SACRAMENTO, Calif. — An Italian restaurant specializing in pizza and pasta is open for business in midtown Sacramento.
Bambina’s Pizza and Pasta, located in the R Street Corridor’s Ice Blocks, is Juan Ramazzini's first owned business after spending 15 years working in the culinary industry.
Since opening its doors in September, the eatery has already garnered support from nearby residents and business.
“So far, we feel the love, we feel the support,” Ramazzini told ABC10.
The restaurant takes over the space that was left vacant by Curry Up Now, which closed in May.
When talking to ABC10, Ramazzini said his favorite dish on the menu is called the hot salame, a Pinsa-style pizza, which includes soppressata salami, calabrian peppers, their mushroom mix — buttered mushroom with oyster mushroom — cooked and finished with arugula and olive oil.
“I made this one myself because I love the toppings,” Ramazzini said. “The restaurants I worked at in my career in the last 15 years, whether it was in Italy or in the U.S., I never saw it on the menu and it’s just toppings that I like.”
Ramazzini began his career at Pizza Rock in downtown Sacramento where he worked under his mentor Tony Gemignani. He then moved to Italy to study in Sorrento before moving back to Northern California to serve as executive chief at Build Pizzeria Roma in Berkeley.
A move back to Sacramento followed for Ramazzini to serve as kitchen manager at Hot Italian. For three years, he ran the Sacramento and Emeryville Hot Italian locations along with helping open the Davis restaurant.
Ramazzini found his way back to the Bay Area before eventually joining forces with late restaurateur Chris Jarosz. He managed Broderick before jointly developing Anonimo Pizza with Jarosz.
Ramazzini served as the head chef at Anonimo and helped operate the restaurant since Jarosz’s death in May 2023.
“The time came to me to do my own thing and I got the opportunity,’ Ramazzini said.
Items on Ramazzini's newest restaurant menu include pasta dishes that are made from scratch fresh everyday, salads and pizza served in three styles: Bambina, Sicilian and Pinsa. Sauces and dressings are made in house, Ramazzini said.
Bambina-style pizza is a thin and crispy crust similar to New York style, and it originates from Northern Italy, Ramazzini said.
Sicilian-style has a “thick and airy” crispy and light crust. Pinsa-style, originated in Rome, is considered their signature pizza and is wheat, soy and rice flour based.
Ramazzini said Pinsa style is a type of pizza he “wanted to bring to Sacramento.”
“It’s very light, and we make it in the shape of a flatbread,” Ramazzin said. “It’s personal size, but it’s crispy on the outside and just light and airy on the inside.”
The business has a partnership with Device Brewing Co. that allows brewery’s customers to order from the Italian restaurant with a QR code.
A grand opening for Bambina’s is being planned for Oct. 24.
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