Oste (short for Osteria)—a new Roman-style pinseria and osteria located in Los Angeles’ Beverly Grove—opens for delivery and takeout on Wednesday, January 13. Upon opening, the restaurant will launch with a limited menu of pinsa made by Alessandro Iacobelli, perfectly paired with a wine program spanning all regions of Italy—from Alto Adige to Sicily—curated by celebrated Sommelier Tiffany Bulow, most recently of Otium. Once Los Angeles restaurants are permitted to reopen for dine-in service, Oste will launch its full menu with traditional Italian dishes (see the full menu here).
Oste is one of the few restaurants in the state serving pinsa, a distinct style of pizza from Rome. From the Latin word “pinsere” which means “to press,” the ancient recipe dates to the Roman empire. One of the key differentiators is a blend of premium flours including rice, soy, and wheat that is used to create the dough, unlike pizza, which traditionally uses wheat flour only. Oste’s pinsa dough is high in water concentration at 80% and rises during a long, cold fermentation process. This process makes the pinsa dough low in fat, lower in calories (compared to a traditional pizza dough), and easier to digest, all while yielding a light, airy pizza dough with a crunchy crust.
Menu highlights include classic favorites such as the Margherita with San Marzano tomatoes, fior di latte, basil, and extra virgin olive oil; and Marinara with San Marzano tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, oregano, and garlic; as well as unique iterations including the Funghi with scamorza cheese, wild mushrooms, parsley, garlic, and truffle oil; Rossa Pepperoni with tomato sauce, soppressata, and spicy Calabrian chile; Carbonara with guanciale, egg, bacon, pecorino Romano, and black pepper; Bolognese with bolognese sauce, mozzarella, and chives; Mortadella, a bianca style pinsa with stracciatella, Ferraina mortadella, pistachio, and EVOO; and Viva L’italia with pesto, robiola, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, basil, and shaved parmesan.
After Los Angeles restaurants are given approval to reopen, Oste will launch its full menu of pinsa and traditional Italian favorites. Menu highlights include antipasta such as Cambozola Fonduta with baked cambozola cheese and roasted garlic confit, served alongside a rosemary pinsa; Abbacchio Scottadito with grilled rack of lamb, salsa verde, and sauteed artichokes; a full menu of Le Cozze Di Oste (or mussels) in three different varieties; fresh pastas made daily in house, such as the Casarecce Ai Finferli E Sugo D’arrosto with chanterelle mushrooms, demi-glace, bone marrow, and truffle; Milanese & Patate Arrosto with pan fried chicken, arugula salad, and roasted potatoes; and Coppa Di Maiale, a roasted pork chop with wild mushrooms, caramelized apple, and thyme; among many other dishes.
Co-owners Jocelyn Bulow of France, and Alessandro Iacobelli who calls Rome his home, are both known for a variety of concepts—including Bulow’s Chez Maman, and Pantarei from Iacobelli, both in San Francisco—the partners both relocated to Los Angeles to bring pinsa to Beverly Grove.
“I discovered and fell in love with pinsa while exploring underground street food in Rome, my hometown,” shares Iacobelli. “The texture and airy dough drew me in—I’d never had anything like it before. Jocelyn and I are thrilled to bring this novelty from Rome to Los Angeles. During a time when most are longing for travel, we’re happy to be able to share something new and exciting from our own travels with the community; something that is authentically Roman.”
