Eat Athens: Italian restaurant serves family-style meals with home-cooked flavor

For the average person looking for a nice restaurant to celebrate a special occasion or gathering, encountering terms like "reservations" and "valet parking" can sometimes cause their wallet to cry a little bit. And though service and atmosphere are often top-notch, the food at such places often has a tendency to come across as intimidatingly swanky or even disappointing when taste and portion size are concerned.

Osteria Olio, an Italian spot located at Rivet House boutique hotel in the Southern Mill development at 355 Oneta St., meets the expectations of upscale dining while also defying some of the associated stereotypes. Open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday, Osteria Olio's commitment to creating a decadent Italian family meal is admirable.

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Not to be confused with downtown's Osteria Athens , Osteria Olio occupies suite 200 of the 355 Oneta St. Building owned by Athens residents Jessica and James Wheatley, who used the existing structure of an old textile mill off of Chase Street to build the Rivet House travel and staycation getaway. The Rivet House hotel and Osteria Olio restaurant opened on Friday, June 7 , and the two are attached to provide easy guest access.

For the Banner-Herald's visit to Osteria Olio, we made reservations via the restaurant's website and arrived a little before our 5:30 p.m. time slot. The parking at Osteria is valet only, but the service is completely free and is a great mood-setter for the overall experience. Once inside, we were seated by a host and presented with menus for food and drinks. Staff explained all of the ingredients without having to be asked, and our order came out promptly.

Like any restaurant, Osteria Olio's menu is split up into appetizers, entrees, sides and desserts, but because we were interested in trying several different items, staff recommended we go for the three-course "Family Style" option, which costs $65 per person. The price is competitive with other fine dining establishments, but the portions are large, and they increase as more folks are added to your party while remaining at $65. The selections are made by the chef, and the dishes were a great variety of traditional Italian and Southern fusion.

Our two-person meal began with meatballs covered in a delicious red sauce, followed by a flavorful carpaccio served with grilled bread and a mushroom pizza that featured a superstar black garlic drizzle. Next, we tried the grilled artichokes with spicy chili flakes, a cheese ravioli topped with what tasted like elote (street corn), and a veal chop marsala that tasted just like this reporter's New York grandma's recipe. The Banner-Herald advises pacing yourself to leave room for dessert and take home the abundant supply of leftovers.

For a detailed look at Osteria Olio's menu and to make reservations, visit osteriaolio.com .

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Eat Athens: Italian restaurant serves family-style meals with home-cooked flavor