ST. LOUIS — A new European-inspired dining concept is set to open May 27 in the former location of Café Natasha at 3200 S. Grand Blvd.
The new restaurant's name, Salve Osteria, stems from the Italian phrase used in casual, but respectful, greeting situations, meaning “to be well,” or more literally, “hello.” Osteria is a word that relates to a meeting location, typically that serves food and drink.
The new restaurant is owned and operated by husband-and-wife duo Natasha Bahrami, whose mother, Hamishe Bahrami, owned and ran Café Natasha for nearly 40 years, and Michael Fricker, owner of Grand Spirits Bottle Co. Chef Matt Wynn will be spearheading Salve Osteria's dining program. Fricker will curate the beverage program that, according to a release, emphasizes natural wines and cocktails that complement the menu. The three, together, have extensive experience in hospitality, beverage programming and cooking.
Wynn has worked in kitchens in New York City, and in St. Louis at Gerard Craft’s restaurants Niche, Taste and Sardella.
The three refer to the menu as “harvest-centric,” which, according to Wynn, means to prepare vegetable-forward dishes that are in season.
When Hamishe Bahrami announced in March that she'd be retiring and shutting down Café Natasha at the end of April, it was hinted that a new concept was on the way for the space.
It was important to Natasha Bahrami and Fricker to keep “mom’s” passion and care in the space that comes only from 40 years of service to a community. And when they were ready to make moves to open the space, it felt right to partner with Wynn, whose passion matched theirs, according to Bahrami.
You can read the rest of the story on the St. Louis Business Journal website.
