Osteria La Passione

If you want to get very little food on your plate, wait an hour and a half for your main course, in a small, and very noisy, over rated, dingy hole, queue in the rain to wait to use the one smelly toilet, get highly over charged for a below average food and have to see a owner chef, flappy around the place like some kind of prima Donna, then pay it visit, otherwise avoid it like the plague. TERRIBLE place and eating experience

I have been to this restaurant twice now with my husband. Both have been special occasions being our wedding anniversary & New Years Eve. And both times have been sensational. The food is fresh, seasonal and absolutely delicious, with a lot of the produce coming from Carmine’s (the head chef and owner) farm in Yea.
On a normal evening the restaurant offers either a 3 course ($ 50) or a 6 course ($ 75) degustation. There is no a la carte menu as the chef prepares the dishes based on what is fresh & in season that day. You can however notify them of any dietary requirements when you phone to book.
On our last visit we had 6 courses, including a cold seafood dish to start, a risotto dish, a venison dish, a soup dish, a cheese dish and dessert. All courses were absolutely delicious and the serving sizes and timing of the courses meant you didn’t leave feeling disgustingly full like you can after some degustation meals.
The service is super friendly, with predominantly Italian waitstaff, and a lot of care and effort is taken to explain each dish. Thoughtful wine suggestions are also made, or you can choose to pay for matching wines.
Overall, if you are after an authentic Italian family style meal, and are happy to relinquish control to the chef — you will be in good hands at Osteria and won’t be disappointed!

I went to this restaurant for the first time last night and was blown away by both the food and the service. It’s not a place to go if you’re a control freak about what you eat as there is no menu, saying that, they take your likes and dislikes into account when preparing your meal. All the produce is extremely fresh and a lot of it is grown on a farm in Yea which is owned by the chef. They are also more than happy to cater for any food intolerance or fancys if you book ahead. They also record what you have so the next time you come, you get something different which is a shame as I love what I had.
I went for the 3 course option which was cured meat, a pasta with baby artichokes, prosciutto and saffron and some venison served with brocillini. I then went on to have the desert as well for I am a greedy pig and it was a flourless carrot cake served with an orange sauce and eggplant cream which was amazing.
Loved the service too. After I had the pasta, I jokingly said it would be great to have bread so I could wipe up the sauce fro the plate and bam, two seconds later… fresh sourdough at my table. All the wine recommended to me went well with what I was having and it was great to try some varieties that I haven’t before.
In short, if you want some truly authentic Italian, get your butts down to Richmond now, you will not be disappointed.

I don’t care what reviews are written about this place: I love it.
For all those squeamish ponces who turn their forks up at the sight of authentic Italian cuisine: look elsewhere and get out of my face.
This was the most intimate, fun, loving, warm and genuine dining experience I have had.
Let me be bold: the horse, if you are lucky enough to taste it, is amazing.
If you don’t want to be challenged, there is a plethora of safe and tasty options. Also, amazing. Do yourself a favour and get down to this little corner of Italy in Bridge Rd. Ben Venuti in Osteria. Bravo.
STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS
Jokes! I woke up the following day thinking I’d been ripped off with an upset tummy, up all night with a horse taste repeating on me.
All for the paltry sum of $ 280. Shame. We got carried away by the passione, literally.
Won’t be back.

If you love Italian food and you want to try something truly authentic then this is the place to try it.
Osteria serves either a 3 course or a 7 course degustation menu with the option for two add-​ons (cheeses and charcuterie). The menu is fixed with what the chef makes for the day. When you make your booking just make sure to let them know about any food allergies or requirements.
The food is really well portioned so that you feel comfortably fed after the meal and still get to enjoy and taste all the foods on offer.
Each meal is different with fresh and in season produce being the focus. The chef has a farm which he sources some of the food from the rest is local and fresh.
I love that some of the salami is home made and was lucky enough to get to take some home to savour.
The staff are attentive and friendly with a good knowledge of the food and produce. Each dish is introduced and explained and everyone is more than happy to discuss and have a chat about the food and it origins.
Osteria is great for a small group or an intimate dinner for two.