Baci, Baci, Baciata! BACI Launches Roman "Kissed" Pizzas by Master Pizza Chef Roberto Marchi Every Tuesday, Plus a Revamped New Weekend Brunch Buffet

BACI Trattoria · Bar, the award-winning Italian trattoria in Lan Kwai Fong that serves the second-best pizza in Hong Kong, is bringing a slice of Roman street food culture to Hong Kong this autumn.

From 13 October 2026, every Tuesday for a limited two-month run, Master Pizza Chef Roberto Marchi presents a new menu of pizza baciata, the crisp, double-layered "kissed" pizza of Rome and Lazio, served in bite-sized portions made for sharing over an early-evening drink. Guests can choose any three of six savoury creations for HK$288, with a sweet Nutella baciata available as an add-on for just HK$48.

As the evenings turn cooler, after-work drinks have once again become one of the city’s favourite rituals. The new Baciata menu is Chef Marchi’s answer to the Italian aperitivo: generous in flavour, small in size, and designed to be enjoyed with friends and a glass in hand.

Taking its name from the Italian word for "kiss", BACI is home to one of Hong Kong’s most celebrated pizza programmes. Ranked No. 17 in Asia-Pacific by 50 Top Pizza in 2023 and 2024, No. 23 in 2025 and No. 24 in 2026, the restaurant has now featured in the regional ranking for five consecutive years, and Chef Marchi’s "South of Asia" pizza earned BACI the Best Toppings 2025/2026 award.

With seating for 100 guests and a vibrant open kitchen featuring two pizza ovens, BACI offers a lively, welcoming setting where diners can watch every pizza being made in front of them.

A Kiss from Rome: The Story of Pizza Baciata

Fittingly for a restaurant named BACI, pizza baciata, meaning "kissed pizza", takes its name from the way it is made. Two thin layers of dough are laid directly on top of one another with a light drizzle of olive oil in between. In the heat of the oven, the two halves gently "kiss" as they bake together, yet the thin film of oil keeps them from fusing completely. Once out of the oven, they part easily, opening up like a pocket ready to be filled.

Born in Rome and the surrounding Lazio region of Central Italy, the baciata is rooted in the country’s casual bakery (forno) and street food culture. Romans reach for a slice as a mid-morning snack (la merenda), a quick lunch on the go, or as part of the evening aperitivo, when smaller, bite-sized portions are passed around wine bars and social gatherings alongside a drink.

Sitting somewhere between a calzone and a classic pizza, the baciata has a texture all of its own. The double layer of dough and its plain, unadorned top bake to a deep golden crunch, while the inside stays soft, tender and airy. The fillings are added after baking, so fresh ingredients such as burrata, cured meats and crisp salad leaves keep their delicate texture and temperature, creating a satisfying contrast between the hot, crackling crust and the cool, creamy filling within.

The Baciata Menu

Chef Marchi has created six savoury baciate and one sweet finale, each balancing Italian tradition with a playful, contemporary touch.

Calabria in Fiore– A fiery taste of Italy’s south. Creamy fior di latte and soft ricotta temper the heat of Calabria’s spicy salami “spianata”, before a drizzle of spicy honey brings a lingering sweet-and-hot finish.

Baciata Imperiale – A crowd-pleasing twist where crispy golden fried chicken meets creamy mayonnaise and aged Parmesan, all held together in a crunchy baciata pocket.

Isola Verde – Fresh and garden-bright. Fragrant basil pesto and plummy cherry tomatoes are paired with bite-sized buffalo mozzarella bocconcini, for a light, earthy bite.

Bacio d’Autunno – An elegant celebration of Italian charcuterie. Silky San Daniele prosciutto aged 24 months is layered with buffalo mozzarella bocconcini, peppery fresh rocket and shavings of 24-month aged Parmesan.

La Scarpetta – Named after the Italian habit of mopping up every last drop of sauce with bread. Juicy meatballs in a rich Neapolitan tomato sugo are finished with pecorino and fresh basil, a comforting taste of Naples.

Oro Verde & Zest –Delicate mortadella and creamy burrata are enriched with velvety pistachio cream and grated pistachio, then lifted by a bright twist of lime zest.

Bacio Goloso – The sweet ending. Nutella, ripe banana, grated hazelnut and pistachio cream fill a warm, crisp baciata for an indulgent sweet finale.

The Master Behind the Dough

Born in Pisa, Chef Roberto Marchi spent years in front-of-house roles across Scotland, Tuscany, London and Sardinia before stepping behind the oven on the Ligurian coast. Pizza became an obsession that carried him through Southeast Asia and back to Italy to train under Neapolitan master pizzaiolo Davide Civitiello. Since arriving in Hong Kong in 2020, he has become known for an exceptionally light, digestible, high-hydration dough.

Although Chef Marchi made his first pizza less than 15 years ago, his dough is now among the most talked-about in Asia-Pacific, thanks to his relentless curiosity. He treats every batch as an experiment, studying the science of hydration, grain, fermentation and temperature to keep refining his formula.

His signature "secret ingredient" is Molino Paolo Mariani Volare Forte, an artisanal flour imported from Italy’s Marche region, and Chef Marchi is the only chef in Hong Kong working with it. For four generations, the Paolo Mariani mill has transformed 100% Italian wheat into professional flours, combining tradition, research and a fully controlled supply chain that champions the Marche and its farmers. Engineered for long fermentation and high hydration, Volare Forte delivers the structure, lightness and outstanding oven spring that contemporary pizza demands.

BACI’s dough undergoes a 24-hour fermentation tailored to Hong Kong’s high humidity, allowing it to reach peak flavour while remaining light and airy. Each pizza is then fired in stone ovens at a blistering 300–330°C for around 90 seconds, producing Chef Marchi’s contemporary Neapolitan style: crisp and beautifully blistered outside, soft and cloud-like within.

Aperitivo with Happy Hours on Weekdays

Guests can embrace Italy’s aperitivo culture by pairing their baciata with a glass or two from BACI’s weekday happy hour, available every Monday to Friday from 3 pm to 8 pm, with a selection of wines, rosé, Prosecco, beers, spirits and cocktails priced at HK$78 per glass.

A Lingering Italian Weekend: BACI's Revamped Scrumptious Brunch Buffet Now 25% Off Until 29 November 2026

In Italy, the weekend belongs to the table. Families and friends gather for long, leisurely meals that stretch well into the afternoon, with plates passed around and stories shared between courses. BACI brings that spirit to the heart of Central with its revamped Italian weekend brunch buffet, served from 12 pm to 3 pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

Priced at HK$498 per adult and HK$288 per child, the brunch is a feast without limits. To keep the glasses full, a free-flow package from HK$228 per person includes Prosecco, house red and white wines, house spirits, bottled beer and Aperol Spritz. For an alcohol-free option, a HK$88 per person package offers soft drinks, fruit punches and juices.

Guests can start with the cold spread, piled high with fresh seafood, Italian cold cuts, artisanal cheeses, salads and antipasti. The hot station follows with succulent roasts, including Wagyu Roast Beef, Roasted Chicken and Braised Barbecue Pork, alongside plenty more.

Then comes the pizza. Brunch-goers can enjoy unlimited servings of BACI's award-winning Neapolitan pizzas, fired fresh from the tailor-made brick oven. The selection includes the Italian Sausage Pizza, a fiery Spicy Four Cheese Pizza with 'Nduja, the classic Margherita di Savoia, a Ham & Mushroom Calzone and Spianata & Onions.

The feast doesn't stop there. A live pasta station features up to six kinds of artisan pasta for guests to mix and match with their favourite classic sauces, just as Nonna would serve it to her loved ones. To finish, a decadent dessert bar with homemade tiramisu, panna cotta and many more iconic Italian sweets awaits anyone who has saved room.

Guests who book online in advance with a deposit will enjoy 25% off the brunch (discount applies to food only), valid until 29 November 2026. Terms and conditions apply. All prices are subject to a 10% service charge.

BACI Trattoria · Bar is located at G/F California Tower, 30–32 D’Aguilar Street, Lan Kwai Fong, Central. For more information or reservations, please WhatsApp +852 6299 2347, visit lkfconcepts.com/pages/baci or follow @bacihk on Instagram for the latest updates.

About Master Pizza Chef Roberto Marchi

Born in Pisa, Italy, Roberto Marchi is the Master Pizza Chef of BACI Trattoria · Bar in Lan Kwai Fong, where he leads one of the most acclaimed pizza programmes in Asia-Pacific. His path to the pizza oven was far from conventional, shaped by years in hospitality across Europe and a late-blooming passion that has since earned international recognition.

Marchi began his career in Scotland, spending three years at the renowned Italian café Nardini’s and later at a traditional fish and chip shop. He returned to Italy and held front-of-house positions at distinguished properties on the Tuscan coast, including as maître d’ at the Grand Hotel Principe di Piemonte, at the Hotel Plaza e de Russie in Viareggio, and at the Green Park Resort in Tirrenia. At the Plaza e de Russie he worked alongside Michelin-starred Executive Chef Luca Landi; though Landi led the kitchen and Marchi the dining room, the chef’s passion and love for food left a lasting impression on him.

His fascination with pizza began in London, where, working front of house at a pizzeria, he found himself drawn to the craft taking place at the oven. After a period at Forte Village Resort in Santa Margherita di Pula, Sardinia, he moved into the kitchen on the Ligurian coast and began making pizza professionally. His career then took him to Thailand, where he worked as a pizza chef in Bangkok and Phuket. There he met Davide Civitiello, the world-renowned Neapolitan master pizzaiolo who won the prestigious Caputo Cup in 2013. Civitiello travels extensively as chief brand ambassador and technical expert for Mulino Caputo, teaching the art of authentic Neapolitan pizza making worldwide. Marchi later trained under him in Italy.

Marchi relocated to Hong Kong in January 2020 as part of the opening team of Babacio, before joining BACI as Master Pizza Chef in 2023. Under his direction, BACI was ranked No. 17 in Asia-Pacific by 50 Top Pizza in 2023 and 2024, No. 23 in 2025 and No. 24 in 2026, marking its fifth consecutive year in the regional ranking. His "South of Asia" pizza also earned BACI the Best Toppings 2025/2026 award.

This autumn, Marchi launches the BACI Pizza Omakase, a multi-course tasting menu served at the restaurant's kitchen counter, with regional Italian wine or alcohol-free pairings.

About LKF Concepts

LKF Concepts has a proud history of restaurant ownership and management, having developed and operated some of Hong Kong’s most iconic entertainment venues. The group’s current restaurants include the heralded Skyline Dining Porterhouse and the award-winning Italian restaurant BACI Trattoria · Bar. Its Japanese selection includes the long-standing Hong Kong icon Tokio Joe and the refined skyline izakaya FUMI Joe.

LKF Concepts strives to bring guests entertainment excellence along with a unique dining experience, while upholding the lifelong vision and mantra of its Chairman and founder, Dr Allan Zeman: "We’re in the business of making people happy. To us, that means rethinking outdated boundaries between work and play, rest and exploration."

At a Glance: Baci, Baci, Baciata

• From 13 October 2026, every Tuesday evening, for a limited two-month run; bite-sized Roman pizza baciata with seven different toppings; choose any three savoury baciate for HK$288; add on the sweet option for HK$48 each

At a Glance: Weekday Happy Hour

• Available Monday to Friday, 3 pm to 8 pm; wines, rosé, Prosecco, beers, spirits and cocktails at HK$78 per glass

At a Glance: Weekend Italian Brunch Buffet

• 12 pm to 3 pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays; priced at HK$498 per adult; HK$288 per child

• An optional add-on for the two-hour free-flow package of prosecco, red and white wines, house spirits, bottled beer, and Aperol Spritz at HK$228 per person

• An optional add-on for the two-hour free-flow package of non-alcoholic drinks with fruit punches, soft drinks, and juices at HK$88 per person

• Brunch Buffet: Unlimited fresh seafood, cold cuts, artisanal cheeses, salads, antipasti, a hot station of roast meats, a live pasta station, and a dessert bar. The brunch also includes all-you-can-eat award-winning Neapolitan pizzas, fresh from the tailor-made brick oven.

• Special Discount: 25% off for advance online bookings with a deposit (discount applies to food only), valid until 29 November 2026; terms and conditions apply

Address

G/F California Tower, 30–32 D’Aguilar Street, Lan Kwai Fong, Central, Hong Kong

WhatsApp

+852 6299 2347

Website

lkfconcepts.com/pages/baci

Instagram

@bacihk

Opening Hours

Monday – Friday: 11:30 am – 2:00 am (snack menu last order at 12:30 am)

Saturday & Sunday: 12:00 pm – 2:00 am (snack menu last order at 12:30 am)

Seating

100 seated guests