Osteria Pirata, the most anticipated new restaurant on Baltimore’s dining scene, has officially opened. It’s the latest creation of acclaimed Chef Ashish Alfred — who describes the restaurant as a “casual and fun, yet elevated, neighborhood wine bar and red sauce Italian joint.”
Alfred’s modern Italian menu features both savory small plates and flavorful family-style dishes, all designed to pair with your favorite cocktail.
Located in the Historic Admiral Fell Inn at 1640 Thames Street in Fells Point, the restaurant is officially open and taking reservations.
Osteria Pirata is a welcome addition to Alfred’s family of other dining experiences in Baltimore, including Duck Duck Goose and Anchor Bar. Alfred is renowned for two DC-area restaurants, Duck Duck Goose Bethesda and Dupont Circle.
The new establishment’s pirate-like name is no coincidence:
- Osteria Pirata translates to Pirate Cafe in Italian. But don’t mistake the reference for a cute Disney ride or a Hollywood swashbuckler. We’re talking real history here.
- Back in the War of 1812, British invaders actually labeled the Baltimore residents and ship owners helping defend the city “troublemaking pirates” and dubbed Baltimore harbor a “nest of pirates.”
The name is also a coy nod to Alfred’s own bad-boy past. The famed chef works every day to overcome his heart-rending backstory. (Check out his journey on Instagram, where his 20,000+ followers get glimpses into his cooking, his life, and his daily dish on building anew that everyone can relate to.)
Osteria Pirata is Alfred's sixth self-funded restaurant. He’s known for his kitchen creativity and being a tenacious survivor, keeping his business afloat and employees working during the restaurant-roiling COVID-19 pandemic.
His own bootstrapping background combined with the pandemic’s humbling lessons have given Alfred fine-tuned economic instincts. “I know inflation has been hitting some people hard,” he says, “which is why I actually decided to trim our menu prices a bit, so people can come and take their minds off the day-to-day without worrying about their wallet.”
Alfred sees Osteria Pirata as a place to play and have a mini-vacay without paying big bucks to go away. It’s also a perfect place to host an event, whether a wedding, a graduation party, a birthday — or simply a celebration of life.
Marilyn Johnson is a freelance food and travel writer covering the food and drink scene of Philadelphia, South Jersey food, the greater Mid-Atlantic area, and beyond. Email Marilyn at phillygrub@gmail.com with food and travel news. If you liked this article, throw Marilyn a coffee! Follow Marilyn on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
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