I’ve tried many, many times to dine at Coppa — and I’ve only successfully made it happen three times. The reason? It’s tiny. Think shoebox-sized with teeny tables, and until recently, no reservations. The line was always insane, and the wait never quite matched my level of hunger. So in the past, I settled for a seat at the bar, enjoying small bites and a glass of wine while catching up with friends.

But the other night, as I was trying to come up with something a little different for dinner with Lauren and Erin, Coppa popped into my head. It was a gray, rainy Monday — surely that would help us sneak in without a wait, right? I called to make a reservation just in case, but no luck. They stop taking reservations after 5:30 p.m. We decided to take our chances anyway.

Coppa is tucked away in the South End and run by famed Boston chefs Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette. The vibe? Intimate, a little loud, and full of energy. It’s the kind of place you’d take a date — as long as you don’t mind your neighbors hearing every juicy detail of your conversation. The décor is simple, with a long bar (seating about eight), tightly packed square tables, and views into the small open kitchen or out to Shawmut Street. In the warmer months, they offer outdoor seating too. The menu is made for sharing — small plates, amazing handmade pastas (available in two sizes), and a surprisingly well-priced wine list.

We were seated at one of the teeny tables — all three of us — and yes, it was cozy. Very cozy. But we made it work. The place was still fairly empty when we arrived, but by the time we left, there wasn’t a seat to be had. We were basically on a double date with the couple next to us.

We kicked things off with a $30 bottle of Soave Classico, which was crisp, tangy, and perfect for the evening. I already knew one dish I had to order: the English Peas & Ricotta Crostini. This little plate is so fresh and vibrant, it’s like starting the meal with a savory pea cheesecake. I’m obsessed.

From there, we ordered a flurry of small plates to share. Everything was good — some things were downright fantastic.

Enter the pasta course. The Cavatelli di Pollo? Oh. My. Goodness. Absolutely delicious. I’m glad we only ordered the small portion, or I would have eaten the entire thing and still asked for more. The sausage was flavorful, and the pasta had that perfect al dente bite.

We also tried the Linguine e Astice. I liked it — didn’t love it — but it still disappeared from my plate, so clearly I didn’t mind too much.

As the dishes came out (whenever they were ready), we did our best to rearrange everything on the table like a Tetris puzzle. Shockingly, nothing ended up on the floor. We also had the Arancini — cheesy, sticky, comforting — and the Funghi Marinati, which were shockingly good for something so simple. We could have easily devoured two or three more plates of those mushrooms.

Our waiter recommended the Tuna Crudo, and it was a great call. Melt-in-your-mouth tuna that left us all wishing the plate was just a little bigger.

To finish, the girls split a warm, comforting Bread Pudding, and I went for the Chocolate Gelato, which hit the spot. A pretty big meal for a Monday night, but no regrets.

Coppa is such a fun spot — full of flavor, energy, and finally, reservations. Go with your girlfriends, go with a date, just go — and bring your appetite.