Osteria Vera

While the signage has changed, the oversized wheel of pecorino cheese circulating the dining room remains a constant fixture at this San Vicente Boulevard address. Osteria Vera occupies the historic building that housed the long-running Pecorino restaurant for nearly two decades, a continuity ensured by owner Giorgio Pierangeli. Now partnered with Chef Nicola Mastronardi, formerly of Vincenti, the space has been stripped back to expose hardwood floors and varnished wood tables, centering the room’s energy around an open kitchen where the culinary team works in full view. The menu sidesteps the rigid progression of traditional Italian courses, organizing dishes simply into hot and cold offerings. Mastronardi’s background in Puglia and Emilia-Romagna dictates the kitchen’s output, resulting in handmade pastas like orecchiette with sausage and rapini or lobster paccheri, alongside regional plates involving octopus and fava beans. The most visible ritual, however, is the cacio e pepe. Servers wheel a cart to the table to toss chitarra pasta directly inside the hollowed-out cheese wheel, a piece of service theater that survived the transition between restaurants. The dining room tends to be high-energy and loud, amplified by the hard surfaces and the bustle of the kitchen. For a conversation played out at a lower volume, the outdoor terrace offers a calmer alternative. Valet attendants manage cars at the front entrance during dinner service, though a rear lot is available for self-parking during lunch hours.