Uptown New Orleans’ highly-anticipated Northern Italian restaurant – Osteria Lupo – will officially open to the public on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, at 4609 Magazine Street.
The brainchild of Chef Brian Burns and Reno De Ranieri, who own the popular Spanish-inspired restaurant Costera, Osteria Lupo will offer locals and visitors refined Northern Italian cuisine featuring house-made pasta, wood-fired specialties, and a stellar wine & cocktail program, served up in a chic and sophisticated setting.
Costera’s immediate success and popularity upon opening in 2019 had New Orleanians wondering what the next move would be for Burns and De Ranieri, who met during their tenure at the Link Restaurant Group. When the talented duo found two adjacent spaces on Magazine Street, they knew it was too good to resist and decided it was time to premier a new concept.
“Brian and I have had the vision for a Northern Italian concept for quite some time,” said De Ranieri who grew up in San Francisco and was exposed to rustic Italian cuisine and wine at a young age. “When the opportunity arose to open Uptown, not far from Costera, we knew it was meant to be.”
Osteria Lupo’s menu is conceptualized by Burns, a graduate of Tulane’s A.B. Freeman School and École Grégoire-Ferrandi, one of France’s leading professional training schools. Burns’ impressive vitae includes stints at Michelin starred Joël Robuchon and Château Cordeillan-Bages in France. In 2009, Burns returned to New Orleans, where he joined the Link Restaurant Group and served as Executive Sous Chef of Herbsaint before being tapped to help open Pêche Seafood Grill, ultimately working as Chef de Cuisine before leaving to pursue his own restaurant. This experience allowed Burns to develop a culinary style that resonates with guests in the New Orleans dining scene, while also providing an opportunity to develop the leadership skills necessary to effectively manage a professional kitchen and maintain a level of quality that has been recognized twice by the James Beard Foundation.
Dishes, many of which will come from the restaurant’s central wood-fire oven, will showcase the bounty of the mountains and lakes of Piedmont, Liguria, and other regions in Northern Italy. “There is such a rich culinary landscape in the north, with its own unique flavors and ingredients,” says Burns. “I’ve always loved these regions and am excited to shine a spotlight on them here in New Orleans.”
Antipasti, perfect for sharing, include Black Truffle Arancini with fresh Umbrian truffles over a creamy Val d’Aosta fondue, Red Snapper Crudo – utilizing the best the Gulf has to offer, and served with tomato pesto and fried capers, and Seared Porchetta with local arugula and lemon on grilled focaccia. Pizze come straight from the wood-fire oven and include Clam with broccoli rabe, chili flakes, and lemon, Mushroom with Taleggio, garlic confit, and crispy leeks, and a traditional Margherita with tomato, Fior de Latte mozzarella, and freshly torn basil.
Pasta at Osteria Lupo is made in-house and features specialties like Radiatori with Louisiana Blue Crab, Parmesan and basil, Spaghetti alla Chittara with Maine Lobster and Trebbiano; and Campanelle with Mushrooms – a ruffled, bell-shaped pasta with a rich porcini, shiitake, and oyster mushroom ragu. Secondi is large enough to share, and range from simply-prepared Rack of Lamb with pistachio verde, and Double-Cut Pork Chop Milanese with littleneck clams, prosciutto, rapini, and garlic, to Seared Yellowfin Tuna with coal-roasted spring vegetables and bagna cauda. A selection of desserts from Pastry Chef Sara Martin will also be on offer.
The beverage program at Osteria Lupo will be under the direction of De Ranieri, who cut his teeth running beverage programs across multiple restaurants as Corporate Beverage Director for the Link Restaurant Group. Paying homage to the classic cocktail bars of Milan and Florence, libations will focus on lighter Italian aperitivi aimed to whet the appetite, along with nods to New Orleans’ rich cocktail history. The wine program, 100 percent Italian, will have a strong focus on Piedmont and Tuscany while highlighting small producers and dynamic wines. According to De Ranieri, “We will select our wines the same way (Chef) Brian selects his ingredients – by working directly with the small, local producers that have grown their own grapes and made their own wines for generations.”
Designed with New Orleans architect Brooks Graham, Osteria Lupo merges a former glass-blowing studio and the original depot for Elmer’s Chocolate into one beautiful modern setting where sleek industrial elements are complemented by natural woods and warm hues of blue. In the dining room, an open exhibition kitchen and colorful mosaic-tiled wood-fire oven serve as the focal point from nearly every seat, allowing guests to watch the action unfold. Polished concrete floors and exposed ceilings are offset by soft ambient lighting from antique brass globe pendants and paneled walls, all working harmoniously to create a stylishly vibey, relaxed ambiance. An adjacent area features additional seating, as well as a dramatic bar with deep blues contrasted by Carrera-Arabescata marble. The original 12X12 garage door has been redesigned with amber zellige tile and a glass and aluminum overhead door, allowing for open-air seating on nice nights.
Osteria Lupo will open to the public on Wednesday, April 5th at 4609 Magazine Street and will serve dinner Wednesday – Sunday from 4 pm to 9 pm. For additional information please visit www.osterialupo.com. To reserve a table, please book on Resy.
Stay up to date on Instagram and Facebook: @osterialupo