I recently dined at this old-world restaurant on Morena Boulevard in San Diego. I’ve been going there for years, and I was saddened to learn of the death of Tony D’Amato, the owner, who died in Europe while visiting with his wife. Philip, his son, whom I’ve known for many years, is now managing the restaurant.
Baci has long been a place where Italian people from Little Italy and the surrounding area come on the weekends to dine and greet each other. It has a very different vibe than more modern, upscale Italian restaurants like North Italia or Piatti. Those are good places, but there’s something about the atmosphere at Baci that I resonate with.
The building is old, and the decorations are traditional. The food is always excellent, and the same servers have worked there for years. They’re professional, friendly, and competent.
My only complaint about the restaurant is that it’s very noisy. It’s hard to hear the people next to you. It’s annoying, but on the other hand, it’s part of the atmosphere of a lively place where friends meet for an evening of good food and goodwill.