Oste

On a recent visit to Oste in Beverly Grove, we sat at the bar. To the left were three young men, incredibly buff and stone-faced. They ordered a round of tap water, one pepperoni pinsa to share, and three identical steaming bowls of oxtail pappardelle. One per man. The meatheads (we mean this with affection) were in and out in 40 minutes flat, leaving behind only clean plates.

To our right was a couple, stools turned to face one another, knees interlocked, googly-eyed. They ordered just one dish: the burrata al pesto. It arrived a thing of beauty—the pristine white glob peeking out of electric green things: pesto, fava beans, mint, and peas. No babies were present, yet peas were spooned into mouths. We can only imagine the lovebirds (we mean this with disdain) are still there now, sipping bubbles and feeding each other tiramisu.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Oste is a great Italian spot for all kinds of occasions—a date, a double date, a post-gym carbapalooza, lunch with your mother-in-law, a quick dinner before catching a movie at The Grove…we could go on. But most of all, it’s for people who like to eat well.

The menu is hefty, with a Roman bent. And “delicious” describes almost everything we’ve tried. All the regulars are here: pastas, pinsas (pizza’s Roman sibling), chicken milanese and steak, cheese and charcuterie. But this isn’t your average Italian spot where you order the same pasta and salad into oblivion. Because how could you, when the antipasti options include herb-loaded lamb chops, meatballs with straciatella, and grilled octopus with cauliflower puree? There’s the burrata bar, with topping options that you don’t see everywhere else (like the lovebirds, we prefer the pesto). In case dunking fries into garlicky crustacean broth sounds good today, a whole mussel corner of the menu exists too. Portions are generous, but thoughtfully dressed and presented. And you’re not getting hosed on prices. Where else can you get a plate of branzino for $30?

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

So while Oste is a great neighborhood Italian spot, complete with an owner who whizzes around complimenting your order and suggesting you try the housemade sorbet, it’s just a really good restaurant. It can wow a food snob, a picky eater, or a date who needs to be impressed (or else). The dining room is always happening, and the patio is the kind of place that’s nice to be on a warm Friday evening. Oste takes reservations, but there’s something fun about showing up unannounced, putting your name down, and having a drink next door at El Carmen until your table’s ready.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Pesto Burrata

Burrata this, burrata that. Milky mozzarella is on every menu these days, but it’s worth ordering at Oste. There are four options, and we like this one, because fava beans are precious and the refreshing mint feels somehow genius.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Insalata Di Radichio E Finocchio

If you're going big on the carby corners of the menu, this bright and fresh radicchio and fennel salad is a nice thing to have on the table. You can tell their balsamic is the good stuff, too.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Potato Pinsa

Pinsas are as rare sighting in LA, so you should probably order one here. The oblong Roman-style pizzas have a focaccia-like crust, which holds up to a little cream, thin potato rounds, and rosemary. Excellent.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Risotto Al Funghi

Just a well-executed mushroom risotto. Perfect consistency, but maybe a little bland. If you order this, add the bone marrow for $8. Why not?

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Rigatoni Amatriciana

If you need red sauce at an Italian restaurant, this is the dish to prioritize. Creamy, chunky tomato chunks sneakily loaded with guanciale hides out in every rigatoni tube like a stowaway. Each bite is a miniature moment of bliss.