Tucked into an unassuming strip mall on the edge of Lacey, Washington, Bacco Trattoria Italiana has spent the last several years proving that you don’t need flash to build a following, you just need a chef who genuinely cares.
Chef Riccardo Simeone opened the doors in October 2020, bringing recipes rooted in his hometown of Gaeta, Italy, straight to the south Puget Sound.
What started as a modest neighborhood trattoria has since become one of the most talked-about tables in the region. 🍷
How Chef Riccardo Simeone won Lacey’s hearts
The story behind Bacco’s local popularity really starts with the man in the kitchen.
Simeone’s path to Lacey was anything but ordinary: he trained at culinary school in Italy and opened his very first restaurant there back in 1987, then spent decades working kitchens from the East Coast to Las Vegas before landing in Seattle in 2001. 🌊
By the time he settled in Lacey, he’d already owned five different small businesses, including a coffee shop, a bakery, and a convenience store.
What really cemented Bacco’s reputation, though, is consistency.
Diners keep returning not for one showstopping dish but for an entire experience that rarely misses, from the antipasti to the dolci.
Regulars talk about how the sauces taste unmistakably homemade, how the seafood arrives perfectly cooked, and how the staff treats them like family rather than just another reservation.
Word of mouth did what advertising never could: it turned a hidden gem into a destination people specifically drive to Lacey for. 💛
Food Highlights
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Gnocchi Al Ragù Di Costolette: Pillowy potato gnocchi smothered in a rich, slow-braised short rib ragù. 🥟
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Pappardelle Al Ragù Di Cinghiale: Wide ribbons of house-made pappardelle tossed in a hearty wild boar ragù. 🐗
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Spaghetti Con Polpette: Classic spaghetti and meatballs, made entirely from scratch. 🍝
- Fritto Misto: A crispy fried seafood plate, recommended by regulars as a must-order starter for the table. 🦑
- Lasagna Al Ragù Di Carne: Known simply as the house-favorite lasagna, layered with meat ragù and baked until bubbling. 🧀
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Rigatoni Alla Bolognese: A traditional slow-simmered bolognese sauce over rigatoni, prized for its deep, meaty flavor built the old-fashioned way. 🍅
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Scalloppine Di Vitello: Thinly sliced veal cutlets prepared with the kind of finesse that comes from decades of practice. 🍽️
- Spaghetti Alla Carbonara: A classic Roman-style carbonara built the traditional way, with egg, cheese, cured pork, and cracked black pepper coating each strand of spaghetti.
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Linguine Ai Frutti Di Mare: A seafood linguine loaded with shrimp, calamari, clams, and mussels in a light sauce. 🦐
Atmosphere
Bacco’s setting is easy to overlook from the parking lot.
Inside, though, the vibe shifts into something cozy and comforting, with warm lighting and a dining room that feels more like Gaeta than Lacey.
When the weather cooperates, the alfresco patio glows under overhead string lights, giving the whole experience a relaxed, almost European evening feel.
Multiple diners describe the ambiance as intimate without being stuffy, the kind of place where a Tuesday dinner can feel like a small occasion. 🕯️
Bottom Line
Come for chef-driven Italian cooking rooted in Gaeta tradition, stay for scratch-made pasta, standout seafood, and a lasagna locals swear by. Add a cozy patio, reasonable prices, and warm hospitality, and it’s easy to see why this unassuming Lacey spot keeps earning repeat visits. 🍷🇮🇹
Address:
9323 Martin Way E, Suite 108, Lacey, WA 98516
📞 (360) 972-2734
🕔 Open Tues-Thurs 4:30 PM–9 PM (dinner), Fri-Sat 11 AM–2 PM (lunch) & 4:30 PM–9 PM (dinner), closed Sun-Mon