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Date: 1/11/2023
SPRINGFIELD – Osteria is the latest addition to the downtown dining scene and co-owner Matt Hubeny said the restaurant’s soft opening in January received “a great response.”
Located at 301 Bridge St., in the location of the former Café Manhattan, Osteria features Italian-inspired dishes and specializes in tapas or small plate offerings, such chicken parm sliders.
There are seasonal entrees such as ossobuco and black pepper short ribs as well. Co-owner Chris McKiernan, who also owns BarKaya on Worthington Street, has developed a number of recipes for the new restaurant, Hubeny noted.
Hubeny got “bit by the [restaurant] bug” as a child and has worked in bars and restaurants for years.
“It’s really dear to my heart,” he said.
For people who remember Café Manhattan, walking into the newly renovated Osteria will be a surprise. The location is more open and there is a dining area now in the balcony area. Hubeny pointed out the restaurant has an entrance on Bridge Street as well as one that adjoins a parking area.
Osteria offers 20 different wines by the glass and Hubeny said the focus is on both Italian red and white wines. “We wanted to expand the palate in Springfield, he said.
The two owners have been careful to have an affordable price point for their drinks and dishes and Hubeny said, “You can’t beat it.”
The city has announced it would build a “bump out” or an extension of the sidewalk on Bridge Street and Hubeny said the restaurant would definitely take advantage of that and add an outside dining option.
At this time, hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 4 to 10 p.m. Hubeny said the restaurant will be adding lunch service in the near future.
Restaurant row
Hubeny said the opening of Osteria has helped create a dining district in Springfield and in the last several years many eateries have opened downtown including The Shaking Crab, The Artist’s Café, Del Ray Taqueria & Bar, Dewey’s Jazz Lounge, 1636 North and Jackalope. White Lion Brewery has food service from High Brow in Northampton as well.
These new eateries complement venerable establishments such as Panjabi Tadka, The Student Prince, Red Rose, Ciro’s, Theodore’s and Nadim’s, Mayor Domenic Sarno explained to Reminder Publishing.
Sarno has long wanted to establish a greater number of restaurants in the downtown area. He added he is “very happy” the former Café Manhattan space is active again. At press time, Sarno was scheduled to have a ribbon-cutting at Osteria on Jan. 11.
He said the increasing number of restaurants and pouring establishments have created options for people attending downtown events such as events at the MassMutual Center, the Jazz and Roots Festival and others.
“We have a very walkable downtown,” he said, adding “we have different places to bounce around.”
His strategy of a “restaurant row is coming to fruition,” he said.
The mayor said the new eateries come from a private/public partnerships and he believes that various improvements in downtown have contributed to the private investments.
He hinted there will be several restaurants at the renovated 31 Elms Street when that project is done and more restaurants will be coming to the South End neighborhood.
Speaking of Bridge and Worthington streets, he said, “We have first class establishments down there … that’s exactly what I wanted.”