Chef Joe Pruner quietly gave East Sacramento a sneak peek at Bocce, his upcoming neighborhood Italian spot, with a one-day pop-up at Origami Asian Grill on Sunday that drew a steady line of locals. The limited service offered a tight menu and a preview of the pastas, pizzas and sandwiches he plans to roll out once the dining room is up and running, making the event feel like a low-key soft opening for a compact restaurant aiming squarely at the neighborhood.
The pop-up’s tiny menu, featuring three sandwiches, two salads and a single dessert, moved fast as customers started lining up by 11 a.m. Pruner said he and his family spent the previous night rolling roughly 600 meatballs to keep the crowd fed, and neighbors called the chicken parm smash and meatball sub clear standouts, as reported by The Sacramento Bee.
Pruner Lands Coveted Tower Bridge Dinner Slot
The momentum around Bocce jumped a notch when Visit Sacramento tapped Pruner as one of the lead chefs for this year’s Tower Bridge Dinner, the high-profile farm-to-fork gala that typically features already-established kitchens. The roster pairs him with Kate Sutherland of Waterboy, Giancarlo Zapata of Chicha and Francisco Rivera of Hawks Public House, a strong nod of confidence for a restaurant that has yet to officially open, as outlined by Visit Sacramento.
Small Dining Room, Big Take-Home Plans
Bocce is set to move into the former V. Miller Meats storefront in East Sacramento, with seating for about 20 diners and plans to add outdoor tables. Pruner says the menu will focus on fresh and extruded pastas, pizzas, sandwiches and seasonal vegetable sides, and the restaurant will also stock prepared takeaway dishes and cook-at-home options. He told The Sacramento Bee that he is still waiting on a couple of electrical approvals and a fire inspection, and that opening is “on track for about four to five weeks,” as reported by The Sacramento Bee.
Local Chops Behind the Counter
Pruner’s résumé runs through some of Sacramento’s marquee kitchens, including Mulvaney’s B&L, Empress Tavern, OBO’ and Woodlake Tavern, experience that has helped cement his reputation in the local dining scene. That background, paired with a series of well-timed pop-ups, likely helped catch the eye of the tourism bureau, as noted by Sactown Magazine.
If permits and inspections fall into place quickly, Bocce’s early previews could flip into a full opening within weeks, adding another small, chef-driven option to East Sacramento’s weeknight lineup. Until then, the pop-ups are giving neighbors a pretty clear taste of what is on deck.
