Chef Travis McShane is responding to a long-standing request from Houston diners: pizza at both lunch and dinner. Ostia, McShane’s Italian restaurant located in Montrose, will soon offer its beloved Neapolitan-style, wood-fired pizzas all day, starting after renovations are completed this week.
Since opening in the fall of 2020, Ostia has been a popular destination for lunch-goers, especially for its wood-fired pizzas that are known for their charred crust and unique bubbling. While pizza has been available during lunch hours, the restaurant will now extend these offerings to dinner thanks to a series of kitchen and dining room upgrades. Ostia will be closed this week and reopen on Tuesday, February 25, following the changes.
“We really took this last year to listen to our guests and think about what they want to see more of when they come to Ostia,” McShane said in a statement. “Time and time again, we were asked about pizza at night. When I opened Ostia, I really wanted pizza to be something special at lunch, but with the amount of positive feedback and demand for pizza all day, we decided to make some equipment changes and make it happen.”
The new pizza menu will feature a variety of options, including a classic margherita, clam with bechamel and pecorino, and a pizza topped with Italian sausage, peppers, and fontina. Along with the expanded pizza menu, the restaurant will introduce new pasta dishes, including cappelletti with lobster and saffron-chili butter and canestri with chicken liver ragu and pecorino romano. However, favorite staples like carbonara, cacio e pepe, and all’amatriciana will remain on the menu.
The upgrades don’t stop at the kitchen. As part of the renovations, Ostia’s dining room will also receive a minor refresh. New paint, artwork, and more plants will give the space a brighter, more inviting feel, inspired by the restaurant’s popular greenhouse dining area.
To enhance the dining experience, McShane is also introducing complimentary chips, olives, nuts, and a sip of sparkling rosé to greet guests upon arrival, a personal touch inspired by how he entertains guests in his own home.
“The word ‘restaurant’ comes from the French word ‘restaurer,’ which means ‘to restore,’” McShane explained. “Our job is to make people happier on their way out than they were on their way in. For me, that is by treating guests like they are at my house and not taking things too seriously.”
Ostia’s expanded menu and refreshed atmosphere are sure to delight Houston’s diners, making it an even more attractive spot for those seeking quality Italian cuisine in the heart of Montrose.
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