Al dente ribbons of pasta curl through a robust tomato sauce heaving with chunks of goat meat that yield at the touch of a fork, delivering a little unadulterated pleasure with each bite. This is the pappardelle goat ragu at New Farm’s ever-popular Bar Alto, and when paired with a glass of juicy barbera from the Italian-centric, well-priced wine list, it’s reason enough to visit, again and again.

The other reason is for the view. Diners who book early and snare one of the few tables outside are treated to a relaxing outlook over a pretty bend in the Brisbane River. It’s calming and breezy on a sunny day. Inside, the raw floors, exposed ceiling and distressed concrete beams make for a buzzy and lively dining space.

Staff are just as energetic, addressing diners with familiarity and a casualness that can smooth over any delays from the kitchen, as they turn out a modern Italian menu extending from antipasti to large plates of protein designed for two to share.

Alongside the mandatory ragu, dishes like a saltimbocca quail salad shine, featuring pieces of the sweet poultry swathed in sage leaves and cocooned in prosciutto, while orange segments and balsamic-dressed leaves add freshness. Gnocchi is also well-executed and generous with an abundance of flaked local spanner crab meat in a bisque-style broth.

Mains include the likes of pan-fried salmon, Venetian-style calf’s liver and lamb loin with figs, but it’s really all about that ragu.

Must-eat dish: Pappardelle goat ragu
Instagram: @baralto