Since Bobby Stuckey and Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson first threw open the doors to Frasca Food and Wine, they’ve continued to raise the bar for fine dining in Boulder. The pair’s impeccable sense of style and attention to detail shine throughout their growing enterprise, from Frasca’s Friuli-inspired cuisine to Pizzeria Locale’s exquisite Napoletana-style pizzas. Their newest addition, Il Caffè, is no exception.

At just 220 square feet, the tiny spot epitomizes fine Italian-style takeout, with 10 seats, an immaculate pastry case, and a Berkel Snaidero salumi slicer (which we wrote about in our April issue). Chef and general manager Travis Vaughn oversees the finely tuned menu of soups, seasonal salads, perfectly executed pastries—such as the city’s most delicate cornettos (croissants), maple-glazed bombolonis (doughnuts), and walnut and raisin sticky buns—coffee, wine, and beer.

Among my favorite options are the hot paninis: Order the mouthwatering porchetto (roasted pork loin and truffle butter gently folded into homemade bread brushed with garlic oil, sea salt, wild Sicilian oregano, and Parmesan) or the Italiano (piled high with prosciutto, salami, mortadella, provolone, and vegetables pickled in-house).

Caffè, 1720 Pearl St., Boulder 303-442-9464

Frasca Food and Wine, 1738 Pearl St., Boulder, 303-442-6966

Pizzeria Locale, 1730 Pearl St., Boulder, 303-442-3003