Osteria Ester offers warm Italian-American hospitality in Orlando's Thornton Park. It's known for its cozy neighborhood ambiance, beautiful and elegant decor with warm lighting, and a focus on handmade Italian cuisine using seasonal flavors. The restaurant also features a selection of Italian wines and classic cocktails.
Customer Perception
Customer feedback for Osteria Ester is generally positive, highlighting excellent service, a great ambiance, and delicious food, particularly the meatballs, lasagna rotolo, hearth-roasted chicken, and gnocchi. Many appreciate the fresh ingredients and well-portioned dishes for the quality. However, some reviews mention that appetizers can be small and not ideal for sharing. There are mixed opinions on desserts, with some praising the tiramisu and others finding it disappointing. A few customers felt the overall value for the price was not always met, leading to a mixed experience despite good individual dishes.
Additional Details
Osteria Ester is part of the Good Salt Restaurant Group (@goodsalt_rg). They emphasize seasonal flavors in their menu offerings.
Vegetarian options likely available (e.g., pasta without meat)Mocktails available
Best Times to Visit
Osteria Ester is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM, and for Sunday Brunch from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Reservations are recommended, especially for dinner, as the restaurant can fill up quickly.
So we saw this place on TikTok and we decided to go check them out yesterday, It was a special occasion as my son is leaving for the Navy so we wanted to do something really nice and his favorite food is Italian. So my mom is born and raising Italy and I lived in Italy for two decades before moving back to the states so needless to say my pallet is definitely exquisite in finding good Italian Kimmy challenging. With that said, the restaurant is beautiful. The food looked amazing when it came out when it came out fast service was excellent. The server also went out of her way to give my son a free dessert to congratulate him for his enlistment, but Not everything that is gold sparkles. We ordered three appetizers for entrées and four desserts, The appetizers were OK. They had very good taste of them, but they were very small. Definitely not shareable., Then came our main course my son is by far Pita). He’s very adventurous and likes to try various different things and what he chose off the menu as soon as he took a bite it was not to his liking so I tried to just to make sure if he was right or wrong and I would have to cook her it was not good. My dish was excellent. My husband and daughter’s dish were OK, nothing to Rave about. The worst part of the dinner had to be dessert, I am a huge tiramisu gal, and this is by far the worst I’ve ever had. So my total check was $300 and this is the first time in a long time that I’m feeling regretful of spending this kind of money, Are we gonna return probably not so it’s kind of a mixed bag for us it was good to appoint but nothing grand. A tester photos of what we ordered it’s a very small menu so pretty much this is half of the menu right here Lol
Absolutely WOW! Our first visit to Osteria Estia, and it certainly won’t be our last. From the moment we walked in, the service was warm, attentive, and genuinely exceptional.
Every dish was beautifully prepared with fresh, authentic Italian flavors, and every pasta was cooked to a perfect al dente. It truly felt like a little trip to Italy.
We started with the crostini bread, the carpaccio, crispy polenta, Caesar salad, and baked clams, each appetizer was outstanding. For our entrées, the stars of the night were the Paccheri alla Vodka, Gnocchi Sardo, and Lasagna Rotolo. Every bite was packed with flavor.
To top it all off, we paired dinner with the 2020 Ciochino, a full bodied, dry red that complemented the meal perfectly. We ended the night with their delicious light and creamy tiramisu.
If you’re looking for authentic Italian cuisine, impeccable service, and an unforgettable dining experience, Osteria Estia is a must visit. We can’t wait to come back! 🍝🍷🇮🇹
5
Had the pleasure of visiting Osteria Ester after months of it being on our bucket list as the restaurant is over an hour away. The atmosphere was great, the food was amazing and the customer service was one of the best if not, THE BEST I’ve experienced. Gabriel, our server was so attentive, he picked up on our social cues and paid extreme attention to detail. We ordered a few items, one of which we liked but probably wouldn’t order again, not because it wasn’t great but because one ingredient felt a little overwhelming for us (still very delicious). We politely cleared our space and waited for the next dish as Gabriel noticed we barely scratch the surface with said dish before collecting the first round of plates. We insisting all was good but Gabriel went above and beyond by engaging a manager. The manager insisted on giving us an amazing experience and offered us a different option we’d be happy with. We felt that they went above and beyond, in ways they really didn’t need to but this has made a lasting impression. We’ve recommended the restaurant to our friends and will definitely be back. We ate so much I felt I needed to be rolled out of the restaurant but calories don’t exist when you’re having an experience! 5 stars!
4
We had an amazing experience tonight! Our waitress Paige was fantastic. She was so kind, attentive, and really helpful when walking us through the menu.
Everything we tried was delicious, and we definitely went a little overboard ordering for just the two of us. We started with the focaccia and meatballs, and for our main dishes we split the lasagna rotolo, gnocchi sardo, and the hearth roasted half chicken.
Every dish was packed with flavor. The meatballs were honestly some of the best I’ve had. I wish I would have asked for some Parmesan for the meatballs, but it didn’t take away from the dish. The chicken was thick, juicy, and cooked perfectly. The Marsala sauce with it was excellent! The gnocchi was creamy and super filling, and the lasagna portion was huge, which makes for good leftovers!
We were so full we grabbed the house made tiramisu to go. Overall, such a great meal and we’ll absolutely be back!
5
This place is amazing. From the service to the appetizer to the main course a sensation of flavors that truly delight your senses. In addition, amazing gluten free menu. Well done.
