Inspired by our Northern Italian roots, we bring the traditionally casual, regional osteria into an urban setting. And shake it up a bit.
Unfussy local food & wine hosted in a warm neighbourhood eatery. Strictly seasonal produce, championing regional growers & artisans.
Ostēr hosts the philosophies of our roots defiantly.
We are Hosts.
Ostēr is run by a team of hosts, at the helm are two exceptional humans with decades of experience in fine dining in Melbourne and across the globe.
The kitchen is hosted by Chef Nicola Romano, hailing from Brescia, Northern Italy. The front of house is finitely hosted by Osvaldo Tognella from Milan, also in the North. These two have their roles, though, as is expected of any traditional osteria, you might find them doing anything at any given time. It wouldn’t be surprising to have Nicola bring you a plate, or collect your empty dishes (his favourite thing to do!) ––or even wash them! Osvaldo has been known to grab a pair of tweezers and move things around on the plate, he also loves to polish wine glasses and iron napkins.
They both have an extensive background in fine-dining behind them from all corners of the globe. From Dublin to Japan, the Middle East, East Brunswick and the Yarra Valley. These two have been around.
From the kitchens of Michelin Star restaurants to pop-up 6-course dinners in a shed in an orchard during an electrical storm, your hosts at Ostēr have been there, done that. If you want to know more, just ask them in person, they love a chat.
Put yourself in their hands. They are hosts.
More about Ostēr.
We modelled our concept loosely on the osteria. A place where guests are hosted with warmth and familiarity. Where local producers are given a platform, and local people are catered for around the clock. This is our primary value for hosting. Traditional, communal, unfussy.
Food.
On the plate is a different story. We come from fine dining and respect the attention to detail in the kitchen and dining room. Detail that can holistically uplift a dining experience and do justice to produce. Our food itself delivers traditional concepts steeped in slightly radical ideologies. Enchanting guests a little out of their comfort zone.
We believe if all of the above can come together the outcome is out of worldly.
Service.
Ostēr’s front of house is insidiously professional, but we keep that on the down-low. Preferring to relax the service. Everything we represent at Ostēr favours the exceptional but it’s about loosening the tie and having some fun.
What you’ll feel is looked after. Just like in a traditional osteria, where the only objective the host (The Oster) has for the osteria is that everyone is at well-looked-after.
We run strongly on this philosophy.
We’re not strictly an osteria. But we are always strictly your Ostēr.
“Simply put, in our dialect, “ostér” means “host”, and that’s what we’re most passionate about. At Ostēr we’re drawing from all our past experiences to host. Hosting the produce, hosting our values, hosting our team and most importantly, hosting you. Exceptionally, but not anally.
Our intentions with Ostēr – aside from delivering exceptional good food and wine – is to assure you, we are very good hosts.
The rest you’ll just have to experience for yourself.”
From Nick
