Review: Ristorante Ostier Vinoteca ★★★★★
It was our last night in Italy and we ended up at Ristorante Ositier Vinoteca. I had not planned on going here, but the restaurant I actually wanted to go to was closed. Ristorante Ositier Vinoteca is the replacement we ended up in. We didn’t need anything outstanding, just functional and pleasant. Also, I didn’t want to drag my mother, who doesn’t walk well, all over the city.
Ristorante Ositier Vinoteca has overwhelming good reviews, so we decided to give them a shot.
What Went Wrong at Ristorante Ositier Vinoteca
When we arrived the place was fairly full with a Chinese tour group. Tour groups are never a good sign. We should have turned and ran, but we had an early flight the next morning and just wanted to eat. With all the glowing reviews I though; how bad could it be?
The menu was expensive for what it was; €13 for primi pasta ragu is a huge rip off, especially down in Sicily. To boot, the portions were tiny. They didn’t even give us bread; however they were sure to hit us with a €2 table charge, which usually covers bread with your meal in Italy.
I can forgive high prices and small portions, if the food is good. Sadly, there was no victory here. All the dishes were substandard. The pasta was very under-cooked, which clearly shows they weren’t focused on cooking. Seriously, how does a restaurant in Italy screw up macaroni?
Also, the menu didn’t include any drinks; so it’s anyone’s guess as to how much a soda, or any other drink for that matter, is going to cost.
Lastly, there weren’t any house wines. Ultimately sin! No forgiveness!
There are a few nice things about Ristorante Ostier Vinoteca. The décor is pleasant. It’s got an opened and pleasant atmosphere, as well as being quite clean. Additionally, the bathrooms were spotless, which is always nice. The handful of positive aspects, however, doesn’t make up for the lousy dining and questionable menu ethics.
Final Thoughts
What’s surprising is this place has great reviews on TripAdvisor, and it’s still getting them. Did we catch this place on a bad night? Was the owner out of town, the staff freshly hired, the head chef getting busy in the parking lot with the dishwasher on grill detail? Who can say? Obviously there is no accounting for taste, but the many red flags, like overcharging, lack of a drink menu, no house wine, scream ‘AVOID!’
Since you’re here, check out some of other REVIEWS.
Contact & General Information
Price: Mid-Ranged
Hours: Tues-Sat 6:30pm-12am, Sun 12pm-3:30pm
Website: Ristorante Ostier (Official Website)
Location: Google
