An Italian
restaurant
in Kaliningrad -
Tutto Osteria

Weekends are simply made for unhurried walks around the spring city and lunch in a remarkable place. The fountain season has opened, lilacs are blooming lushly in the squares, and a mood of light “doing nothing” hangs in the air, or, as they say in Italy: “Dolce Far Niente”.

The Tutto restaurant is located on a secluded street right in the city centre: cobblestones, the shade of blossoming chestnuts and quaint building facades. By the entrance there is a summer terrace — comfortable tables with tablecloths under an awning with a living hedge. It is comfortable to sit on such a veranda even on a rainy day, especially given Kaliningrad’s unpredictable weather.

I booked a table on the restaurant’s website through the app. You can also look at the menu there, and there are a few general photos of the place (if you are visiting for the first time, you can get acquainted with the interior and the seating). A little later the administrator called me to confirm the details.

Let us find out what an osteria is and what it is eaten with. An osteria (Italian) was originally a place in Italy where wine and simple food were served. It is a place where a hospitable host welcomes you: a cosy atmosphere with an emphasis on delicacies and simple dishes.

The room is a clean and airy space: French windows, eggshell-coloured walls, an open kitchen area, massive marble countertops and vases with bright lemons, columns and vaulted arches. A playful allusion — spaghetti on the ceiling as part of the interior and in the details of the furniture, enoki mushrooms as decor in the restroom, a floor tile that resembles shards of amphorae. It feels as if you were in a local cafe on the Amalfi coast.

There were few guests at lunchtime, and most of the visitors sat on the terrace. Panoramic windows connect the space of the osteria and the veranda — an inspiring atmosphere: pasta, a glass of wine and heart-to-heart conversations.

The restaurant’s menu has a wide selection of starters, bruschetta and antipasti and, of course, pasta and risotto. At weekends you are offered a separate breakfast menu. And Tutto’s special offer is spaghetti carbonara in a wheel of cheese. Cacio e pepe is a popular Italian pasta. The dish is simple, but the cooking process itself looks spectacular: hot pasta, a huge wheel of cheese, pepper and — your new gastronomic impressions.

Just listen: “Orecchiette arrabbiata with loligo squid” or “ravioli with beef in red wine with sun-dried tomatoes in demi-glace sauce” — an opera of cooking.

So today we decided to try: vitello tonnato with tuna sauce and bikini pepper. For the second course — tagliatelle with prawns, sun-dried tomatoes and courgette.

Vitello tonnato is literally “tuna veal”. Thin slices of tender marinated veal with a velvety tonnato sauce based on anchovies and capers, which gives the starter an original and piquant taste. The dish is complemented by fresh rocket and the mildly spicy Chinese bikini pepper.

Tagliatelle with prawns — classic wide noodles, prawns, slices of courgette, grilled tomatoes and a delicate creamy sauce, seasoned with crumbled fried pistachio and coriander. A dense, textured pasta the colour of egg yolk with a rich flavour — a pleasure.

The presentation is the simplest and most laconic: airy white porcelain tableware — an unrivalled classic. The dishes were brought quickly, but I wanted to linger and enjoy the culinary delights unhurriedly.

With such a delicate pasta I would certainly recommend a glass of white Pinot Grigio. But that day I only managed to try an elegant, tart green tea.

About drinks: a selection of cocktails and spirits, a line of stylish aperitifs and digestifs, strong alcohol. The wine list is an exquisite set: both inexperienced and sophisticated guests can find a drink to their liking.
The average bill at this place is about 1,700–2,000 ₽, but that is without alcohol.

If you want Italian authenticity and warmth, Tutto Osteria is your choice. On my next visit it would be wonderful to try the signature tiramisu with coffee that the restaurant is famous for.