Osteria Novella brings the vibrant flavors and warm hospitality of Italy’s Amalfi Coast to Madison’s west side. Rooted in southern Italian tradition and crafted with passion by Chef Giovanni Novella, our menu features house-made pastas, wood-fired pizzas, seasonal small plates, and signature coastal dishes inspired by authentic Italian recipes. Pair your meal with thoughtfully curated Italian wines and handcrafted cocktails in a bright yet inviting atmosphere perfect for date nights, family dinners, or relaxed evenings with friends. Whether you’re savoring classic pasta or enjoying fresh, creative entrees, every visit celebrates quality ingredients, rich flavors, and genuine hospitality.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 2903 University Ave, Madison, WI 53705
Phone: (608) 230-6877
Website: https://osterianovella.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: resy.com
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Reviews
Feixuan Wu (Fay)
Impressive food and thoughtful service (with name and date on the box). One suggestion is that it would be better to mention adding bread requires $5, to avoid surprising bill. The room is a bit dim.
But overall it is a great restaurant and will come again.
… moreBut overall it is a great restaurant and will come again.
Nick Lombardino
Absolutely worth the hype. It was busy when we arrived, so we grabbed seats at the bar and ended up loving the experience. The service was exceptional from start to finish, the ambiance felt warm and lively without being overwhelming, and the food was next level. We ordered the burrata, rigatoni, and pappardelle ai porcini, and every dish was outstanding. Already looking forward to going back.
… moreDaniela Lehmkuhl
We had such a wonderful experience at Osteria Novella! We grabbed seats at the bar and started the evening with several beautiful craft cocktails….each one perfectly balanced and thoughtfully made.
To start, we had the sourdough topped with buffalo mozzarella, Piennolo tomatoes, and prosciutto… absolutely incredible. Fresh, flavorful, and the perfect way to kick off the meal.
For our mains, we shared a scallop dish that was cooked to perfection and a gluten-free pasta with porcini mushrooms that was rich, earthy, and deeply satisfying. Every bite of both dishes was divine.
The new build-out is stunning….warm, stylish, and inviting without feeling overdone. And the service? Truly impeccable. Attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely welcoming.
Highly, highly recommend Osteria Novella. We’ll definitely be back! ✨
… moreTo start, we had the sourdough topped with buffalo mozzarella, Piennolo tomatoes, and prosciutto… absolutely incredible. Fresh, flavorful, and the perfect way to kick off the meal.
For our mains, we shared a scallop dish that was cooked to perfection and a gluten-free pasta with porcini mushrooms that was rich, earthy, and deeply satisfying. Every bite of both dishes was divine.
The new build-out is stunning….warm, stylish, and inviting without feeling overdone. And the service? Truly impeccable. Attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely welcoming.
Highly, highly recommend Osteria Novella. We’ll definitely be back! ✨
Steps
I cannot say enough great things about this place! I will give you one piece of advice, TRY IT! It is by far the best Italian restaurant in Madison. The food, atmosphere, and service were impeccable.
… moreNayoung Lee
This new restaurant opened where Novanta used to be (one of my favorite Neapolitan pizza places), and I really enjoyed it.
We ordered the special rigatoni with three kinds of pork (including guanciale) and the pesto pizza. Both were very good. The pizza would have been better served on a warmer plate, since it got cold quickly (we were seated near the door on a cold day).
For dessert, we tried the basil gelato, which was just okay, and the cannoli, which was excellent.
I’d love to come back and try more items on the menu.
… moreWe ordered the special rigatoni with three kinds of pork (including guanciale) and the pesto pizza. Both were very good. The pizza would have been better served on a warmer plate, since it got cold quickly (we were seated near the door on a cold day).
For dessert, we tried the basil gelato, which was just okay, and the cannoli, which was excellent.
I’d love to come back and try more items on the menu.
Chris Wang
All the food was really good and the service was amazing as well. Best Italian restaurant in Madison so far – hope they can keep it up!
… moreNicola Porto
A stunning, thoughtful Italian restaurant on the west side of Madison! Delicious cocktails and to die for pizza. Can’t wait to come back and try more items on the menu. Congratulations on a beautiful opening, Osteria Novella!
… moreCailen Bertrang
An impeccably elegant dining experience from start to finish. The atmosphere is refined and intimate, and the service is truly exceptional. The servers clearly care deeply about the food—knowledgeable, passionate, and genuinely proud of what they’re serving. Every detail feels intentional, making it a perfect choice for a special evening.
If you’re looking for a place to eat I’d choose here every time.
… moreIf you’re looking for a place to eat I’d choose here every time.
Barb Novak
Visited on a bustling Saturday night with a party of 8 (made a reservation three weeks in advance).
Across the entire table (which included a pescatarian and someone who eats dairy free), we enjoyed a wide variety of appetizers, pizza, pastas, and entrees along with Italian wine and a few cocktails.
The service was friendly, accurate, and fast.
The standouts:
Eggplant fritters
Crostone
Pepperoni pizza
Cavatelli
Pappardelle ai Porcini
Pollo Saltimboca
Espresso martini
Things to know:
Reservation needed for weekend dinner
May need to park on the street and walk a block
Loud space
… moreAcross the entire table (which included a pescatarian and someone who eats dairy free), we enjoyed a wide variety of appetizers, pizza, pastas, and entrees along with Italian wine and a few cocktails.
The service was friendly, accurate, and fast.
The standouts:
Eggplant fritters
Crostone
Pepperoni pizza
Cavatelli
Pappardelle ai Porcini
Pollo Saltimboca
Espresso martini
Things to know:
Reservation needed for weekend dinner
May need to park on the street and walk a block
Loud space
Madeleine Zeller
My husband and I tried Osteria Novella for the first time last Friday and, while we had heard very good things already, it still exceeded our expectations. We had to reserve a table almost a month in advance and I can now see why. Service is impeccable, food is out of this world, and the ambience is romantic and cozy. We had trouble choosing from the long list of antipasti (appetizers) but went with the crostone, which was unbelievably good – perfectly toasted bread with basil aioli, burrata, mortadella, sun-dried tomatoes, hot honey, arugula, and pistachios. My husband got the pappardelle as an entree and I got the social, a beautifully soft and pillowy gnocchi with a tomato sauce that included both sun-dried tomatoes and cherry tomatoes apparently grown in volcanic Italian soil, as well as lots of garlic and burrata. We had to take leftovers because we wanted to save room for dessert – the budino, which was incredibly smooth and had a layer of caramel as well as the whipped cream and chocolate. Last but not least, the cocktails were great particularly the Villa Salvia, which had an amazing texture due to the EVOO washed State Line gin. All in all we had a fabulous evening and will definitely be back!
… more