SACO – Traditions is one of those places I’ve driven by almost daily since it opened 12 years ago, but never stopped in.

That changed on a recent afternoon when I popped in for a drink. Of course, I made the mistake of dropping in right before the place breaks at 3 p.m. before reopening at 5 for dinner, so the place was empty.

The waitress welcomed me in, however, and I took a seat at the bar. She asked what I’d like to drink, and I was stumped for a minute. They don’t have a specialty menu, but can make pretty much anything you’d like — just no frozen concoctions.

With such an array of options, I hemmed and hawed for a bit before ordering Absolut Mandrin with soda water. Served in a hefty highball glass, the drink was perfectly mixed. I sat back to sip and take in the scenery.

Traditions is a popular Italian restaurant. Mostly locals frequent the bar and restaurant, but the waitress said they’re always excited to welcome new customers through their doors.

The small space is divided almost in half between the dining room and bar area. There are 10 fixed bar stools along the stretch of dark wood bar, as well as an area that fills the corner windows overlooking Pepperell Square.

Even with the afternoon sun shining in, the place felt dark. And even with the bar empty, it also felt cozy. It seems like an ideal place to gather some local friends for a fun, relatively budget-friendly night out. But with a few newspapers scattered around, it’s also a great place to stop in for a drink, peruse the latest news and relax.

The busiest times are Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Because the space isn’t that big, the waitress said there’s typically a wait on those nights, but they can take reservations.

I polled some local friends on what they thought of the place, and one said her grandfather’s favorite drink to order there is a Manhattan. She also said she always orders the sausage and chicken cacciatore, a frequent special, because it’s delicious. I took a gander at their dinner menu — everything sounded tasty but also affordable, because nothing was more than $20.

As for the drinks, well beverages start at $5, and cocktails are about $8 for premium liquors. They had Guinness, Bass Ale, Allagash White and Shipyard Prelude all on tap for $4.75 a glass, and bottled beer for $3.25. House wines start at $5.50, and Traditions sells a variety of other wines by the glass or bottle.

I certainly will go back — maybe next time for a glass of wine and some of their popular Italian cuisine.

Emma Bouthillette is a freelance writer who lives in Biddeford.