You know Madison has good restaurants when the list of places we want to try, first made several years ago, finally got this one crossed off! Celebrated 19 years of wedded bliss at Osteria on a Saturday night and it was a lovely meal. No reservations accepted and it's a small, intimate setting so plan accordingly. We arrived around 6:15 and were easily seated in the 30 min we were quoted but had to spend 10 min of that awkwardly standing behind the curtain, in front of the door as it was raining outside and the bar was full. The cocktail menu was interesting and prompted me to try my first gin cocktail as many of the others involved rye and I'm not a fan. It was delicious and I'm so glad I tried it! We started our meal with the small (3) formaggi and small salumi- it was all excellent. The breads were warm and soft; I would have loved more honey to go with that but there was just enough to sample with the chef's choice cheese selections. Delicious and plenty for a couple to share with a few delightful leftover pieces for the next day. I picked bolognese for my entree and it was impeccable. Perfectly seasoned and perfectly cooked pasta. My husband chose Nduja, knowing polenta was the substitute for corn pasta which would have turned me in another direction. My thought was that it was too "soft" of a dish with the polenta and I believe the pasta would have been better contrast to the smoother than expected sauce. That dish had definite heat to it but not in an overpowering way. He wished he would have tried the wild boar ragout (Cinghiale) but did enjoy the flavor of his meal. Our service was friendly but slow. We did order a drink that never did get made, and it took longer than it should have to receive our bread, check, etc. I question if someone had called off because the bartender was also waiting tables, leading to slow drink preparation too by my observation. I wouldn't let any of that stop me from going back though; could've just been an off night. read more

A tiny quaint little place. Food was amazing and the server recommended great wine pairings. The bread basket was a great variety and went great with our soups. First time trying this place out and loved it. read more

Had a terrible experience with the waiter handling us in an unprofessional manner. We were a party of 6 and asked if they could accommodate one more guest. While it is true that we had booked for 6 people there were ways in which this could have been handled better. The explanation was passive aggressive..."its on our website and your reservation was for 6 people and its unfair for everyone else." Not sure what they are running there, but its sure not an exam that we were asking accommodations for. So no, we did not have a welcoming experience in the restaurant. Food is not the only thing you sell in a restaurant; if the demeanor is sour, so is the customer's experience. read more

A few of us were in town for work and we found this restaurant. Small, charming and friendly. I had the pasta nduja (a spicy pork) and it was delicious. Two others had lasagna and even though they didn't know what was in it, they both said it was the best they ever had. Easily one of the best Italian restaurants I have been to. Not huge portions but plenty. Very reasonable prices. Samantha was a great waitress. read more

I think this was the best Italian food I have ever had and I am from Chicago...land of Italian restaurants and steak houses. The server was so sweet while busy taking care of many tables on a busy Friday night. Antipasto di Verdure included beets and, I am not kidding they were so delicious! Smoky and yummy! The Burrata? Creamy and delish. Finally, the Cinghiale, roll your eyes back so good. Cleaned my plate. Such a lovely place! read more

This place was continently located near my hotel in business travel. The interior of the space was simple and the crowd was small. We ordered wine which was a reasonably priced selection and had a nice aglianico. We ordered the soup of the day and two pasta dishes. The soup was a kale and bean soup. It was quite good. I had the seafood pasta special. It was full of seafood and the noodles were cooked perfectly. The balance of the dish was a bit off though. The noodles and seafood were in odd portion. The seafood was mostly fish and the dish was a bit too tomato forward. Pretty good, but not the best dish ever. Desert was amazing. It was pine nut pie. If you like pine nuts this is for you! The perfectly balance of nutty/sweet/rich due to the shortbread crust. Service was good, but at times inattentive. This was surprising due to the small number of customers and the late hour. read more

On a Saturday night, this cozy little place was packed. However, they still were able to get my boyfriend and in after only sitting at the bar for a few minutes. The place is very small and intimate, but cool! They offer half bottles of wine, which is great if you want to sample a few. We shared an awesome merlot with our dinner that was $19 for the half bottle. I thought that was reasonable for Madison. They had so so many specials that night to choose from. This made it hard to order. It also even seemed difficult for our waitress to make suggestions based on how many there were. She was great, but when we asked questions she kept looking to their specials board on the wall for reference. I am a firm believer in getting suggestions from wait staff for the best items to try on the menu when trying somewhere new. I didn't feel completely confident in my order from reading the menu and her suggestions. We shared a small meat board (tasty!) and the softshell crab special (superb!) as appetizers. I had a stuffed pasta with walnuts it was very good, but I think I would not order it again. My boyfriend got the mixed grill which was lamb, blood sausage, steak and something else I can't remember. He was very happy with his meal, the best meat being the steak and least favorite...The lamb. For all of that, our bill totalled just around $100. Worth it for sure. I would come back easily! read more

Osteria Papavero - Softshell crab - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Wow this place was great! It was super cozy and the food was very well done. I loved our server; She was quite enjoyable to chat with, was unobtrusive yet always available, and she seemed happy to be working there. Our Mare` plate was essentially comparable to a sashimi sampler at a nice sushi place, but with the addition of some Italian sauces and seasonings. Tonight, the Mare` plate had monkfish with a sort of marinara dressing, lightly lightly batter then fried squid with lemon aoili, and octopus and fava beans in vinaigrette. Outstanding. ...but the whole experience was expensive. The check bummed me out a bit. Still, it was a very nice place. read more

Small but, very nice and cozy. The waitress we had was delightful! The food and wine (Gavi) was delicious! Everything was cooked to perfection! I had the Gramigna con Ricotta, which was magnificent! read more

This used to be one of my wife's favorite spots so I was really disappointed at our anniversary dinner. Throughout the meal our server never once checked on us - the first time our water glasses were refilled was after we finished the meal. The bread service was pretty bland and the olive oil ($1 extra according to the server but $1.50 according to the receipt) wasn't even enough for the 4 pieces of bread. The seafood trio appetizer was mediocre at best- the octopus was bland, the clams were fine, and the head-on shell-on shrimp were so small that they couldn't be peeled after they were cooked. Entree's were fine. We both got different kinds of stuffed pastas. I'm glad we payed close attention because the server swapped the entrees on accident (mine had meat and my wife is a pescatarian). Mostly our dishes tasted like pasta dough. I really was really rooting for a good meal on this special occasion and was bummed since my wife was so excited for it but left so disappointed. read more

Wow! Everything here was absolutely delicious. We three sat at the bar and got marvelous service. Favorites included beef salad, fettuccine with ragu, and Gorgonzola ravioli. Highly recommend. read more

Just had an amazing lunch here for the first time. The food is incredible and the decor is fantastic. Each table is a work of art, literally crafted by a local artist. I tried the Panino al Tonno which was delicious paired with the lentil soup. Topped it all off with a pistachio cake. Highly recommended. read more

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Giving this awesome find a solid 4 stars! Wanted Italian while in the Madison area. Based on the reviews from Yelp I decided to stop in. Nestled not far from the capitol area this cozy atmosphere was adorable with stucco looking walls and unique wooden tables. The menu was short but there were multiple daily specials and they paid attention to every, little detail. We decided to start out with a half bottle of a red blend wine, full bodied and smooth. They offered wine by the glass, half bottle and bottle - whatever you prefer! The fresh bread brought to the table was warm and there were a few different styles to choose from. Then for my entree I ordered the Torteccini. I was so happy with my choice! The cream sauce with the Gorgonzola cheese and walnuts wrapped inside the pasta was a unique and tasty combo. It was a perfect service size, just enough to fill me up without overeating! The dessert choices sounded fantastic but we opted out. I would definitely come back. If you are looking for authentic, fresh Italian stop into Osteria Papavero! read more

Osteria Papavero - Adorable little place - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Reading so many positive reviews, we expected amazing food. However that wasn't the case at all - food was really really Bad! Portions were small for the price. The only reason for 2 stars is their great service - all wait staff, very friendly greeter, fairly short wait time on a Friday to be seated & having food served. That was exceptionally good! But food was just horrible! I ordered Tortellaccii that the waitress raved about. It was covered in what it seemed like an entire can of peas (& they did taste like canned peas); sauce was very bland with no seasoning at all. The biggest disappointment was the dish itself - tortellaccii dough was too mushy & over cooked. Just no good at all. My husband ordered their meat & potato dish - it had very small lamb chop (it was the only thing that tasted decent), beef, sausage. For $26 the dish was extremely overpriced as the plate was very small. Both of our dishes were just slightly warm - would've preferred them way warmer. Also, the whole restaurant is very tiny with a lot of people squeezed in there & loud noice. We wanted kind of romantic, private place (which was listed as such on Yelp), however it was not. So, overall I wouldn't recommend this restaurant at all. You'd be better off going to Olive Garden. read more

Osteria Papavero - Tortellaccii - very bland, dough mushy & overcooked & covered with way too many canned like peas. Very disappointing dish - don't order - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Before my lunch today at Osteria Papavero, I had no idea that a sandwich could possibly be so delicious and well crafted! I had the Three Little Piggies sandwich and it was amazing! I knew when I saw it on the menu that I would probably like it, ( I can't resist anything that includes bacon and avocado) but when I took my first bite, I was surprised by just how much I loved it. The flavors of the smoky bacon, fresh avocado and spicy peppers were perfectly balanced and so tasty. I will definitely be back for this sandwich again! We concluded our meal with the Butterscotch Budino. Like many previous reviewers have said, it was absolutely amazing! I'm not usually one to pick a butterscotch flavored dessert, but this one was fantastic. It had the perfect level of sweetness and a fantastic, lusciously creamy texture. Everything I sampled at Osteria Papavero today was delicious and I can't wait to see what they have to offer for dinner! read more

Osteria Papavero - Budino Di Caramello - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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I've looked high and low; I've searched nooks and crannies; I've stepped foot into some not so pleasant places (insert names of establishments holding titles for my one and two star reviews), all in the name of finding the best dining experience in Madison. After a year and a half of living on the isthmus, I have found it, and it was closer than I thought. Osteria Papavero has everything a restaurant needs to be a successful business. They have knowledgable bartenders (I know little to nothing about liquor or wine) who give great recommendations. The staff is cordial and on point even while busy. And yet, attentive enough as they are, they do not hover, and allow you to enjoy your wonderful meal in peace. I give them mad props. Now, where Osteria really got me was when I tried the first bite of my meal. I ordered the Crespelle alla Fiorentina, and after that I knew that this place was "the one". I couldn't stop eating it, and I was already full on their delicious complimentary bread (and wine). My partner had one of their many specials and devoured it, and my mother enjoyed her meal as well. Although this wonderful restaurant is a little pricey, it is well worth it. After all, this is the best place to dine in Madison. read more

Very much enjoyed and will come again soon. Looks like the food and drink menu changes often and everything sounded great. Food was delicious. Staff was really friendly and attentive. Thank you! read more

My favorite restaurant in town. The ambience is fantastic - relaxing dim lights to prep you to enjoy a wonderful time. The food, I am amazed and satisfied ALL the time!!! I love the bread baskets, you cannot get tastier bread anywhere else! The fried bread! its SO amazing!!!!! And all the other breads, no, don't even think about butter, olive oil or balsamic vinegar, its so satisfying on its own! There are 5 to 6 daily specials, different ones for lunch and dinner. And they make such amazing dishes with the freshest ingredients! I definitely love the pastas, and I haven't been disappointed all the countless times I've visited. I love their themed dinners! The valenswine dinner was awesome - 5 courses with wine pairings for only $55. It was definitely more than I expected. The desserts! are wonderful. One of my favorite places in Madison for desserts! The only things to note is that there is only street parking, and that it probably isn't the best place to fit group dinners of more than 4 people. For a reasonably priced and out of the world experience, you have to visit Ostera papavero!! read more

I feel like words just won't do justice to the phenomenal level of quality that Osteria Papavero has created on all levels, but I will do my best. I absolutely feel (and my husband agrees) that it's easily one of the best restaurants in Madison for a number of reasons. Let me count the ways..... 1. Their service is stellar! Our server on 2/13/15 was Becky and she was perfection. Love her! She was professional yet personable/kind and easy going yet very informative on all aspects of the menu. I felt like I could just sit down and have a chat with her, she was that lovely. I hope we have her again. 2. Their food is AMAZING - every single time! Their rotating, seasonal menu is wonderful in and of itself, but they also have a way of consistently exceeding my expectations. It's always beautiful and sensational to the senses. I'll get into the details of our meal in a little bit. 3. The restaurant decor is a great combination of comforting, interesting & minimalist. The tables are really beautiful; many of them look like trees and have thoughtful, little details. Take a look next time you're there. The lighting makes me really happy - not too dark & not too bright, plus I love the look of their sconces. The dishes are simple, classy white which really aids in showing off their gorgeous fare. We chose to do our Valentine's celebration one day early. Brilliant choice, I know! We got there close to 5pm to secure a nice table since they don't take reservations and they fill up quickly, especially on a Friday night. We started with the Burrata which included fresh made mozzarella, eggplant fries, and an arugula salad drizzled with honey. It was heaven. Everything was so light and flavorful. And each component balanced the others. I've never had such tender, almost spreadable mozzarella in my life, the eggplant fries were crispy with a great text and the arugula salad with honey provided some sweet with the salt. For my 2nd course, I chose the Taglierini alla Norcina and I did not want that dish to ever end. I ate it so slowly savoring every bite. The pasta was fresh and delicate, the homemade sausage was full of wonderful flavor and the cream sauce was so light, almost peripheral, but exactly what the pasta needed. It was topped with some thinly shaved black truffles that added a nice earthiness which I enjoyed (and was surprised by seeing as I'm not a mushroom fan). The Taglierini and I will definitely meet again. My husband had the Crespelle agli Spinaci, savory crepes filled with ricotta and spinach topped with a besiamella sauce. It was rich, but not heavy, nicely balanced with a tomato sauce. He was beyond happy. We finished off with the Budino, their unbelievably delightful butterscotch pudding topped with fresh whipped cream & dusted with cocoa powder. To call it a pudding really doesn't give it the credit it so rightly deserves and words fail me on this so you'll just need to go eat a bowl so that you can understand the magic. We left happy and satiated. Thank you, Osteria Papavero! And please don't change a thing. read more

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Hubby and I had our first visit here last night... Went early, 5:45, and got a great table in the window. Service was excellent, our server was very knowledgeable about the food and drinks. We started with aperitivi and the 3 cheese plate, served with a basket of assorted bread. I had the Granchio, maybe a little fishier than I anticipated but it was still fantastic. Hubs had the Butternut Squash tortelli (the best). I had the Butterscotch pudding which lived up to the hype. Will most definitely be back! read more

Osteria Papavero - The Granchio... Pasta with blue crab and tomatoes in a light cream sauce. - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Have loved this restaurant for years! Their daily specials are always exciting and delicious! Fun atmosphere for a date. And the budino...so good! read more

Extremely nice decor inside an old downtown classical preserved building. The Italian food seems to have a fusion "flare" that I personally did not care for. I ordered the gnocchi and the Balsamic Vinegar was so overwhelming I could not eat it. It literally "burned" the inside of my nose. I couldn't eat it at all. It also came with Grand Parmigiana on top very thick. This was not noted in the menu. Having eaten in many different areas of Italy, I was severely disappointed that it seems to be American Fusion food hiding behind an Italian restaurant title. Very confusing menu and portions are very "gourmet tiny". Unfortunately it will be a long time until I return . read more

Osteria Papavero - Seating area. - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Very good food (try the mushroom stew, it's divine!), friendly/well-paced service, and a good atmosphere. The cocktails were better than average (not so much simple syrup) but not the best I've ever had. The dessert was fabulous (some sort of cheesecake-y fruit tart hybrid with peaches and raspberries), and I don't even generally like sweets. Also, I am on crutches and they were extremely accommodating of my needs, which dramatically improved my dining experience. read more

I went last night with a group of coworkers and regretted not going sooner. Warm, lovely, cozy. When you walk into this small restaurant, you are immediately calmed from "the hustle and bustle" of the street and the chill of Madison winter is long behind you. The place is nice enough to be a great spot for an occasion, but still relatively laid back. Great service, I was honestly just amazed that our waitress could remember everything about the specials! The food was delicious. The menu doesn't need to go over the top, everythings just cooked well and tasty. I took Corey D's advice and ordered off the specials menu, which is basically the same length as the regular menu (thanks Corey!). Highlights: - Filetto: steak with a slab of muenster cheese on top. This sounded kind of weird but I love steak and I love cheese, and so naturally I loved my meal. - Meat antipasti: we shared this FANTASTIC assortment of meats. Definitely not your typical charcuterie board. - BUDINO: I would come back just for this. As others have mentioned, this is perfect. The pudding and fresh cream are so smoothe and it just has a rich, perfect taste. I really need to go back and try some pasta! I will end by saying that my mom raised me with an 11th commandment: thou shall not eat Italian food outside of NY, San Francisco, Chicago (maybe)...and Italy. After living in Madison for awhile, I realized I had to break this rule and have had some good and bad experiences. Osteria Papavero is the type of place that proves my mom is just a (wonderful) snob, you can find good Italian food anywhere! read more

Lovely little romantic spot in Madison! My class at epic ended early so i took a cab downtown, everyone kept recommending this place & I am so glad i tried it. The staff is friendly, food is impeccable. I tried a sausage pasta with burrata salad which was absolutely delicious. The ambience is very romantic (dim lighting, candlelit dinner) but I had a great dinner just by myself! I will definitely be back when I return for epic training. read more

Osteria Papavero - pasta & wine! yummy food. - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Been back quite a few times since my first review, and I'm still their biggest fan. This is the little out of the way place I recommend to my friends to bring their out of town visitors to impress them with the foodie side of Madison. The seafood is always excellent. They had a duck special last time that was on point, and their wine list is perfectly sized for the location. I have no reservations about recommending this place to anyone. Also. If you get a chance to get their mulled wine--do it. Oooooh. So greattt. read more

Attention: Corey D.! Look, I finally did it. So the long-awaited dinner plans to come here finally commenced. We met with another couple who was here for the first time as well. We were seated as soon as the whole party was present; our table was near the door so even though the entrance was covered by curtains, we were blessed with the cold breeze every time it opened. We started off with the bread basket. Not too extraordinary, but we did enjoy the huge piece of fried ravioli-looking bread. I have no idea what it's called. Forgive me. Our friends started with the Assaggio di Formaggi Freschi, which was a three-cheese appetizer course with what tasted like honey jam. I can't remember the cheese on the plate, but it was likely goat cheese was one of them. It wasn't bad--I didn't have much of it but a small taste of each cheese with the honey jam. It wasn't a favorite either. I started with the Zuppa di Funghi, which is wild mushroom soup with grilled country-style bread. But if you notice, I didn't get my grilled bread. Huh? That may be the reason the price I paid for was $5 versus the menu price of $9. But then again...$4 more for the slice of bread? I was confused. I didn't ask. I saw it on the receipt and didn't think twice. I didn't care at the time. I do now! Oh well. The soup was DELICIOUS. The variety of mushroom was such a treat, I didn't expect it. I wouldn't hesitate to order this again and again. My fiancé had the Crespelle agli Spinaci, which was really cheesy and not a lot of spinach. He said it was fine; I tasted it and thought the same. I ordered the Taglierini alla Norcina, which was amazing. The black truffle and the sausage and the cream sauce? Sooooo comforting on a cold night. This and the mushroom soup made great love in my tummy. Yes. I did just say that. The portion sizes for these dishes weren't massive, but they were satisfying. Our friends ordered a scallop dish and a tortelli dish. They both enjoyed it. One of us ordered the Seadas for dessert, which was totally surprised us in taste. And not in a good way. We didn't expect the cheese to be so----potent? Needless to say, we anticipated a sweeter dessert. Our server noticed we didn't seem to enjoy and told us after the fact that it has a "funky" taste. It would've been nice to know beforehand. The fried pocket it was in was good on its own; I managed to take a small corner edge that didn't have the cheese filling. Not a favorite. We all agreed we should've went with butterscotch pudding. As for the service, no complaints really. Our server did an amazing job describing the specials for the night and helping us with the menu when it was time to order. Our drinks were refilled in a timely manner. And someone made coffee nearby so we enjoyed the smell as it traveled towards our table. Overall, not bad. It wouldn't be a regular place for dinner, but the whole trip was really for the mushroom soup. I did it! It was yummy. I was impressed. But where was my bread? =( read more

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After such a great experience I need to up my rating. Osteria Papavero is just hands down the best Italian food we've had in Madison. I love their unique tables, the atmosphere is inviting and comfortable. Our server was efficient, friendly, and fast. All four of our entrees were excellent. Our friends who just came back from Italy raved about how this was so similar to the food there. An all around excellent dining experience. read more

Never had a disappointing experience here! This place is fantastic. Ok, I'm going to get the only negative thing out of the way here, they don't take reservations and sometimes, the wait can be long, especially for larger groups. I once waited for over 2 hours and finally just ate at the bar with my group. The bartender gave us a bottle of wine on the house for the wait time, which I thought was very nice of them. So, it could definitely require some time investments, but well worth it. Their main menu changes occasionally and they have nightly specials they post on to their website every evening. Off their regular menu, the pasta with truffles is absolutely fantastic! (don't remember the actual name on the menu) The salumi boards offer a nice selection of meats and the onion jam is tasty. The mixed grill of meats are competently done, but nothing to call home about. I usually order most of the meal off the specials menu and then supplement with one or two things off the regular menu and share everything with my table. This place also does an offal week every year, where their nightly specials are all offal dishes. This is my favorite food week out of the year in Madison! So if you're an adventurous eater, don't miss it! It usually happens in late Oct. read more

Osteria Papavero - Vegetable trio - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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+/+/-/ service was excellent (not fast on the water refill however) +/ ambience was classy and clean +/ delicious bread +/+/ food was yummy +/+/+ flowers and candles at every table Would like to give it 4.5 stars. Is a very nice Italian restaurant and close to the capitol. Two entrees, dessert, and no drinks for two was $50. read more

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Amazing appetizers and wine!! Really great food. Can't go wrong with anything you order!! read more

Osteria Papavero - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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I love this place. The food is traditional Italian (rather than the New Italian/American found in so many hip spots or the Italian American fare found in budget Italian places) so be prepared to push your boundaries a little bit. Their menus are seasonal and there's always a board full of specials. It's got a European, amazing food, upscale cafe vibe. The entrees/pastas can be a little meat heavy, but I've dined here with a vegetarian a couple times and they've never had trouble finding something they wanted to order. I strongly recommend getting one of the trios (vegetable or seafood) and grabbing an entree or pasta off of the board. The desserts are all amazing (most recently had a chocolate crepe, though the budino is great too.) Anyway if you've got the $$$, are craving some incredible food, but want a less pretentious atmosphere than the main competition (Cento) run, don't walk, to Osteria Papavero. read more

Restaurant Week Review This place is a cozy little area tucked away near the capitol. We made sure to arrive early for dinner to beat the rush (as there are no reservations). We were immediately seated. We tried the octopus, branzino, beef tenderloin, budino and budino de pane e cioccolato. Our dinner came with a small basket with an assortment of breads that we appreciated (including a fried one similar to an elephant ear but was savory rather than sweet, an olive-bread and a classic). Our appetizer, the octopus, was good. The chef knows what he/she is doing with the sear and the cook; the flavor was wonderful but the octopus itself had a strange texture (almost more like a chewy fish - perhaps the result of cooking something frozen?). I would chalk this up to being the lack of seafood in Wisconsin rather than the chef, though and still enjoyed the dish. The bed of potatoes and roasted peppers were beautifully seasoned and generously portioned though and I enjoyed the dish overall. Our entrees came out and I was mildly surprised, as the portion size was the same as our appetizer (maybe just plating on a larger plate would make it seem more entree-esque I would say). They do say good things come in small packages though, which was very true. The beef tenderloin was perfectly cooked, and the sauce was oh so buttery. It was deliciously rich (with all that butter, how could it not be?), but maybe a tiny bit salty for my taste. Still great though. The branzino was also perfectly done. The skin was nice and crispy and the flavor of the fish was delicious. The ratatouille was simple and was a bit of a strange accompaniment to the fish in my personal opinion, but overall the dish was still solid. Dessert was definitely one of the best parts of the meal. The budino as everyone has mentioned, is surprisingly delicious. I would not have thought to order a butterscotch pudding, but the flavor is delicate and cool, and it tasted decadent but not overly sweet. The budino de pane e cioccolato was also very good. I usually would not order a bread pudding, but was glad for this exception. Again, not too sweet but also very satisfying. The biggest qualm I had was the huge lull between dinner and dessert (maybe 20 minutes?). Our waitress did notice after awhile that we had not received our desserts yet, but I felt like it was dismissed, while we saw other tables around us who came after us get theirs first. Luckily, we didn't have anywhere to go, but it was a strange wait. I did not change my overall review though, as I felt it wouldn't be fair for a minor mistake, but felt it was something worth mentioning. Overall, the food was expertly cooked and we had a nice evening out. read more

I honestly cannot remember the details of what I ate at Osteria Papavero because the service that I encountered was so horrible it clouds my experience of the evening. My close friend and I had eaten at Osteria Papavero to celebrate a significant event. In the spirit of good celebration, we had ordered a bottle of red wine, an appetizer, 2 entrees, and a dessert that was in all respects, quite good Northern/central Italian cuisine. We had gotten there around 5pm and had been seated promptly. As our evening came to a close we asked for the check and paid it. We remained with the paid check at our table, finishing the 1/2 glass of wine that we each had left from the bottle. Then about 2 hrs from the time we had entered the restaurant and 10 minutes after paying the check our waitress comes by and asks us if we wouldn't mind "moving ourselves and our wine to the bar because there were people walking in who would like to have the table." My friend and I stared at each other for a few seconds, not quite sure what to say. We were both upset that we had just dropped a good chunk of change on a multi-course dinner to celebrate an important event, and not more than 10 minutes later we are rather rudely being asked to move from our table. I have eaten at many restaurants over the years and I have never ever been asked to do this (even when savoring a coffee after paying), and would definitely not expect it from a restaurant within the price range and with the local reputation of Osteria Papavero. I asked to speak to the manager. I explained to her that we had spent a good amount of money on dinner at the restaurant for a personal celebration and found it rude that we were being asked to relocate when we were going to spend another 20 minutes at the restaurant max finishing a 1/2 glass of wine. However, we were met with the same chorus from this manager, namely, that walk-in customers had to use the table and there was no control over this. There wasn't even an apology on her end. To me, this was straight up no class. We both informed the manager that we would not be returning to this restaurant in the future due to the rudeness that we experienced. Several months has gone by and neither of us has returned. I debated writing this review for a while, thinking that over time the memory would fade. But it has not, and I want readers to be aware of what kind of service experience could await them if they decide to eat here. read more

Delicious Italian food. For appetizers we had the Polipo (fried octopus with Yukon gold potato and Calabrian chile salad) and the Magatello (house-smoked roast beef, crumbled blue cheese, toasted walnuts, pickled red onions). For my entree I had the Branzino con Ratatuglia (pan roasted branzino, Ligurian-style ratatouille), and my companion had the Filetto al Pepe Verde (beef tenderloin, green peppercorn sauce, buttered spinach). For dessert we shared Tortino di Ricotta con Mirtilli (Ricotta cake, blueberry compote, lemon curd) and the Budino di Pane e Cioccolato (bittersweet chocolate and brioche pudding, whipped cream, caramel sauce, toasted pecans). Everything was delicious. The octopus, branzino and tenderloin were all perfectly cooked and delicious. I can't wait to go again! read more

Wonderful tasting food and great atmosphere! I did the Amora flight, excellent selections.

Nice atmosphere and great service. Prices seemed OK, but portions were a little Gen Z. The food quality and flavors were just fair. Three of us each had something different and none of us were satisfied. Each dish either had overpowering elements (pesto) or were generally underwhelming (scallops) - in other words, the menu description seemed it would be delicious but the meal just didn't deliver. read more

The fellas and I were looking for a nice top level italian meal while traveling through in our road trip, something similar to maybe Rosebud on Rush in Chicago. While I did enjoy my meal, this was not the meal I was looking for. For starters the place is rather small, cozy, but when you walk through the entrance you are immediately standing in the crowded dining room. No hostess table, no entry space, nothing but a group of four looking to eat and get out of the cold now crammed in a 3'x3' space with diners all looking up taking their evaluation of who/what just walked in. 30 seconds in and already not comfortable. This place had Mario Batali written all over it, what I mean is a super small menu, most of the Italian I can't read, all of the dishes were deep Italy style and totally homemade style recipes. This is a very good thing in it's own right, but not what me or the group was looking for. I wanted the whole slate of Italian favorites with white table cloths, premier service and food quality. We had it all here except for the Italian favorites and the table cloths. I knew we all felt the same way when we all ordered the same entree and had the same opinion. After the appetizer which was good we all had the spicy pasta with meat ragu. It literally came in a bowl similar to the size I would eat my cereal in. After I was done I was jokingly like "ok now I'll take three more of these" and at $34 each, I was not happy, it wasn't that spectacular. They might have gotten away with the perception factor if it was at least in a large bowl. We all had dessert too and I still had room. One of my freinds even used a classic line from a trip 3 years prior, which was after eating he said "anybody up for PapaJohns?" The only saving grace was that the waitress failed to charge us for the $40 bottle of wine. I would not go back. read more

Great food! We shared the cavatappi so we could save room for the most amazing butterscotch pudding. We sat outside & enjoyed a beautiful evening! read more

I LOVE this place. Never had a bad meal here. Such a gift to the Madison restaurant scene. Quiet and very chill. Great drinks and just off the square for easy access. Highly recommended. read more