Matteo’s Osteria: Italian Inspiration in Wailea

[flashvideo file=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZA0UQblbKSI /]

Born, raised and trained in Italy, chef Matteo Mistura works hard to bring the country’s flavors, flair and family-focus to his restaurant in Wailea.

“I come to work and there’s that family environment,” he says, commending his close-knit staff at Matteo’s Osteria. “It’s really important for my daily routine.”

Mistura earned the distinction of Best Chef in this year’s Best of Maui awards, and Matteo’s tied for silver for Best Italian Restaurant in the 2016 ‘Aipono Awards. His reaction? Modesty, and an invitation for you to give his spot a shot.

“I always have a problem to judge my own food,” he smiles, “so I let the guests to come and try and decide what kind of rating we deserve.”

Matteo’s Osteria is one of 20 area establishments taking part in Restaurant Week Wailea, offering three-course prix-fixe menus for $29, $39 or $49, with a portion to benefit the Maui Food Bank.

At Matteo’s, located at 161 Wailea Ike Place, that special $39 menu features a choice of antipasto, calamari or kale Caesar salad to start. Entrée options include puttanesca pasta, lasagna or cioppino (seafood stew), and for a sweet ending, you can pick from affogado (coffee gelato), tiramisu or chocolate torta.

Beyond that promotion, Matteo’s offers happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday with $8 bites and drink deals, and a special lunchtime offering of two food courses plus a glass of wine for $21.

“It’s for the locals and the people that live here, so that’s why we priced it so affordably,” explains chef de cuisine Rodney Mann, who’s been with Matteo’s since it opened almost three years ago. “We’re trying our hardest to make the best food possible using local, fresh ingredients; we want to stand for something sustainable, and also delicious and classic Italian.”

Wines and wine glass. Photo by Kiaora Bohlool.

Prix-fixe menus during Restaurant Week Wailea. Photo by Kiaora Bohlool.

Prix-fixe menus during Restaurant Week Wailea. Photo by Kiaora Bohlool.

Cioppino seafood stew, an entrée choice during Restaurant Week Wailea. Photo by Kiaora Bohlool.

Matteo’s Chef de Cuisine Rodney Mann and Chef/ Owner Matteo Mistura. Photo by Kiaora Bohlool.

Historic Italian meat slicer, used at Matteo’s. Photo by Kiaora Bohlool.

Antipasto platter, offered at Matteo’s as a starter choice during Restaurant Week Wailea. Photo by Kiaora Bohlool.

Matteo’s wine wall, offering a huge selection of 64 wines by the glass. Photo by Kiaora Bohlool.

Freshly-baked bread at Matteo’s. Photo by Kiaora Bohlool.

Decor at Matteo’s Osteria in Wailea. Photo by Kiaora Bohlool.

Wines at Matteo’s. Photo by Kiaora Bohlool.

Host stand at Matteo’s. Photo by Kiaora Bohlool.

Then there’s the wine wall. With guidance from an in-house sommelier, it features 64 domestic and international options at a range of prices. Mistura says they offer the largest selection of wines-by-the-glass in the state of Hawai’i.

“With our amazing wine machine there is a wine for everybody, any price you want to pick,” says Mistura, “and we are proud to offer two different sizes of glass: three ounce or six ounce.”

The family-run restaurant features fresh, house-made ingredients at every turn, local whenever possible, with Italian excellence in every bite.

Mistura hopes you’ll put Matteo’s on your list of places to enjoy during Restaurant Week Wailea, which runs through Saturday, Nov. 12. See a list of the other participating restaurants and their Restaurant Week Menus here.