Cucina Baci celebrates Sardinian soul with hands-on experiences.
The idea for Cucina Baci was born from the need to provide pizza for the Buck’s Sports Barn, the children’s event venue next door. “We do over 500 kids’ birthday parties a year,” says Paul Rodgers, owner of both concepts, located in Buckhead. “Everyone orders pizza, so making our own pizzas seemed to be the next obvious step.”
Cucina Baci opened in fall 2024, but just a week later, Hurricane Helene destroyed the market, along with its pizza oven. Rather than shutter the space, Rodgers reimagined Cucina Baci as an Italian market and cafe serving sandwiches, salads, coffee and wine.
How do Cucina Baci’s restaurant, market and wine bar come together to provide a cohesive Italian experience?
We use the products we carry in our market—pasta, sauces, cheeses, wines—and build our menu and wine pairings around them. It’s all connected. Guests can try something delicious, then walk over and grab the ingredients to recreate it at home.
What drew you to highlight Sardinian cuisine?
In my youth, I lived in Sardinia for four summers. I became fascinated with the unique foods of the island and the longevity of its inhabitants. Sardinia is one of the five Blue Zones of the world. The island has been labeled the melting pot of Mediterranean cuisine. They were using tomatoes 250 years before Italians realized that they were not a poisonous fruit.
How do wine tastings and pasta-making classes further the culinary journey?
Wine tastings are a fun way to explore new bottles, and our selection is stuff we’re genuinely excited about. The pasta classes are handson and interactive, and guests learn to make pasta, taste the ingredients we use every day and feel more connected to what they’re eating and drinking.
Atlanta has numerous Italian restaurants but very few Italian markets. We’re passionate about being a locally owned spot where people can relax, enjoy great food and wine, and feel like part of something a little more local and special.
CUCINA BACI
770.335.4412
cucinabaci.com
@cucinabaci
BY Claire Ruhlin
