FIRST TAKE: Officina, the Wharf's Newest Hit Restaurant

Fresh on the scene this October, Officina just made its big splash on the north side of the Wharf. I was lucky enough to make a quick stop a few weeks ago for my belated birthday celebration. Here are my thoughts:

[First and foremost], Food: Truly delightful. From classic Italian fare, to more adventurous dishes, and to their awesome grilled bread, I loved everything. I even enjoyed the octopus, which usually isn’t a favorite of mine. If I had to choose though, the best dish of our evening was the Braised Veal Ravioli!

The biggest problem you’ll have with the menu is making a decision on what to order (so as always, I recommend you get a big group together and order a lot).

Ambience: With a two-story building spanning 5 subsections, you have multiple “vibes” to choose from – and ALL of them are very Instagrammable. Downstairs are the more casual Mercato and Cafe for small bites, shopping for Italian supplies, coffee and cocktails (see: first two photos below). Upstairs, if you want a more secluded drink, you can imbibe on classic Italian cocktails at the Salotto. Finally, for the full experience, you can dine in the Trattoria for a warm, comforting environment, or the Terraza for great views of the waterfront.

My only indifferent thought from the whole evening was, “What is going on with the color scheme in the bathroom?” Black and white floors, green doors, blue tiles on light pink walls, black toilets…maybe I just don’t know what good interior design is!

Service: PROS – Exceptionally friendly staff. When I first arrived, I discovered the market had already closed (womp, womp I wanted to buy some olive oil). However, knowing it was my birthday, one of the kind hostesses brought me 3 bottles to choose from, and let me purchase some anyway. In addition, everyone seemed to be smiling throughout the evening. As my friend Ali noted at the end of our meal, “I believe the employees genuinely love working here and serving guests.”

CONS – We were seated about 20 minutes late, and there were some delays when it came to paying the bill.

Volume: A tad loud upstairs, but how can it not be when every.single.table. was full? I listen to my TV too loud anyway, so nothing about this bothered me.

Price: Not the cheapest, but it is what’s to be expected for the Wharf. I believe it was fitting with the quality of food.

Overall: Just like any new restaurant, sometimes there are a few kinks to work out. However, when your team is friendly and you are cranking out incredible food, you usually have a bright future ahead. I look forward to returning to Officina in the months to come!