Osteria Mangia e Ridi

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Corner of Calabria in the Heart of Vienna

Osteria Mangia e Ridi is a personal project in the truest sense. Rosita and Piero, both from Catanzaro in Calabria, opened this small osteria on Kurrentgasse to share the food they grew up with – not a generalised idea of Italian cooking, but the specific, southern Italian flavours of their homeland. That clarity of purpose shows in every detail, from the open kitchen where dishes are prepared fresh to order, to a menu that shifts with the seasons and stays deliberately concise.

The philosophy here is uncompromising on sourcing. As Piero has told guests directly, if something at the market isn't up to standard on a given day, it simply doesn't make it into the kitchen. There is no pizza, no convenience shortcuts – just Calabrian cooking done with care.

What's on the Table

The menu reads like a well-edited tour through southern Italian tradition. Antipasti include buffalo mozzarella with cherry tomatoes and basil, vitello tonnato, and a house-style mixed seafood starter that regulars have been known to order twice in the same sitting. Raw fish variations – the Variazione di Pesce Crudo – signal the kitchen's confidence with quality seafood.

Among the pasta dishes, paccheri with king prawns and spaghetti alle vongole veraci anchor the seafood side, while stuffed cheese ravioli with truffle sauce and calamarata with Campanian sausage show the range of this Calabrian kitchen. For secondi, the salt-crust sea bass for two has drawn particular praise, and grilled octopus with rosemary potatoes is a standout. Meat options include Angus tagliata and Roman-style saltimbocca. Desserts – tiramisù, panna cotta, lemon sorbet – are classically executed and homemade.

The wine list follows the same logic as the food: Italian classics alongside less familiar bottles from regions that deserve more attention.

Recognition and Atmosphere

Gambero Rosso awarded Osteria Mangia e Ridi 2 Forks – a recognition that reflects consistent quality rather than flash. The dining room is intimate, the service attentive without being formal, and the open kitchen adds a sense of transparency that guests notice. Reviewers consistently mention the warmth of the owner and the feeling that they are eating in someone's home rather than a restaurant.

For anyone seeking genuine Calabrian cuisine in Vienna – not a facsimile of it – Kurrentgasse 12 delivers exactly that.