Italian-inspired restaurant with pizza, pasta and a salumi bar opens in Kansas City

A year ago, Todd Schulte and Cory Dannehl opened Earl’s Premier, a Brookside bar and grill bustling with orders for fresh oysters, shellfish, and frozen gin and tonics, with the patina of a long-time neighborhood gathering spot.

Now they are set to do the same with Bacaro Primo, in the Crestwood Shops just southeast of the Country Club Plaza.

After remodeling, it opened a week ago in the former Cafe Europa spot at 323 E. 55th St. Cafe Europa relocated to 4928 Main St.

“It’s Italian-inspired food that a couple of German guys are doing. We aren’t claiming to be experts,” Schulte said Wednesday.

But it’s already looking to be a hit with tables filling up quickly at both lunch and dinner.

The menu includes pizzas — Margherita, pepperoni and Cavolo Nero (ricotta, taleggio, pistachio and cremolata) — as well as a Roman-style pizza (oblong crust with less fat, fewer calories), meatball panini (their spin on a meatball grinder), pastas, grilled steak, roasted chicken, hearth baked focaccia, romaine salad with anchovy dressing and limoncello cake.

Customers pass by the salumi bar where employees can often be found putting together boards of meats, breads and cheese.

“It’s a nice focal piece and brings a little energy to the room. It is like our oyster bar at Earl’s. People start with a board and then decide what to order from there,” Schulte said.

One surprise hit is the fried olives.

“Green olives stuffed with a clove of roasted garlic, wrapped in spicy Italian sausage, standard breading and deep fried until they are golden brown and delicious. What’s not to like?” Schulte said. “They have been a welcome hit but not what we thought. Seems like everyone gets an order.”