L'Hostaria Ristorante (Closed)

One of my absolute favorite restaurants in Aspen, service is impeccable, and the food...primo!

The restaurant came highly recommended and we were not disappointed by the food, the wine list or the ambiance. However, having eaten in many restaurants in Aspen I can say that the service left a lot to be desired. In spite of there being females at the table we were consistently referred to as ' you guys' , the servers seemed unable to remember who had order what so we passed around the dishes at each course (comical at first but tiring as the evening progressed), and we had to repeatedly remind the staff to add wine and water to our glasses. Upon observing that all was not up to expectations we were stonewalled and we left feeling rather let-down.

This restaurant was recommended to us by Mr.John of McHugh Antiques, as his #1 restaurant in Aspen. We were not disapointed. The pasta was al dente, good wine list and very nice service. We recommend.

Went in one night with a friend. They were more than accomdating. Much like everyone else they had a reasonably priced prix fixe menu. This one with a variety of options. The service and wine were great. Had asparagus and prosciutto salad, Portobelo mushroom salad and a couple different pasta dishes. To be honest all could have been really good except for they all lacked in any sort of seasoning and or flavor. I have gone a handful of times in the past and have found it enjoyable. So perhaps this time was a fluke....I don't know.

This restaurant is one of those places where they make getting everything right look easy. Great people, great bar, and the best Carbonara I've had in 20 yrs.! L'Hostaria understands that a really great restaurant is about people and food, and they win on both counts. We'll definitely return.

L'Host is my favorite go-to restaurant in Aspen. Their bar menu is fabulous, with delicious homemade italian, great wines, & affordable! The ambiance is wonderful, as are the bartenders and the owners are always welcoming and friendly. A little gem hidden away from Restaurant Row in Aspen, not to be missed by a true foodie!

Service and Food were excellent. Server was very attentive and personable. Scotty was great as usual.

We went only for dessert. The bar was full so we sat in the dining room. I ordered the creme brulee with bananas. It was great. My companion had the Italian Cheesecake which had less sugar than normal cheese cake. I think it was easier to eat. My other companion had a chocolate fondue like dessert. It was very rich. We really needed water with our desserts and I ran out right before we received our desserts. It took us awhile to get someone to refill our waters. I loved the desserts.

Dining during the Christmas 2008 holiday season, we found L'Hostaria to be a very busy restaurant, both in the bar and the restaurant itself. Our waiter had too many tables to serve, he was friendly, but checked in only occasionally. Some of our pasta dishes were tasty, particularly the lobster pasta and the beef gnochi,, but the minestrone was weak and the spinach pasta was not flavorful. Prices are reasonable and the hostess very friendly and helpful. Overall, a mixed experience at L'Hostaria.

After calling Cache Cache, Jimmy's, and several others I finally got a last minute reservation at 8:30 to L'Hostaria. The restaurant was very busy and the few tables left weren't open for very long. Starting with a glass of Ritz Pinot Noir ($10) and appetizers of Salmon and Tuna Tartar over greens ($18), which honestly didn't have much flavor to either of us. Then on to Crispy Calamari ($15) with a spicy red sauce, calamari is temper mental and tends to turn rubbery when overcooked, so there will always be a couple that just go a little over or under. For dinner I chose the Osso bucco with Saffron Risotto ($31). Like Calamari, if it is on the menu I will order it. I thought it was fantastic. Our server suggested the Pork version, after we had finished dinner, and if there were any specials we didn't hear those either. The food was wonderful. The service was acceptable. We did receive our second glasses of wine at the local’s discount of $6 a glass. The environment was that of a busy restaurant. I wouldn't suggest date night, but for friends just hanging out with a little money to spend, go for it. Call and reserve a table a couple of days in advance, and remember just because your server is in a hurry, doesn't mean you have to be in a hurry.