Culaccino Bar + Italian Kitchen opens in West Bend

Here come the pizzas and pastas: Culaccino Bar + Italian Kitchen in West Bend makes its debut to the public at dinner Oct. 16. 

The restaurant, at 110 Wisconsin St., will open for lunch starting Oct. 23. Lunch hours will be 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Between lunch and dinner, pizzas will be available, and the bar will be open.

Culaccino is the sibling to Bibinger's bar and restaurant in nearby Cedar Creek; they're both owned by Travis Dowden. The chef at Culaccino is Sasha Krohn; the executive chef of both restaurants is Kady Gibowski.

Appetizers at Culaccino include beef carpaccio ($11) and mussels and clams in white wine broth ($14); among salads are Caesar ($10) and greens with gorgonzola, red wine-soaked cherries, pistachios, apple and pancetta in roasted shallot vinaigrette.

Pizzas ($10 to $14) from the stone oven include the classic fresh-mozzarella and basil Margherita, and one with sausage, caciocavallo cheese, roasted fennel and mushrooms.

A number of the pastas ($14 to $22) are made at the restaurant, including linguine with seafood in a garlic cream sauce and braised short rib with papardelle. The restaurant has a few other main dishes ($24 to $36), including a roasted half chicken in limoncello butter and 16-ounce rib-eye steak.

The bar has 12 draft lines for wine and for cocktails.

Hours this week are 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday and 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The bar is open an hour later.

Reservations are recommended and can be made online.