The Pope and gangsters dine at Buca di Beppo
Buca di Beppo, the popular Italian restaurant chain that has conquered taste buds in over 100 locations worldwide, opened recently at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.
The original restaurant opened in 1993 in the basement of an apartment building in Minneapolis, USA. Back then it was called Buca Little Italy. Five years later it was renamed Buca di Beppo, which translates roughly to “Joe’s Basement.” Buca literally means “hole,” or is Tuscan slang for “basement” or “cellar.” Beppo is a nickname for Giuseppe, the Italian form of Joseph in Northern Italy.
The mission of Buca di Beppo is “to capture the fun and enthusiasm of an authentic Italian gathering along with delectable food.” In this setting, the Italian restaurant serves recipes handed down from generation to generation by Italian immigrants.
Seeing how the Italians’ celebration of food and family resonates with Filipinos’ own love for festivities, businessman Marcelino Florete Jr., holder of the franchise of Buca di Beppo in the Philippines, decided to bring the restaurant to Manila.
“We felt that there’s room for an authentic Italian restaurant in the country today,” Florete said. “And we also felt that there are very few restaurants, if at all, that can be called ‘a home of celebrations for the family.’”
Because of this, Buca di Beppo servings are perfect for groups. The large serving can satisfy 10 to 12 people, the medium is good for four to six, and the small portion is a fit for two people. Buca di Beppo serves authentic Italian favorites like lasagna, chicken Parmigiana, and spaghetti with their famous half-pound meatballs.
“We’re very Italian in the sense that unlike our competitors, you will not find steaks here,” said Florete. “We don’t serve ribs or steaks because those are really more American. We stick to the basic Italian. We’ve so many types of pastas, we’ve so many types of pizzas, and of course we have the wine. We have very good calamari and mussels, cooked the Italian way. We have all those appetizers, but we don’t have sandwiches.”
The interiors of the restaurant are filled to the rafters with photos, artworks, and memorabilia of Italian history and pop culture. Expertly curated by interior designer Bob Charles, these images mirror the décor of all Buca di Beppo restaurants worldwide.
It is said that over 2,500 photos are included in the Buca di Beppo collection. These are distributed appropriately among the restaurant’s different rooms, which can accommodate groups of four, 10, 20, or 40. “There’s a lot of fun in our collection,” Florete continues. “There’s a story behind maybe at least 60-70 percent of the frames that you look at. We expect customers to ask, who is this? Who is that?”
The chef’s table, which is right beside the kitchen, can easily fit eight people. Its walls are decorated with photos of Italian chefs, as well as the different ingredients integral to Italian cuisine, like tomato, cheese, pasta, eggplant, garlic, and lemon. The chef interacts with diners, and guests are allowed to explore the kitchen.
The eight people that the Pope Room can accommodate can proudly say that they had their meal under the watchful eye of several eminent popes. In fact, there are frames that start from St. Peter to Pope Benedict. There is a bust of Pope Francis, and two niches feature Pope John Paul II and Pope Paul VI — “Pope Paul VI because of his role in the Second Vatican Council, and Pope John Paul II because he is loved by Filipinos,” Florete explains.
The Poster Room, which can accommodate 30-40 people, is surrounded with photos of celebrities and other important personalities. For example, they have Jason Statham, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Robert De Niro, and basketball players like Shaquille O’Neal — all customers and celebrities who go to Buca in the US.
The Wine Room, which can accommodate 20 people, has photos of diners who have enjoyed their wine there. Another 20 people can fit in the Gangster Room, which displays images and memorabilia of the notorious and infamous.
Around the restaurant are more art pieces that pique curiosity, like the statues of Venus de Arle, Venus de Milo, and a replica of “David” by Michelangelo, interspersed with exquisite paintings by local artists.
Buca di Beppo also has a Celebrity Board waiting to be filled with famous Filipinos who come and visit the restaurant.
And every single Buca restaurant features an image of Big Joe — the Joseph, the Beppo — who started the legend that is Buca di Beppo. The story goes that Big Joe would work 12 hours as an ordinary cook. Finally, he said, “There’s got to be a better way to life.” So he decided to open his own restaurant. But after opening Buca di Beppo, he realized he was so busy he could no longer go to church. As an avid Catholic, this was the reason he opened the Pope Room.
Buca di Beppo is located on the ground floor of BGC Corporate Center, 11th Avenue corner 30th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.
Like Buca di Beppo on Facebook: Buca di Beppo Philippines and follow on Instagram: @bucadibeppoph.