined with cans and bottles and meats and cheeses on display. The a la carte menu is divided between the cucina, where things are cooked, and the deli, where things are sliced (or opened and plated). Unlike a restaurant where, even in an open kitchen, the goings-on can feel like a stage, the stations for slicing and serving are tucked among the room. Tables are positioned so customers are seated in the middle of it all.

There are a couple of approaches to grabbing a bite. The first is a snacker’s paradise route, with items like suppli, a baton of fried risotto with cheese in the center ($5), and a plate of mortadella with Parmesan and balsamic ($18). Consider one of five variations on burrata, such as one with zucchini and mint ($18). Round it out with some oil-preserved artichokes (sott’olio), and if you’re with a group, a selection of salumi ($32) or fancy tinned tuna ($24 to $26).

For a more formidable meal, the restaurant also offers pasta, like Amatriciana, cacio e pepe, and carbonara ($20 to $22). These are straight-ahead Roman styles — no creative takes on standards — and the pasta will likely be far more al dente than at most Italian spots. Main courses aren’t grand affairs: a roasted onion, meatballs, or a Roman lobster roll ($85) for a splurge. Or relinquish decision-making and order the Tutto Rimessa, with a sampling from every course, for $40 a person.

It’s dinner only, for now, with some seats reserved for walk-ins and a limited number available on Resy. Roscioli’s upstairs hours will start at 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Monday through Saturday.