Osteria 177 is without a doubt the finest Italian restaurant in Annapolis, Maryland, and many loyal patrons would also rate it as the best steakhouse and seafood restaurant as well. For me, Osteria 177 has become my home away from home when traveling to Annapolis, which I have been doing regularly and often over the past six or more years.See my Travel post on Annapolis here (______). I have gone To Osteria 177 so frequently that  many fellow regular diners assumed I was a local. I usually dine solo at the bar when I go, and love the convivial atmosphere there both at lunch and dinner, sometimes both at lunch and dinner on the same day! I also love to take friends and family and enjoy the elegant and comfortable dining room with a larger group.

The menu is large and varied. Of course, the Italian specialties are amazing, but everything on the menu is worth a try. Lately, I have been focusing on the plant-based menu options and have found plenty to keep me interested.

There is always an additional page of daily specialties as well. For lunch, there is special daily menu that is a great deal! The kitchen is very accommodating to any special requests,  and if they have the ingredients, they will make you whatever you want, an attitude that suits me very well!

Chef and Owner Arturo Ottaviano is the genius, and I mean genius, behind the food. He was born in Molise and raised in Verona, Italy. During his culinary studies, he studied in an exchange program in Washington D.C. and later returned to Maryland to pursue his career. Osteria 177 opened in Annapolis in 2006.

As stated in their website,:

“Situated amongst the historic buildings that lead to the tranquil bay, Osteria 177 is one of Annapolis’ premier dining spots, thriving on the taste and passion that encompasses Italian coastal cuisine.

The Italian word “osteria,” means {an inn} and host and Chef/Owner Arturo Ottaviano takes that meaning very seriously. From the elegant atmosphere to the freshest ingredients that comprise his dishes, Arturo is passionate about every aspect of Osteria 177.” https://www.osteria177.com/home/

On our latest visit, my son and I arrived ravenous after attending an all day sports tournament where we had survived on nothing but a dry bagel for more than 10 hours.Slipping into the comfortable seats at the bar, and welcomed by our favorite long-time bartender and waiter (all the staff seem to stay forever, which is a testament to good management!), we breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that we would be well cared for after our long and tiring day.

My son was very happy that Osteria 177 encourages one to try multiple menu items by offering to make most of their pasta dishes as half-orders. He decided on two of his favorite hearty and meaty pastas.On the other hand, I asked our waiter for a suggestion for a great plant-based entree and he strongly recommended the vegan risotto. That sounded perfect! The risotto,  which was made with wild mushrooms and asparagus, was rich and delicious and was probably the best risotto I had ever tasted. Both my non-vegan son and I  could not believe it was really vegan. To keep it vegan, I declined the grated parmesan. We decided to share some sides of the arugula salad  with tomatoes, strawberries and pine nuts, keeping the shaved parmesan on the side,  roasted red and yellow peppers, and warm and crusty Italian bread. The perfect Italian dinner!

 

While I truly loved Osteria 177’s risotto, it was made with olive oil. As you may know from my other Table Karma posts,(see my post on oil here http://table-karma.com/oil-is-all-oil-evil/)  I never cook with oil of any kind at home and I try to avoid it when dining out. As soon as I returned home, I wanted to recreate Osteria 177’s risotto using no oil, and all organic ingredients. The result was amazing!! My new favorite risotto (but I’ll go back for Osteria177’s dish anytime)! See my recipe for Oil-Free Vegan Risotto with Mushrooms and Asparagus here http://table-karma.com/oil-free-vegan-risotto-mushrooms-asparagus-recipe/. If you can’t get to Annapolis for Risotto, try mine!

Buon Appetito!