To say that the Bay Area’s Bacchus Management Group has been on a tear lately would be an understatement. In addition to opening three new establishments in San Francisco this year alone, plans call for for another new restaurant to debut at San Jose’s Santana Row in 2024 and one to open at the historic post office building in Burlingame in 2025.

That’s in addition to its already sizeable stable of Spruce in San Francisco, Michelin-starred the Village Pub in Woodside, Michelin-starred Selby’s in Redwood City, the Village Bakery in Woodside, and Pizza Antica locations in Santana Row and Lafayette.

Last week, I had a chance to check out its new Italian restaurant, La Connessa, when I was invited in as a guest. It’s on the street level of a new building on Potrero Hill. Just steps away are Bacchus’ two other new eateries: the burger place, Louie’s Original; and the sourdough donut shop, Magic Donuts & Coffee (more on that in a moment).

Dimly lighted with sleek, wedding band-like chandeliers and a soaring, illuminated bar, it has that sophisticated, moody aura, and boy, was it bustling on a Saturday night. There’s even a view into the kitchen behind big glass windows.

Start with the Elder Statesman ($16), a racy cocktail of gin, Aperol, Elderflower, lime, and bitters, whose sharp citrus taste will wake you up on the chilliest of nights.

To go with, there are plump, buttery Castelvetrano olives ($9) to nibble on while you look over the rest of the menu.

Arancini ($15) have a big, bold taste of tomato throughout, along with melty provolone, while Brussels sprouts are spicy and garlicky with bagna cauda ($16).

The runaway hit is the delicata squash fritto ($18). Think of them as onion rings’ more debonair cousin. The thin rings of sweet, tender squash get fried in a tempura batter, leaving them light as air, crispy as can be, and so thoroughly addictive that you may be elbowing your dining companions to get to the plate again and again.

Cannelloni is a rare find these days, and La Connessa’s braised duck version ($32) sure makes you wish more Italian restaurants would feature it. Two thin, supple sheets of pasta are rolled around a flavorful filling of shredded duck and butternut squash before being finished with a thick, rich fontina sauce.

The tagliatelle bolognese ($30) is another winner with chewy ribbons of pasta tossed in a meaty sauce and garnished with sharp and nutty 24-month-aged Parmesan.

Four pizzas are on offer, including the funghi ($25) that’s strewn generously with hen of the woods mushrooms, whose frilly edges get nicely crispy in the heat of the oven. Garlic confit and Parmigiano-Reggiano add butteriness and nutty, salty sharpness. The leopard-spotted crust boasts the taste of artisan bread. It’s soft and tender throughout rather than being super crisp at the center, so if you pick up a slice with your hands, you will likely have to fold it to take a bite.

If you’re sharing everything like we did, the secondi of rib-eye tagliata ($50) is a great pick because the long, flat steak comes to the table already sliced for you, with grated horseradish overtop. Alongside are devilishly rich potatoes that were roasted in the rendered beef fat.

For dessert, there’s a Kahlua-forward tiramisu ($12) with mascarpone that gets a novel construction with house-made ladyfingers that are actually rounds, giving it a more polished appearance and more uniform layers of sponge.

The satsuma sorbet ($12) is a refreshing way to end the night with its bright yet rounded citrus taste. Or for something slightly more decadent yet still fruity, the huckleberry gelato ($12) is smooth and creamy, with the deep taste of like that of a very jammy blackberry-blueberry hybrid.

For easy sharing, go for the ricotta zeppole ($14), fluffy little donuts that are showered with powdered sugar.

Before you depart, there’s one more sweet to enjoy: crisp, sweet meringue kisses.

Speaking of donuts, plan on returning in the daytime to try Magic Donuts, just a few doors down, as I did the very next day. Don’t dawdle, either, as this place often sells out well before its 5 p.m. closing time.

What sets these donuts apart is their base of sourdough. To me, that makes them a little reminiscent of those iconic English muffins at St. Helena’s Model Bakery in that they’re light and tender yet have a slightly firmer texture, just without the crevices.

I snagged half a dozen to take home. The Campfire ($6) and Lemon Meringue Pie ($6) are attention-getters, what with the former’s golden graham crumbs, thick layer of chocolate glaze, and big torched marshmallow on top; and the latter’s sunshine-y lemon curd hidden underneath a big fluff of meringue. Don’t sleep on the Blueberry & Lime ($5), a winning combination that really brings the deep berry taste to the forefront. But really, you can’t go wrong with any flavor.