Now Quincy Center Has Its Own Venetian-Style Bacaro

Zef Cicchetti & Raw Bar is now open from the Alba Restaurant team.

By Jacqueline Cain· 1/11/2017, 3:34 p.m.

Zef Cicchetti & Raw Bar. / Photo via Alba Quincy on Facebook

Bite-sized, Italian-inspired bar snacks called cicchetti are a keystone of SRV, one of Boston’s buzziest new restaurants. Now, Quincy Center has its own casual bacaro: Zef Cicchetti & Raw Bar debuted this week on the same, blossoming block as Fuji at West of Chestnut, KKatie’s Burger Bar, and more.

The newest Quincy Center restaurant—sorry, Fuji, you only had that title for a day—is the latest from Leo Keka, owner of the Mediterranean steakhouse, Alba, next door, and executive chef Keith Andersen. Before joining Alba and Zef, Andersen cooked at Legal Harborside, Franklin Southie, Craigie on Main, and Troquet, Eater Boston reports.

At Zef, Andersen’s menu begins with cicchetti like salt cod fritters with soppressata aioli; marinated olives; and pepperoncini stuffed with with lamb sausage and vialone rice. Make a meal with dishes like grilled octopus with a fregola salad; lamb garganelli; Hampshire pork osso bucco; and more. There is also a bruschetta selection, a number of pizzette, and a few different crudo, alongside other raw bar offerings, salumi, and cheeses.

Zef is named for Keka’s late father, Jozef Keka. The southeastern coast of Albania, where the family hails from, was once a part of the Republic of Venice, and the regions share many culinary traditions.

The restaurant seats 180, with views looking into an open kitchen with a wood-fired oven, and a large, rainforest marble-topped bar anchors the space. The bar serves nightly until 1 a.m., and the kitchen is open weeknights from 5-11 p.m., Saturday noon-11 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

Zef Cicchetti & Raw Bar, 1472 Hancock St., Quincy Center, zefquincy.com.