When you come to Baratta's, you really are home. In fact, the Baratta family once lived in the rooms where diners now gather for meals and special occasions. The family began their journey in the Des Moines food scene when they opened a small grocery store in the front of their home near downtown Des Moines.
Specializing in Italian foods and ingredients, the Baratta name became synonymous with traditional Italian recipes. In 1993, the family sold the store and home to three local Lincoln High School alums, Joe Gatto and Curt and Lisa Kruger. Today, Joe and Lisa are continuing to maintain the charm of the original shop by serving classic Italian recipes daily, including lasagna al forno, steak deburgo, and cannolis.
Specializing in Italian foods and ingredients, the Baratta name became synonymous with traditional Italian recipes. In 1993, the family sold the store and home to three local Lincoln High School alums, Joe Gatto and Curt and Lisa Kruger. Today, Joe and Lisa are continuing to maintain the charm of the original shop by serving classic Italian recipes daily, including lasagna al forno, steak deburgo, and cannolis.
Services
As couples who postponed their 2020 weddings due to the pandemic begin to search out dates and rebook for 2022, it can be hard to find the best Des Moines event venues and caterers for wedding receptions before they are all gone. Forte Event Center in downtown Des Moines is excited to hit the ground running with couples looking to book their 2022 weddings.
Baratta's offers catering services for a wide variety of events in the Des Moines area and beyond. We use the freshest ingredients in all of our dishes and offer customizable menus to fit your needs. Our team will work closely with you during the planning process so you and your guests can have the best experience possible.
Planning the perfect wedding or formal event is a lot of work. There's so much to think about when it comes to the details. You don't want to have to worry about catering on top of that. Let our professional staff at Baratta's cater your wedding day. We have a variety of our own venues to choose from or we can cater to your off-site venue.
Host your next graduation party, retirement celebration, or company lunch meeting at Baratta's. The Baratta's restaurant location on South Union has a private room that can fit 20-40 guests, and our locations at Forte and the State Historical Building can fit many more. Reserve our private spaces, select your menu preferences, and invite your guests!
Sometimes you have everything all set for your event except for the food. That's when you can count on Baratta's to deliver! We offer both off-site catering and large-order delivery services so you can impress your guests at your big event. With our off-site catering services we offer complete planning.
Reviews (21)
Miranda M.
Oct 13, 2021
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Service: Excellent. The restaurant was very busy but they got it done.
Atmosphere: Well, it's a house. The ceilings are low and the acoustics are what you'd expect. It's loud and you can hear every conversation around you. I only saw two bathrooms but there may be more. Definitely a cozy family vibe, but if you aren't in the mood for a raucous good time, or if you're claustrophobic, go during off-hours or try sitting in the bar area where it's a bit quieter.
Food: Hit and miss. The salad was crisp and cold, the dressing was housemade blue cheese with plenty of
Atmosphere: Well, it's a house. The ceilings are low and the acoustics are what you'd expect. It's loud and you can hear every conversation around you. I only saw two bathrooms but there may be more. Definitely a cozy family vibe, but if you aren't in the mood for a raucous good time, or if you're claustrophobic, go during off-hours or try sitting in the bar area where it's a bit quieter.
Food: Hit and miss. The salad was crisp and cold, the dressing was housemade blue cheese with plenty of
Jill T.
Sep 30, 2021
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Ryan S.
Jul 30, 2021
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Big pizza fan and just moved to the South Side.. Got a recommendation this was the best in the area and a must try. I honestly have no idea why. The pizza is a 3.8 out of 10. Sauce, Cheese, Ingredients, Crust all under average and very plain and dry flour tasting. Not sure why someone would ever recommend this to be honest. The people working were all friendly and I'm sure there are other items on their menu which can be good as well.
Richard D. B.
Jun 30, 2021
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Great Italian restaurant. There were 4 of us and all agreed our meals were awesome. My wife had the chicken Alfredo. Tons of tender chicken with a slightly garlic creamy sauce. I had the manicotti with their Marinara sauce. It had a unique flavor that was very pleasing. I would definitely order it again & try a different pasta dish. They have a great menu with lots of choices. The service was efficient & very pleasant. The waitress brought out a desert presentation tray to another table. They made their choices, but before she left, 3 other tables saw the 6-8 choices & placed their
Diamon T.
Mar 24, 2021
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This is a hidden gem tucked away from the main road and surrounded by residential area. We checked this place out since a co worker suggested it- the staff is friendly and personable! The restaurant is clean and spacious with a bar and private event space.
We you enter you only see 4-5 booths along with a bar area. The looks are deceiving because there's a lot more space around the corner and downstairs! We arrived around 7pm for dinner and were quickly seated at the bar.
The drinks were made by Sue! We had a Long Island iced tea and Payton margarita- both delicious. We opted for an appetizer
We you enter you only see 4-5 booths along with a bar area. The looks are deceiving because there's a lot more space around the corner and downstairs! We arrived around 7pm for dinner and were quickly seated at the bar.
The drinks were made by Sue! We had a Long Island iced tea and Payton margarita- both delicious. We opted for an appetizer
Angie M.
Jan 17, 2021
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Staff is wearing masks. Our server was amazing. The food was delicious! Had a seafood craving so I had salmon and Cajun shrimp appetizer. The kids lasagna was a large portion and my kids loved it! Then they brought the dessert tray! Omg!! We chose the lemon cake and we nearly fought over it! This is a great staple of Des Moines and adapting well to the panda mix times with carry out options. Support local!
Kimberly D.
Jan 01, 2021
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We seen a Facebook posting advertising Baratta's New Year Eve specials. I called this morning and made us a reservation for 6 pm. We went into our meal knowing they maybe extremely busy tonight, so please keep this in mind when reading our experience.
We arrived at 5:50. The parking lot was completely full. We were lucky and got a spot from someone leaving.
We checked in at the door and was taken to our table immediately. Our waitress arrived promptly and introduced herself.
We ordered our mushroom appetizer and Long Island Teas. We placed our order promptly when we got our drinks. Both
We arrived at 5:50. The parking lot was completely full. We were lucky and got a spot from someone leaving.
We checked in at the door and was taken to our table immediately. Our waitress arrived promptly and introduced herself.
We ordered our mushroom appetizer and Long Island Teas. We placed our order promptly when we got our drinks. Both
Deana T.
Mar 14, 2020
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Friday night during Lent and I was looking for something different than the norm! There's a TV commercial about people who have a hard time finding the place, but I grew up on the south side, so no problem there. BUT I think it's comical because the inside of the place is a maze! Several levels, many rooms all decorated to match the others.
We ordered 2 meals to eat there and one to take home to mom, and onion rings for the appetizer. All meals include their yummy bread, and a salad, I LOVE THEIR HOUSE CREAMY PARMESAN DRESSING!
They had a good variety of choices for those of us that
We ordered 2 meals to eat there and one to take home to mom, and onion rings for the appetizer. All meals include their yummy bread, and a salad, I LOVE THEIR HOUSE CREAMY PARMESAN DRESSING!
They had a good variety of choices for those of us that
Dee W.
Feb 12, 2020
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Great food. Had a retirement luncheon here and enjoyed everything. The table ordered spinach artichoke dip, bruschetta and onion rings. I had the chicken amagio sandwich. Service was a little slow but we had 9 people. The bread served with the apps was also very good and there were different textures. I especially liked the fried pita bread served with the spinach artichoke dip.
Angelika K.
Jan 25, 2020
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It's another frigid and snowy night in Des Moines, so I decided to order in dinner instead of going out. After scrolling through the options on Grubhub, Baratta's caught my attention. I love Italian food and there were a few vegan items on the menu that looked really good to me so I ordered and hungrily waited for my doorbell to ring.
When the food arrived, it was neatly packaged and free from spills. I unpacked and opened everything up. I was pretty underwhelmed by what I saw.
$17 vegan pasta was mainly large chunks of zucchini. I tasted it and was shocked by the blandness. I&apos
When the food arrived, it was neatly packaged and free from spills. I unpacked and opened everything up. I was pretty underwhelmed by what I saw.
$17 vegan pasta was mainly large chunks of zucchini. I tasted it and was shocked by the blandness. I&apos
Hailey W.
Dec 14, 2019
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One of my favorites in Des Moines. The Hand made cheese sticks are a-mazing especially with their ranch which is super midwest but so much better than other places. The service is always good and I even like ordering foos from home and having it delivered.
Tonight they customized a dish for me off menu and it was again. So delicious. Will be back again and again.
Tonight they customized a dish for me off menu and it was again. So delicious. Will be back again and again.
Peter N.
Dec 12, 2019
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I ordered Manicotti with white sauce. If you love cheese, then this is where it's at! Use their bread to sop up the extra white sauce. Leave nothing on the plate and reach a stasis so satisfying you will never need to eat again.
My wife ordered Cavatelli with meatballs and Italian sausage. It had a marinara sauce on it. She was very happy.
We ordered via DoorDash. Both entrees were generous sized portions that came with a side salad. The creamy garlic dressing is amazing.
Thank you guys for making our night.
My wife ordered Cavatelli with meatballs and Italian sausage. It had a marinara sauce on it. She was very happy.
We ordered via DoorDash. Both entrees were generous sized portions that came with a side salad. The creamy garlic dressing is amazing.
Thank you guys for making our night.
Frank Stieg
Nov 26, 2019
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Josh E.
Aug 10, 2019
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Sammy M.
May 22, 2019
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This is definitely one of my favorite, local Italian restaurants in Des Moines! Been in the neighborhood (literally) forever and they have such an amazing relationship with their regulars!
It's literally in the middle of a south side neighborhood so this definitely fits the definition of "hidden gem".
They have a giant chalk board right when you walk in that has the specials listed. There's also a full bar right around the door!
The building is a little compartmentalized with 3 major dining rooms and a few booths near the bar area. The food is great! Large portions in my
It's literally in the middle of a south side neighborhood so this definitely fits the definition of "hidden gem".
They have a giant chalk board right when you walk in that has the specials listed. There's also a full bar right around the door!
The building is a little compartmentalized with 3 major dining rooms and a few booths near the bar area. The food is great! Large portions in my
Dan T.
Feb 27, 2019
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I think the restaurant is in it's 26th year... From humble beginnings what started as a residence, then sprouted a grocery story, and later in the early 90s the Baratta's we know came to fruition...
You can tell as you enter the parking lot there's some history here. It may not be the prettiest building from the outside, but you can see their roots. A lot of that "home" feel is still in place there on Union.
Of course they have continued to grow with Cafe Baratta's, their event and catering business, and partnering with several other metro landmarks.
I still
You can tell as you enter the parking lot there's some history here. It may not be the prettiest building from the outside, but you can see their roots. A lot of that "home" feel is still in place there on Union.
Of course they have continued to grow with Cafe Baratta's, their event and catering business, and partnering with several other metro landmarks.
I still
Herman R.
Jan 28, 2019
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Located on south Union (the address on this yelp page says state historical museum which is incorrect) Barrata's is solid Italian. I got the chicken parmigiana which was excellent. My partner got the vegan pasta which she raved about. I also ordered the lemon drop which was pretty good. For dessert I ordered the canniloni. They were very good. Service was excellent. It's hard to go wrong with anything here as it has been operating for a long time and has perfected the dishes.
There is a cafe Baratta's that is located in the state historical museum (not rated by me).
There is a cafe Baratta's that is located in the state historical museum (not rated by me).
Brian Crow
Jun 13, 2018
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Paul Menzel
Oct 08, 2017
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Outstanding food at reasonable prices, even more affordable during their blue plate specials in January. Great views of downtown Des Moines and the capitol. Kinda hard to find the entrance inside the Iowa Historical Museum. Here's a tip: Come in on the north side (backside) of the building on Grand Avenue. Take the elevator to the top. Their lasagna is delicious.
Roger Day
Nov 17, 2016
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We recently hosted a rehearsal dinner at Cafe Baratta's in The State Historical Museum in Des Moines. It was just what the couple wanted and the staff at Baratta's couldn't have been better to work with! They were gracious with every question we had and treated everyone with such respect it was an absolute pleasure to work with them. The food was excellent and we would highly recommend Baratta's!
Ed Gruenwald
Aug 18, 2016
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