Baratta's Restaurant

Baratta's Restaurant catering brings authentic Italian flavors to your venue with customized menus featuring house-made pasta, meats, and desserts. Our experienced team handles weddings, corporate events, and private parties across central Iowa. We offer full-service planning assistance, including venue selection and on-site coordination for seamless events.

Host intimate gatherings in our dedicated private rooms accommodating 20-40 guests. Perfect for celebrations like anniversaries, graduations, and rehearsal dinners with customized menus and dedicated service. Our historic South Union location provides a warm, inviting atmosphere for special occasions.

Enjoy Baratta's Restaurant Italian specialties delivered to downtown Des Moines and surrounding areas. We deliver full dinner orders to homes and offices within our service zone, including special menus for funerals and graduation parties with free delivery options available.

Create unforgettable wedding experiences with our expert catering team. We offer venue partnerships at State Historical Building, Blank Park Zoo, and other premier locations. Our menus feature traditional Italian dishes with modern presentation, plus full coordination services for ceremonies and receptions.

Order fresh, house-made Italian meals for pickup at our South Union location. Our family carryout specials include complete dinners with pasta, salad, and bread. Available for lunch and dinner with full menu options, perfect for quick meals or feeding groups at home.

Joe Gatto co-owns Baratta's Restaurant since 1993, preserving its Italian culinary heritage while expanding catering services. He maintains the restaurant's reputation for quality food and community involvement, ensuring each guest experiences the Baratta family's hospitality tradition.

Lisa Kruger has co-owned Baratta's Restaurant for 30 years, overseeing operations and special events. She continues the Baratta family's legacy through authentic Italian cuisine and personalized service, making the restaurant a Des Moines tradition for generations of diners.

Michelle Dodds manages Baratta's Restaurant catering services, coordinating over 100 events annually. With extensive experience in event planning, she ensures seamless execution for weddings, corporate functions, and private parties across central Iowa.

Yes, we provide full-service wedding catering at multiple venues including State Historical Building and Blank Park Zoo, with customizable Italian menus and event coordination.

Our South Union location features a private banquet room for 20-40 guests, while the State Historical Building accommodates larger groups for special occasions.

We deliver to Blank Park Zoo area, 63rd and Park, and Easter Lake. For other areas, we recommend third-party services or pickup.

Our menu includes house-made lasagna al forno, steak deburgo, cannolis, and other family recipes passed down through generations of Baratta chefs.

Reservations are recommended for dinner and private events, but walk-ins are welcome during regular business hours at our South Union location.

Yes, we provide customized menus for weddings, corporate events, graduations, and funerals, with options for dietary restrictions and special requests.

My wife and I had dinner there last night. She had a seafood pasta which she enjoyed. I ordered the tenderloin and baked potato and was served the "tenderloin Duburgo" which was sitting in a pool of olive oil (is this an Italian version?), topped with sauteed garlic. Instead of a plain tenderloin, which was frustrating because we had asked about it and I clearly told the waitress "nope". The baked potato was like warm. All for $45. Disappointing at best.

I was very disappointed in my meal. I ordered the seafood genovese. It had imitation crab. I was like huh! Imitation Crab! Oof what a disappointment My wife ordered the ravioli dish and the ravioli was overcooked and un-edible. On a good note, the server was very attentive and good.

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 chunks. The bread was a bit tough for my tastes, but it had good crumb. My MIL's dish was very good - a sort of lemony shrimp pasta dish with veggies. My husband and I thought the manicotti was a bit bland - if you order it, I'd recommend the red sauce rather than tomato basil. However, it was loaded with tasty browned mozzarella cheese. Didn't try my FIL's dish but he enjoyed it. All in all, I liked this place and will be back. Hopefully next time I can try the eggplant and check out the desserts.

I love this place. Great food, friendly service. They have many great things on the menu. The jalapeno cheese soup is really good. I love the spinach artichoke dip w/crispy garlic toasts. It's a nice family atmosphere.

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.

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 orders to go. I chose the Carmel, pecan cheesecake. Too full to eat now, but it looked great.

Had a fabulous dinner and evening at Baratta's Southside. We're traveling and looked for an Italian restaurant in Des Moines. Luckily we found Barattas. Our server was Ali and she was amazing. Dinner was Caesar salad and lasagna that was delicious and the Shrimp Amaggio worth licking the bowl over with house Chianti and Bonanza Cabernet. Dessert was a shared delicious tiramisu with coffee.

A wonderful ending to a fabulous meal. If you're looking for an amazing Italian meal with a family atmosphere check them out. We highly recommend and if you're lucky enough to have Ali as your server it will definitely take it over the top.