Heights Eats

Whole Foods Osteria Cedro Rustico maintains a strangely low profile for the high quality of food they serve. We eat there often (its being a mile from our house helps) and we consider it one of the best Italian-inspired restaurants in the area. The prices are great as well.

The Osteria is located in the middle of Whole Foods between the produce and beer sections with most of the seating at a counter around the kitchen. This arrangement has two advantages: you get to see chef Laron Harris in action, plus the wait staff are never more than 10 feet away. There are also some tables that are used during busier times.

The menu has been revised somewhat lately, and Sarah ordered the newly added Rosemary-Garlic Flat Iron Steak with greens, tomatoes and mozzarella ($13). This was an excellent, tender steak cooked to medium (as specified in the menu) with a deep but not overpowering aroma of rosemary and garlic, topped with … continue reading

We really can’t say enough good things about the Whole Foods Osteria. We’ve been eating there regularly and have not been disappointed. Any issues with underseasoned food seem to have been worked out, and they serve excellent dishes at very reasonable prices.

Sarah ordered the Shrimp with Broccolini over gnocchi ($9), which featured perfectly cooked shrimp in a very good, mild cheese sauce. I ordered the Lamb Ragu with Butternut Squash over Tagliatelle. The sauce was a little oily, but that was probably just the lamb (which I haven’t had in a while). The tomatoes added a nice zing to the dish, and the combination of ingredients worked really well. And Jonathan always has plenty of good options at the food bar. We’ve convinced him that sweet and sour tofu is actually sweet and sour chicken, and he really likes it.

Anything purchased in the store can be brought over to the Osteria. In addition to the … continue reading

We went to the restaurant in Whole Foods today, the “Osteria Cedro Rustico.” The circular “restaurant” seats 18 people in the middle of the wine and cheese section with customers facing the servers and cooks. The food was tasty, fresh and cheap.

We ordered the antipasto plate, which had plenty of good cured meats (most were salami-like), rich and flavorful cheeses (Bleu, Swiss) along with some peppers, pickles and very good olives. Sarah and Junior split the spaghetti and meatballs, while I had an artichoke ravioli with mushrooms, tomatoes, and eggplant in a light cream sauce. It all needed a bit of salt, but it was otherwise very flavorful. After drinks–a beer for me and Italian sodas for Sarah and Jonathan–and dessert (a cannoli) the grand total was $34.41. And, as tipping is not permitted, that was all we paid. The service was friendly, and seeing the chefs cook our food was fun for … continue reading