A piece of the region was brought to Melbourne when Brescia native Nicola Romano met Osvaldo Tognella, originally from Busto Arsizio, at Southbank restaurant Artusi.

The pair only worked together for a few months before the restaurant, which was named after the 18th-century Italian culinary author Pellegrino Artusi, closed its doors.

But the short time they spent together was enough to form a friendship and a shared vision.

“We’d had similar experiences, both in Italy and abroad, and shared the same ideas on how to run a restaurant,” Romano said in an interview with Rete Italia.

Together, the pair opened Ostēr, named after the Lombard word meaning “host”.

They initially wanted to call the restaurant Pusteria, a nod to the charming valley in the heart of the Dolomites.

“My father-in-law, a New Zealander marketing expert, advised us not to do this and I must say that when we ran the name past people to get their opinions, we were at the receiving end of a few jokes,” Romano said.

“This led us to choose another name.”

Romano and Tognella both have extensive experience in fine dining, having worked in prestigious restaurants in all corners of the globe, from Dublin to Japan, the Middle East, Brunswick East and the Yarra Valley.

Before opening Ostēr, the pair collaborated with another associate on Chapter 53, a series of pop-up food events in unusual places that aimed to reconnect diners to the source of their plates while maintaining the level of prowess offered in traditional fine dining.

Their first restaurant together is located on Bridge Road, in Richmond, and was previously an old burger joint.

“Finding the right place wasn’t easy and then once we did, we had to renovate it,” Romano said.

Tognella’s mother, Monica, came over from Milan to offer her expertise as an interior architect and create the perfect environment for Ostēr.

Today, the restaurant features a bar built with recycled wood and concrete, stripped-back rendered walls that reveal the red brick underneath, and low-hanging pendant lighting that creates a warm and welcoming feel.

The interior of Ostēr

The menu is inspired by Lombardy and northern Italy at large, but Romano stressed that it is “an open-minded menu” and incorporates many Italian and Australian elements.

Romano and Tognella’s philosophy is to use strictly seasonal produce, championing regional growers and artisans. 

The menu changes regularly, but there are some staples such as casoncelli, a type of Lombard ravioli, filled with ricotta and spinach and served with whipped grana padano foam, burnt butter and fried sage.

First course meals include: scallops with Lardo di Colonnata, cauliflower and black garlic oil; oysters with shallots and plum vinegar; and pork terrine with black truffle, pistachios and dates.

Other crowd favourites are the red capsicum risotto, lumaconi stuffed with lamb ragù and served with a sprinkling of gremolada, and paccheri with duck ragù.

Second courses often include rich yet refined meat and seafood dishes, with vegetarian options also available.

Dessert-lovers can savour the notes of everyone’s favourite Italian sweet, tiramisù, as wells as ice cream served with beetroot granita.

When Melbourne’s hospitality sector reopens, Romano and Tognella will offer diners a five-course tasting menu, with the option of matching wines.

And speaking of wines, the pair offer an all Australian wine and beverage selection that pays homage to the growers and winemakers of this country, with a focus on organic and biodynamic producers.

Devine drops on the list include: a Grillo from McLaren Vale, in South Australia; a Barbera-Nebbiolo from the Pyrenees, in Victoria; a Montepulciano from Langhorne Creek, in South Australia; a Stefano Lubiana Estate Chardonnay from Tasmania; and Patrick Sullivan’s Rain, a blend of Cabernet Franc and Pinot Gris.

The service at the restaurant is impeccable yet casual, as Ostēr is an interpretation of the classic Italian osteria, where guests are hosted with warmth and familiarity:

“Everything we represent at Ostēr favours the exceptional but it’s about loosening the tie and having some fun.”