The 11,500-square-foot facility in an industrial park features six professional courts, a full-service restaurant and bar and a cigar lounge.
I like any sport that you can play while eating a burger and a beer. The Bocce House is like an Olympic coliseum for foodies.
Tucked away in O’Hara’s RIDC Park, the 11,500-square-foot facility has six professional bocce courts, a full-service restaurant and bar, self-pour beer and wine stations, a cigar lounge and, coming in the next month or so, a Trackman Golf Simulator.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Bocce, the third most played sport behind soccer and golf, was a popular pastime for ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. It was modernized by Italians, who brought it to America.
The Folino family brought it to RIDC Park.
For nearly a decade, they hosted weekly bocce nights at their Fox Chapel residence. After the league ballooned to more than 70 members, they moved to a bigger venue. The Bocce House opened in November 2025 in a cavernous former office space.
It seems like suburban industrial parks are the new social hubs. Squatch Brewing draws big crowds to Monroeville’s Moya Industrial Park.
So, how do you play bocce?
Two teams of one to six players alternate rolling eight large balls down a 10-foot-by-70-foot, turf-covered sand court in an attempt to get as close as possible to a small target ball called a pallino. The closest team scores points for each ball closer than the opposing team’s balls. The first team to 11 points wins. Explaining it is harder than playing it.
But, for the record, one of the house rules is no swearing (in English).
The game is open to folks of all ages. If you’ve played cornhole at a backyard barbecue or rolled a Skee-Ball at Kennywood, you probably have a knack for it.
I do!
The Bocce House’s Operation & Systems Manager Ally Caputo gave me my first bocce lesson and seemed genuinely impressed with my innate gift, which I attribute to my Italian heritage and a lifetime of eating Mancini’s Bread.
I also heard cheers from a few regulars.
Judith Raleigh recently discovered The Bocce House after spending a year playing on outdoor courts, where she often had to contend with inclement weather, uneven courts and the aftermath of inconsiderate waterfowl.
Here, in RIDC Park, she enjoys a climate-controlled environment, a menu of wood-fired pizzas, sandwiches, burgers, salads, appetizers, gelato, biscotti and self-pour beverage options. The Bocce House also offers signature cocktails that a resident mixologist will be happy to make for you.
After burning one or two calories on the bocce court, it was time to refuel. The kitchen operates out of a brand new, permanent food truck with a window that opens directly into the building. I had the Caprese Burger, a smash patty topped with mozzarella, ripe onion, tomato jam, basil and balsamic glaze on a toasted bun. As a professional carnivore, I can attest that Bocce House’s burgers could roll with any other smashburger in the city.
For “research,” I also opted for a pizza loaded with pepperoni (the cupped-shaped kind that traps the delicious grease), banana peppers, mushrooms and mozzarella. To wash it all down, I grabbed a chilled glass from the cooler and poured myself a Peroni Italian pilsner.
That’s one way to turn a manic Monday into a much more magical-sounding Lunedì.
In addition to casual play, The Bocce House hosts leagues and tournaments offering competitive brackets for singles, doubles and teams. The RIDC Business League launched in July, giving local office dwellers a place to unwind after work. There’s a room available for corporate meetings (good luck getting anything done) and private parties. A bridal shower is being held there this weekend.
Membership options for bocce players, as well as cigar aficionados who love premium, self-pour whiskey, are also available.
If you’re a fan of “The Sopranos,” Joseph Gannascoli, who played “Vito Spatafore” on the HBO series, will be promoting his new book “A Meal to Die For: A Culinary Novel of Crime” from 3 to 7 p.m. on Aug. 12. A $60 ticket gets you a book, a signed photo and a selfie with the author. To reserve your spot, call 412-752-6223.
Want to see the Folino family in action? The Bocce House will roll into Bloomfield’s Little Italy Days Aug. 13-16.
If you can’t afford a trip to Italy or an Italy-inspired waterpark in Altoona, The Bocce House is your vacation home.
