Solo Pane e Pasticceria, a popular Italian bakery and pizzeria in Bath, is expanding into two nearby spaces, adding an additional 800 square feet, which will give it more seating as well as the opportunity to add dinner and aperitivo services; the latter are pre-meal drinks and snacks that are an Italian tradition.

Co-owner Jesse Bania said customers have been asking him since the bakery opened in December 2022 when Solo Pane was going to open a restaurant. The bakery started as an offshoot of the gourmet Solo Cucina Market in South Portland, itself an offshoot of Solo Italiano restaurant in Portland. The market, which sold fresh pasta and housemade bolognese sauces, among many other items, closed in 2023. Bania said customers have long been asking for the return of the pasta and pasta sauces.

“On a weekly basis I get asked: When are you going to start making pasta again? We miss the market. How can we get pesto?” Bania said. Equipped with a new pizza oven and pasta extruder from Italy, Solo Pane will begin offering its much missed pastas again in August.

The cafe, at 29 Centre St. in Bath, is now open seven days a week with a new coffee bar and more seating; its hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bania said he aims for Solo Pane to be open for dinner service and aperitivo in August.