Inside Bacetti, Echo Park’s Showy New Italian Palace

The good light has found Bacetti in Echo Park. The Italian newcomer, focused on (but not limited to) the wide Roman culinary playbook, is sure to be an instant smash with the colorful-cool neighborhood when it opens formally on Tuesday, November 16, thanks in no small part to the build-out by Stayner Architects. Let’s take a look inside the 1928-era bow-truss building that’s already glowing with promise.

Here rich golden wood plays against rust-toned tile and more vibrant touches like deeper reds and darker greens, all interspersed with plants and shadows for a bit of pop and splash. Really, though, the pared-back rooms next door to Tilda glow because of the late-fall light that streams in from above, exposing the open ceiling and extensive glasswork that leads eyeballs towards the kitchen. A thick marble countertop, streaked in ink blacks and grays, buffers the separate-but-touching spaces, with chef Joel Stovall and his team working the stoves just beyond.

Stovall, who previously cooked at Orsa & Winston, has drafted a dynamic opening menu that freewheels from focaccia with black olives and soppressata and artichoke pizzes to a wide array of pastas, whole steak and fish plates, and more. There’s octopus, plated delicately inside vintage dishware; lamb shanks arrive glistening and crowded with a flurry of sides and salads; and desserts like bombolini and tiramisu hit the table as the night winds down. Christian Clarke is on to oversee the drinks, which include a vast array of natural wines (including magnums for the celebratory crowd) from Italy and beyond, while Bryan Carter (previously of Night + Market and Kismet) is in as general manager. The opening menu is below.

The new Bacetti, stuffed with soft light, housemade al dente pasta, and artwork from Matt Lipps, opens to the general public on Tuesday, November 16, keeping dinner hours only from Tuesday through Sunday. Find reservations for the restaurant at 1509 Echo Park Avenue on Resy.