Foreigners living in Naples quickly become acquainted with regional foods such as pasta with ragu or Genovese sauce, eggplant parmigiana and fried mussels or anchovies.

Those and other traditional Neapolitan dishes are the mainstay of most every restaurant, making them seem ubiquitous, maybe even boring. That mindset is short-sighted.

The fun of eating in southern Italy isn’t about vast selection but rather the experience of fresh vegetables, meats and cheeses paired with local food traditions. Variety comes from skillful interpretation, and Tufo Trattoria Gourmet doesn’t disappoint.

Located in Naples’ exclusive Posillipo enclave, Tufo offers a menu dedicated to well-prepared dishes reminiscent of those served by an Italian grandmother, or nonna, but with flair.

Word of warning: The trattoria is popular with locals and there almost always is a line for a table, especially on weekends, when the restaurant serves lunch. Don’t chance it; make a reservation.

Once inside, you’ll be seated in one of two adjoining dining rooms decorated in an Italian countryside motif. The dining areas are intimate, meaning you’ll sit very close to fellow patrons. Waiters are friendly and efficient.

The menu offers an array of dishes but isn’t overwhelming. For example, there are about eight pasta and 10 meat options. There also are appetizers, salads, fish, vegetable sides and desserts.

On a recent Saturday, my companion and I started our lunch with parmigiana di melanzane, or eggplant parmigiana, and polpettine, or small meatballs, in ragu. Each arrived steaming hot in a small copper skillet and topped with shaved parmesan.

The first bite of parmigiana yielded a bright, velvety tomato sauce balanced with smokiness from the eggplant that appeared to have been fire-charred, not fried as is typical.

A generous portion of melted mozzarella was sandwiched between the layers of eggplant and sauce. The serving was enough for two but I ate every bit, sopping up the tomato sauce with the fresh, crusty bread on our table.

My lunch companion did the same with the meatballs, which she said were lightly seasoned with a rich, meaty taste. The ragu, a traditional Neapolitan sauce that features pork or other meat simmered with tomatoes and spices, wasn’t cloying, which allowed the flavor of the meatballs to come through.

For our main dish, we each had pasta — and a show.

A hallmark of Tufo’s first-course dishes, or primi, is pasta con patate, or pasta with potatoes and cheese. This classic is found on the menu of nearly every restaurant in Naples, but recipes vary.

At Tufo, the pasta, potatoes and provola cheese are finished tableside, where they are tossed from a skillet into a flaming wheel of parmesan cheese.

During our visit, this ritual was performed several times, as it seemed everyone was having the dish — except us.

Thinking the trattoria gave this treatment to another menu option, I ordered the cacio e pepe, or pasta with cheese and pepper.

It arrived in a dinner plate-sized copper frying pan, with the shorter, wider spaghetti-like pasta coated in a rich, smooth parmesan sauce with plenty of freshly cracked black pepper.

The dish was tasty, satisfying and plentiful, but I couldn’t help thinking that I’d missed out by not having the pasta con patate.

My companion ordered the pasta with Genovese, a Neapolitan favorite featuring slow-cooked onions. Picture thick onion soup poured over ziti and topped with chunks of tender beef and shaved parmesan. She ate every bite.

Tiramisu and other dolci, or sweets, such as a sbriciolata a Nutella, a sort of crumble cake made with the famous chocolate hazelnut spread, are among the dessert selections.

Although we passed on dessert, my dining companion finished her meal with an expertly made espresso.

Tufo’s name likely is homage to the volcanic rock of the same moniker that is evident throughout much of Naples and the Amalfi coast.

The porous stone, formed by the compaction and cementation of volcanic ash, sometimes is used in walls and other structures, a visible symbol of Neapolitan thriftiness and ingenuity in using what’s on hand.

Tufo makes good on that heritage through simple food that is borne of the same necessity but is never boring.

Tufo Trattoria Gourmet

Address: Via Posillipo 268, Naples, Italy

Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30 p.m.-midnight; Saturday, 12:30-4 p.m. (lunch), 7:30 p.m.-midnight; Sunday, 1-5 p.m. (lunch), 8-11:30 p.m. Takeout also is available.

Prices: Appetizers, 4-13 euros; pasta and salads, 8-15 euros; meat and fish, 8-30 euros; side dishes, 4 euros; desserts, 5 euros. Beer and wine also are available.

Information: +39 342-502-8667 (reservations strongly encouraged); https://www.tufotrattoria.it/