Maura C.

Came here with two friends before a comedy show and had a nice time! We were seated right away and the service was good. I really liked the vibe of the place, lots of windows and natural light. We split a few dishes, including the hamachi crudo, octopus, and two pastas. I found the seafood dishes to stand out more than the pastas. The pastas were good, but the seafood was great. I would return!

Dakota M.

I wanted a small and chill birthday dinner, I celebrated at Costiera. I am so happy with my decision. The service was great and drinks/food were ALL delightful. I started with the Fennel & Celery Caesar which was an interesting twist on the classic. I was definitely surprised that I enjoyed it so much. The whipped ricotta and homemade focaccia is a MUST. You literally don't want to miss out. I also ordered the Hamachi Crudo which was fresh but did have a bitter flavor (maybe the fennel oil?) that I wasn't crazy about. All of our meals were cooked to perfection.

June J.

We made a late night reservation at Costiera, which was just a few steps away from our hotel. They weren't busy on a late weekday night, which was great. The server was very nice and I really enjoyed his help with all of our selections. The drinks were good! Great flavor profiles that matched the descriptions on the menu. The focaccia was very good! We had the simplest version with EVOO, rosemary and sea salt and it was perfect. A great complement for our pastas. For the entree, I had the corn and ricotta agnolotti. From the moment it reached the table, the aroma set the bar, and this dish did not disappoint. The mushrooms were paired perfectly with everything else in this dish and I finished every bite. My husband's Tagliatelle was equally as good. 5 STARS! We only tried a few items on the menu, but it was impressive. They weren't large plates, so we understand that we finished them without a problem. It was late, so we didn't have dessert. I would love to go back and try more dishes in the future!

Abigail R.

It's 3 days later and I have caught myself day dreaming about this meal multiple times. I cannot recommend this beautiful tapas joint enough. To start: the restaurant itself?! Beautiful. It's so light and airy. I love all the plants, the exposed brick, the local artwork. The ceramics they've chosen I want to put in my purse and run away with. Everything is so thoughtfully chosen it's lovely. We started our tapas journey with the focaccia with whipped ricotta. This was the lightest, fluffiest focaccia I've ever had. If I could make mine turn out this good I think I could take over the world. We paired that with the Tuna Crudo, which was also so delicious. Really well balanced. Nice and bright! The two of them paired together was delicious! The ~Star~ of my night though. Their grilled octopus. I was nervous that they wouldn't have it because I didn't reserve one in advance as they request but I was lucky!! And I'm so lucky because that was the best preparation of octopus I've had in my life. The tentacles were so tender they were borderline supple. The waitstaff was also just so kind. I wish I could remember our waiters name. My only complaint/ask is a better selection of NA options. They do serve Tortuga Kombucha, had 2 mocktail options, and 1 na beer. As someone who's mostly sober I'd love to see more diversity in that menu!

Xiwei P.

**Flavorful food, colorful decor, friendly staff!! Oh my gosh, this is one of my new favorite restaurants in Baltimore! I love everything about this place. Starting from when you first enter, the space is cozy and inviting. The artwork on the walls is BEAUTIFUL and so colorful. The staff was friendly when greeting and throughout the service. My partner and I came on a Tuesday afternoon, so we tried some happy hour items. It wasn't too busy there. We got all 3 bruschetta and the bolo fries. Of the bruschetta, I loved the mushroom one the most. The tuna one was too fishy for my taste. And the prosciutto was good but not incredibly memorable. Now for the fries, man were they crispy! The ragu on top was very flavorful. This dish did lean too salty for us, but not a huge deal and was still overall well-done. We shared the main dish of squid ink bucatini. All I can say is WOW. The braised calamari was delectable and perfectly bite-sized. The bucatini tasted incredible and so fresh. And my favorite part--the mint incorporated in the dish! It made every few bites taste refreshing, perfect for our warm summer day. I wish I tried the spritzes (I heard the prickly pear one is popular), but I usually don't drink during the daytime. Maybe next time! Overall, such a nice experience and honestly, a good price too! I love pastas but I find many places in Baltimore to overprice them. This place feels fair. Costiera, please continue keeping the prices reasonable and I will be a forever regular! :)

John L.

Delicious meal! Small place but not crammed, great for a date night or just a high quality meal. We had focaccia with whipped feta, kale and celery Caesar, and octopus for apps/tapas followed by the Squid Ink Bucatini and Wild Boar Agnolatti with the Chocolate dessert and an espresso. Everything tasted fresh and hand made, and was delicious. I am from out of town but wish I could go back again and again to try the whole menu! Service was prompt, knowledgeable, and made great recommendations! Reservations were made easily the day before. I'd highly recommend this restaurant if you find yourself in Little Italy or just Baltimore at all! Worth an hour drive!

Raven T.

I think Baltimore is oversaturated with Italian/Mediterranean restaurants so this place was not on my radar. But when my friends and I saw it on the restaurant week line up we decided that was a good a time as any to try it out. The space is interesting. I never went Clark Burger or whatever it was before that so I'm not sure if they changed anything. It definitely gives fast casual vibes with raised seating section. It's cozy. I got the octopus for an app, the bolognese, and ricotta donuts. Everything was really delicious! The octopus was perfectly seasoned and cooked. I would have liked a heartier meat sauce but the pasta was fresh and expertly prepared. The most pleasant surprise of the evening were the donuts. I don't really have a sweet tooth, so these were just the right amount of sweet. Contrary to their appearance they were light, delicate, and fluffy. I'd come back just for dessert and a spritz. Looking forward to dropping in again for happy hour.

Althea L.

What an incredible find in Baltimore! From the creative blend of global culinary influences to the vibrant energy that comes through in the menu, website, and social media, this place feels like it's on track for a Michelin star very soon. The food was absolutely outstanding--every single dish impressed us. We started with: Crispy Castelvetrano Olives - Such a clever idea. The lemon parsley aioli really stole the show here--bright and flavorful. House-Made Focaccia with Whipped Caputo Bros. Ricotta (+$6) - I'm not usually a bread person, but this was insanely good. The whipped ricotta was creamy, airy, and packed with flavor. Marinated Dayboat Sea Scallops - The lemongrass vinaigrette and basil brought out the natural sweetness of the fresh scallops beautifully. It's a light, refreshing starter. For mains, we had: Grilled Spanish Rock Octopus - Loved the creative pairing with hummus. The octopus was cooked perfectly, though there was a bit too much hummus without anything to pair it with. Squid Ink Bucatini - The mint added a bright note, and the subtle kick of spice made each bite more exciting. Complex, balanced, and memorable. Rigatoni - Still can't get over how something so simple could be so unbelievably delicious. I also tried their draft Prosecco on our waitress's recommendation--it was my first time having Prosecco on draft, and it was so fresh and crisp. A fun surprise that added to the whole experience. If this restaurant were in Manhattan, we'd be regulars for sure.

Josh J.

I really liked this place! Nice quaint space with good food. The service was nice too but yeah the ambiance was fresh and clean. Would come back again if in Baltimore.

Austin H.

Great service and ambiance! We had an evening dinner and the waitress we had was very friendly and personable. Even gave us a free limoncello shots at the end of our meal, which was great! The meal was fantastic and paired with wine! Definitely recommend this place for a nice romantic meal!

Ana B.

I've known about Costiera since they started doing pop-ups at Southpaw in 2023. I didn't know of their first restaurant gnochho which opened and closed in 2019. I was enamored with their fried Castelvetrano olives. No one else is doing that in the city and it's so incredibly addictive. HANDS DOWN THE BEST THING ON THEIR MENU. I remember enjoying their pastas during their pop-ups, which is why I went when they first opened in 2024, and I recently just went back to celebrate their first birthday in January. Their tickets were pretty cheap and they had chef Jessie from Sally O's along with Doug from Southpaw. The review here is going to be based off of the one year party because it's been so long since I had their regular menu items. Yes, it did serve a lot of the appetizers that they do feature on their regular menu. I've been on a wine kick so I ordered wine and was so pleased to see they carry really great selection from one of my favorite distributors, Genin Selections. I loved their pinot Nero - an Italian Pinot Noir The highlights for this menu was the octopus they got it so tender I am always disappointed with their arancini - I just feel like it's always so flavorless too oily. The service was so spectacular and the one year anniversary event was so cozy if they have one next year, I will definitely come back. They were so friendly and just really celebratory and with good cause. January is always such a slow month for restaurants so I was happy to support them. I will definitely come back to try their pastas again because I really don't remember them, and I will say their espresso martini was one of the best ones I've had in the city. I do you think espresso martinis are way overdone - so cheugy now, but this version was delightful.

Jess L.

A mixed experience. Costiera is a beautiful space near Harbor East and little Italy. It's small and definitely recommend reservations. Our waitress AJ was great - she was knowledgeable, kind, and fast. I hate to take off one star for food they didn't have, but this was a birthday dinner for me and they didn't have the 2 dishes that I'd wanted from their menu. At the time of this review (4 days after we ate there), the wrong menu with these dishes is still online. Aside from that, I think what we did have was pretty good! But the prices were exorbitant and not rightfully so, so another star gone. We got the grilled octopus appetizer which was delicious but over $20 for 1 piece of octopus. We ordered focaccia bread which was $9, this is bread we make from scratch so I know how easy it is. I know you are paying for ambience of course, but I thought it would've been a large loaf, it was a small cast iron skillet size. The squid ink pasta was pretty good and that price I actually thought was most reasonable. I liked the drink selections as well - some fun and funkier cocktails. The menu does boldly call out "100% free of seed oils" - which, I am pretty confused why this would be of importance. Lastly, while I thought the space was beautiful, I was a bit taken aback by the "art" on the walls, very harsh scribbles. It seemed to take away from an otherwise elegant ambience. I am not sure I will return any time soon but I would give them another chance, maybe for a less special occasion.

Annie L.

Taking over a space on Central Ave that has been a bit of a revolving door over the past few years, Costiera brings culinary and ambiance chops that are worthy of a hopeful, more longstanding residency. Walking in, the split level layout with prominent bar on the ground floor offers a cozy, more intimate energy than the busy street outside. Parking tip: Little Italy garage is a flat $5 during happy hour/dinner hours. While our waiter left a little to be desired in terms of his ability to speak to the menu and wine list, he was nevertheless attentive, welcoming and hospitable. Let's talk food and drink though! The cocktail menu is fun and inventive. We opted for wine, and were pleasantly surprised to see an impressive selection at very reasonable prices. A unique orange/red blend paired perfectly with our meal. Steering towards a family style approach, we selected one of the crudos, veggie dishes and a pasta. The crudo got 5 stars from the meat eater at the table and was beautifully plated. That Roasted Honeynut Squash though! Perhaps the standout of the evening for me. Melt in your mouth level roasted squash is layered in near caramelized honey date vanilla butter, which collides exceptionally well with the peppery pop of arugula and pickled shallots. The Rigatoni also did not disappoint. The mint arugula mint pesto is light and bright and applied in just the right ratio so as not to drown the dish. The walnuts add a rich crunch to the dish, with the delicata squash contributing a touch of sweetness alongside creamy stracciatella. Across the board, a 5 star first impression Costiera! We'll definitely be back.