Bite Club: Carbs done right and a story worth savoring at Bucci’s Italian Scratch Kitchen

MARION — Bite Club almost turned into Fight Club when my friend asked for a second bite of my pasta.

After dinner at Bucci’s Italian Scratch Kitchen, I messaged owner Alex Sheridan to tell him how much I enjoyed the experience.

When he asked how everything was, my response was simple: “Everything was wonderful, but I would legit fight someone for that short rib tortellini.”

Was I being dramatic? Maybe. But this was easily one of the most memorable dishes I’ve reviewed this year.

Like many people, I first discovered Bucci’s through Brunch, Please!, the wildly popular weekend experience built around throwback music, dancing, and flowing mimosas.

But after telling friends and family about my Brunch, Please! experience, I kept hearing the same thing: “You have to go back for dinner.”

More than one person told me Bucci’s served some of the best Italian food they had ever eaten. I knew I had to see what everyone was raving about.

I’m glad I did.

Walking into the restaurant, I was struck by how two completely different experiences could exist under the same roof. Brunch, Please! is high-energy happiness, while dinner at Bucci’s feels warm, inviting, and elegant.

Both share the same foundation: a team that genuinely cares about making people feel welcome.

Dinner at Bucci’s

The short rib on tortellini made me stop mid-conversation. Tender braised short rib served over cheese tortellini with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, creamy Alfredo, melted blue cheese, and a savory demi-glace that ties everything together. The blue cheese added just enough salty tang to make the rich sauce and melt-in-your-mouth short rib shine, every flavor complementing the next. The taste was special enough for a celebration but comforting enough that I could almost picture someone’s grandma lovingly preparing it for Sunday dinner.

I also tried the eggplant Parmesan, which carried the same feeling of comfort and care. The noodles were perfectly cooked, the sauce bright and flavorful, and the eggplant was thick-cut and tender. My friend, who spent many years vegetarian, said it tasted like it was made by “someone who truly understood vegetables,” instead of simply trying to recreate a dish without meat.

And then there was dessert: crème brûlée. The delicate crunch of the caramelized sugar was deeply satisfying, followed by the rich flavor of the salted caramel topping and silky, creamy custard. The texture and flavors had me smiling and doing a little happy dance after the first bite.

From the house-baked bread to the cocktails and everything in between, each item reflected the same level of care, creating a memorable meal that balanced sophistication with comfort.

A taste of Italy

My favorite surprise of the evening came from the fried mozzarella, but this is not the mozzarella appetizer you might be expecting.

Executive Chef and Bucci’s namesake, John Paul “JP” Iacobucci, explained that the dish is inspired by mozzarella in carrozza, a traditional Italian sandwich made with breaded and fried mozzarella.

 “The fried mozzarella is actually super traditional. That might be one of the most traditional dishes on that menu,” JP said.

I’d never had mozzarella in carrozza before, so I was surprised by both the flavor and the cheese pull. For JP, though, Italian food has always been a part of his life.

“My dad’s side of the family is 100-percent Italian, and my mom’s side is 100-percent German,” JP said. “But the Italian side was really all about Italian food. We would have these big meals where we’d get together and eat pasta, meatballs, sausages, and salad.

“That was a big part of my childhood growing up, and a lot of my inspiration still for food and what I think food should be and what it is,” he said.

The chef behind the menu

JP’s culinary journey started long before Bucci’s. He began working in restaurants at 15 years old, washing dishes at Red Lobster before working his way into the kitchen. He went on to cook in restaurants throughout Marion before moving to Columbus, where he has spent the past 18 years with Cameron Mitchell Restaurants.

Drawing on that experience, JP created Bucci’s menu to be elevated without feeling intimidating.

But for JP, cooking is about more than what goes on the plate.

“It means love to me,” he said. “That’s really what it’s all about. It’s loving each other. It’s the ultimate sign of caring about somebody else if you make a meal for them.”

Building Bucci’s

That philosophy is also what made JP the right person to help bring Alex Sheridan’s vision for Bucci’s to life. When Alex first acquired the building, his plan was to bring another event space to the historic property and lease the restaurant portion to someone else.

But after talking with potential operators, he realized he had not found the right fit. Instead, he decided to take a chance and open a restaurant himself.

“There’s ignorance, and there’s optimism, and there’s stupidity, and they were all in the same bucket inside of my head,” Alex said with a laugh.

Alex knew the restaurant needed the right chef. He turned to family friend JP, who agreed to create the menu and shape the restaurant’s culinary identity while Alex focused on bringing his vision for the historic space to life.

Like many new restaurants, Bucci’s had some growing pains at first. Alex has been open about the challenges the restaurant faced and the work it took to create the experience he originally envisioned. Instead of walking away, he listened to feedback, rebuilt the team, and continued moving forward.

JP said watching Alex’s tenacity has been inspiring.

“Just the courage to risk everything on this opportunity, on this idea, and to say, ‘Yeah, we’re going to go for it,’” JP said. “I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’m going to do it. That’s very inspiring.”

That perseverance, paired with a willingness to learn, adapt, and listen to the community, helped shape Bucci’s into what it is today. Brunch, Please! may be many guests’ first introduction to the space, but they would be doing themselves a disservice if they never return for dinner at Bucci’s.

A space built for connection

Together, the two experiences have given new life to a historic building built for bringing people together.

Built in 1928 as part of the Columbus, Delaware, and Marion Railway Company, the historic building was designed to bring people together. Nearly 100 years later, that spirit lives on at Bucci’s, where guests gather to celebrate milestones, share meals, and create memories one plate at a time.