Contrary to its small size, Nero Tondo is taking big swings. Acorn alumni, Lucas Johnston and Devon Latte eschew no waste for “full use,” a purposeful shift that turbocharges their already-abundant inventiveness.

Dishes champion a single product, with growers and makers acknowledged along the way. The wine list is succinct. The nimble menu is veg-forward, with a touch of seafood. Meat, a rarity, is strictly from small-scale farms. The amicable banter is nonstop and as lived-in as a pair of vintage 501s.

When we sat down, General Manager Meghan McDowell introduced us to the entire staff present—Nikolai Theissen in the kitchen by Latte and Alexis Nicasso in charge of what’s in our glass. Nicasso runs a list of possible pours like she is showing off her children. Most of the 18 seats in this scrappy slip of a space hug around the open kitchen. Packed to the literal rafters with swanky glassware, wine bottles, preserving jars, serveware, delis and Cambro containers, guests are deep in their stream of consciousness.

Later, the whey strained from that ricotta appears in a mad-genius move, reduced and stabilized with maple in a caramel to cling to fridge-cold radishes with porcini miso ice cream and puffed quinoa. It’s mind-bending and bloody brilliant. We cannot get over pan roasted Warba new potatoes with buttermilk, lovage oil, sage flower brown butter, dressed in black garlic maple vinaigrette, mixed herbs, blistered garlic scapes and pickled green garlic.

Descriptors fail. When we attempt to compliment Latte on the dish, he instead tells us more about the farm, Fraserland Organics, and the relationship they’ve tended over years. Spot prawn heads swish in for anchovy in their Cosberg Caesar. Honey gelato atop salt-flecked hazelnut croccante and DQ-style strawberry sauce excites. 

The originality of it all leaves us exhilarated, and we don’t leave before buying their merch.