Osteria Malandra

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Family Osteria with Serious Credentials

Emilio Giorgio Malandra and his team run one of the Munich area's most respected Italian restaurants from a quietly distinctive address in Ismaning, just north of the city. Gambero Rosso International recognised Osteria Malandra with its Fork award, placing it among the top destinations for authentic Italian cuisine in and around Munich — a distinction the restaurant wears without fanfare.

The spirit here is rooted in the osteria tradition: family-minded, ingredient-driven, and free of unnecessary ceremony. Modern elegance meets Mediterranean warmth in the dining room, and the kitchen's commitment to quality is visible from the very first course.

Handmade Pasta as a Point of Principle

Every piece of pasta at Osteria Malandra is made by hand — a practice the team describes as a tradition that has become genuinely rare in restaurants today. From the delicate tagliolini to the filled tortelli emiliani (ham and mortadella, finished with veal ragù), the care put into each shape is what sets the cooking apart.

The degustation menus give the clearest picture of the kitchen's range. A four-course pasta menu (€65 per person, with a matched glass of wine at each course) moves through tagliolini with sautéed chanterelles and rosemary, calamarata alla Luciana with octopus ragù, and the tortelli emiliani before closing with Piedmontese cherries drowned in Nebbiolo wine and served with hazelnut ice cream. A broader four-course menu (€58 per person) opens with baked zucchini flowers filled with buffalo mozzarella and finishes with the same cherries — a signature dessert that recurs for good reason.

The Full Menu

The à la carte offer covers the full arc of Italian cuisine. Antipasti include vitello tonnato, a lauwarmer seafood salad, and carpaccio of Scottona beef fillet with Parmesan and rocket. The pasta section ranges from spaghetti alle vongole with bottarga to the lasagne "nonna Virginia" — a recipe built on veal ragù, buffalo mozzarella, and tomato sugo that reads like a family heirloom.

Fish mains lean on the grill: wild-caught gambas, baby squid, mixed fish plates, all dressed simply. The Duetto — grilled gambas and calamari with salmoriglio — is a recurring highlight. On the meat side, the filetto al Barolo (Scottona beef fillet with rosemary and Barolo sauce, €37.50) anchors the section. Saltimbocca alla romana and a grilled veal paillard complete the picture.

The kitchen also prepares fish in a salt crust and roasted pheasant — seasonal dishes that rarely appear on restaurant menus and signal a kitchen willing to go beyond the obvious.

Beyond Dinner

Osteria Malandra is well set up for business lunches, private events, and celebrations. The restaurant seats up to 70 guests, with a separate hall above for gatherings of up to 300. A weekly changing card keeps the offer fresh, and a dedicated lunch menu runs Monday through Friday. Takeaway is available for those who want the same kitchen quality at home.