Flavor of Oklahoma: Osteria finds new home, new menu in Plaza District

The metro Italian restaurant Osteria, known for its homemade pasta, has relocated to the Plaza District, where it's drawing a broader crowd with a more approachable menu.

The new location is thriving, according to Executive Chef Jonathon Stranger.

"It's going really, really well," he said. "The first few months have been super fun."

The Italian restaurant reopened on NW 16th after five years in Nichols Hills Plaza.

"The Plaza District is an area that I've always loved. But it's a challenge to get into the Plaza District," said Stranger. "It's not like there are new buildings just popping up everywhere, so it was one of those timing things. A friend reached out and said this was available, and we were excited to come be a part of such a lively neighborhood."

The restaurant still makes all its own pasta but has changed a few things to be more accessible.

"We just wanted to have more fun with it. The former Osteria was way more high-end, which kind of eliminated some people from coming to eat," Stranger said. "It’s a price point thing, and it’s more fun cooking for a lot of people than just a select few."

The new location features several new menu items, including sandwiches, salads and appetizers, while still offering handmade pasta.

You can also enjoy the new covered patio.

In addition to dinner, Osteria now offers lunch, weekend brunch, and even a late-night menu.

"We still take the same approach of wanting to offer super high-quality food. But we wanted to be at a price point where you can come any day and relax," Stranger said. "You can come in and get a sandwich and some fries and spend $14, or you can come in and do Beef Milanese and a big bottle of red wine and spend a lot of money. It's up to you."

Stranger said the look and feel of the restaurant were inspired by his childhood visits to relatives in New York.

"My family's from New York, my maternal side, and growing up, going to Little Italy and being out on Long Island, these are restaurants that I love. This is what my grandmother cooked for us. So we said, ‘Let's have fun. Let's just enjoy it.’"

Will Rogers World Airport now has an Osteria location inside the terminal.

Stranger also owns two other metro restaurants: El Coyote in the Britton District and Bar Cicchetti in Deep Deuce.

Find out more about Osteria on their official website.