A Venetian bacaro is a wine bar that serves cicchetti — small plates, bar snacks, a glass of wine standing up. The Champaign version plays it straighter: proper Italian small plates, a serious wine list focused on northern Italy, and a room that is dark and snug in a way that downtown Champaign doesn't usually manage.
The pasta is made in-house and worth ordering. The wine list has depth and the staff can navigate it. It is one of those university-town restaurants that would not look out of place in a much larger city.