Explore the Madison Series: Osteria Papave

Osteria Papavero (Madison): A Rare Italian Miss—Everything’s Too Salty or Sour 😣 I was so excited to try another Italian spot in Madison… but Osteria Papavero ended up being a total letdown. It’s one of the few restaurants where nothing hit—from the mains to the drinks, everything felt off. Here’s why it’s a hard pass: 🥘 The Big Issue: Overpowering Salt & Sour Every dish we tried fell into one of two camps: way too salty, or shockingly sour. There was no balance—no subtlety, no layers of flavor that make Italian food great. Even simple bites felt like they’d been doused in salt or vinegar, and it made eating more of a chore than a treat. 🍝 Mains: Zero Desire to Order The worst part? Looking at the main course menu, I felt nothing—no excitement, no “I need to try that.” The options sounded uninspired, and after tasting how salty/sour the starters were, we didn’t even want to risk it. For an Italian spot, the lack of tempting pastas or mains was a huge red flag. 🥤 Drinks: Weird, Unpleasant Flavors Even the drinks missed the mark! We tried a couple of options, and each had a strange, unidentifiable taste—nothing refreshing or enjoyable. I took one sip of mine and immediately set it down 😖. 📌 Final Verdict: Skip It Osteria Papavero is a rare miss in Madison’s Italian food scene. With unbalanced flavors, uninspiring mains, and weird drinks, there’s no reason to choose it over the city’s many great Italian spots. Save your appetite (and money) for somewhere else! #food #InternationalStudentEats #StudentFoodHunt #BeautifulMeals #FoodDiary #Madison #MadisonFoodHunt #MadisonLife #MadisonFood