Written by Rachel Wermager, DSMG Contributor

There’s a reason they say, “you’re home when you’re at Baratta’s;” because you really are in a home. The history of Baratta’s dates all the way back to the early 1920s when Antonio Baratta, his wife Filomena, and their children emigrated to the U.S. from the Italian village of Scala Coeli in the region of Calabria. But the continued success of Baratta’s restaurant today is largely thanks to the now-owners—Joe Gatto and Lisa Kruger. 

A Family Operation from the Beginning 

After operating a successful tavern in downtown Des Moines for many years, Antonio and Filomena purchased the house and commercial building located at the corner of South Union and Kirkwood, along with the two adjacent lots on Kirkwood to the west of the home. (This all would eventually become the Baratta’s restaurant we know and love today!) 

Antonio ran the grocery store in the small commercial building next to the home until the late 1960s when his son Charlie “Cat” Baratta and his wife Frances took over the business. After Antonio passed away in 1972, Charlie and Frances converted the store to Baratta’s Trattoria. It was a family operation from the beginning with Antonio’s other children Mike, John, Frances, and their spouses being involved at one time or another. Mike’s wife Marge was especially involved as a staple in the kitchen. 

Left to right: Marge, Mike, Joe, Lisa

After a few years, the restaurant expanded into the adjacent home, and Filomena moved into an apartment in the rear of the home. Filomena passed away in 1984, followed by Charlie’s passing in 1988 which left the restaurant to Mike and Marge. 

In 1993, they sold the restaurant to Joe, Lisa, and Curt Kruger. “The three of us had worked together in the restaurant business for over seven years. We were only 25 at the time, but we had tons of experience and were ready for a challenge,” Lisa says. “The Baratta family believed in us and sold the restaurant to us on contract.” 

As Joe and Lisa get ready to celebrate their 30th year in business, it’s sufficient to say that they rose to meet the challenge. 

Nothing Flashy (But Everything Tasty) 

When the team took over the restaurant, they knew how important it was to maintain the strong Italian roots. They made sure to stick to the classics and create a menu that wasn’t flashy but rather full of homemade, no-fuss dishes. 

“Most of Baratta’s menu items are made from scratch including salad dressings, all pasta sauces, appetizers, meatballs, tortellini, ravioli, and we cut our steaks in-house,” Lisa says. “Our lasagna, homemade cheese tortellini, and chicken Amaggio are house favorites. Lately, I’ve been loving the steak Deburgo and chicken Marsala.” 

Part of the Neighborhood—Literally 

Baratta’s is the epitome of a friendly neighborhood business since it’s actually nestled amongst residential homes. The downside of being located in a neighborhood? It’s not so easy to find without Google maps. “In fact, 29 years ago we would hand out maps on how to get back to visit us,” Lisa says. They even ran commercials and print ads where they coined their tagline, “…if you can find us.” 

“Our neighborhood location has always been an amusement throughout the years,” Lisa says. “We initially thought that our location would be our demise.” Thankfully, the traditional food and unmatched service have been enough to convince people to seek them out (GPS helps too). 

“Thank goodness for technology today!” Lisa says. “It’s so much easier to find us!” 

Heart & Soul of the Community 

Being a small business means a lot to everyone who is a part of Baratta’s—and the support of their customers means even more. 

“Small businesses are the heart and soul of every community with so many people working so passionately to reach their dreams,” Lisa says. “It’s getting progressively harder to compete with big corporations with their buying power and deep pockets. Fortunately for us, we have continued to be generously supported by our great customers.”

It’s a Tradition 

When you make the trip over to the south side of Des Moines to visit Baratta’s, you can expect a warm welcome from people who have been in the business for a very long time. “A great many of our restaurant team have been with us for over 25 years. I love that when people visit us they will be greeted by the same familiar faces,” Lisa says. 

As Joe and Lisa prepare to celebrate their 30th year anniversary, the driving forces behind their business remain the same as always: traditional, friendly service and high-quality food. “It’s been an honor the past 29 years to celebrate all of the weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, and special moments with the people that dine with us,” Lisa says. “We like to learn our guests’ stories and share ours too.” 

P.S. They Cater Too! 

Baratta’s catering has become a huge part of their brand and business—because they’re dang good at it. They are the exclusive caterer at the State Historical Building, Terrace Hills Golf Course, and Des Moines’s Blank Park Zoo. 

Joe + Lisa

Baratta’s does on-site catering for weddings and special events and also offers catering delivery services for all your important celebrations, from baby showers to graduation parties. 

If you haven’t been to Baratta’s yet, take a trip and see for yourself exactly what they mean when they say, “you’re home when you’re at Baratta’s.”

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