Chef Travis McShane is giving Houston diners something they’ve been requesting for almost five years. Ostia, McShane’s Italian restaurant in Montrose, will soon begin serving pizza for both lunch and dinner.

Open since the fall of 2020, Ostia will be closed this week to allow for changes to both its kitchen and main dining room. It will reopen on Tuesday, February 25. [Update: After the publication of this article, a representative informed CultureMap that the new oven has been delayed. Ostia will not begin serving pizza at dinner on Friday and Saturday until it is installed later in March.]

Pizza has always been part of Ostia’s repertoire at lunch, and it has earned acclaim for the Neapolitan-style, wood-fired pies that show a pleasant amount of char and lots of eye-catching crust bubbles. Thanks to some equipment upgraders that will take place while the restaurant is closed this week, the restaurant is now ready to serve its pizzas at dinner, too. The offerings include a classic margherita, clam with bechamel and pecorino, and a third with Italian sausage, peppers, and fontina.

“We really took this last year to listen to our guests and think about what they want to see more of when they come to Ostia. Time and time again we were asked about pizza at night,” McShane said in a statement. “When I opened Ostia, I really wanted pizza to be something special at lunch, but with the amount of positive feedback and demand for pizza all day, we decided to make some equipment changes and make it happen.”

As it happens, installing the new oven also created room in the kitchen for making more pastas. While Ostia has always supplemented its offerings with three off-menu staples — carbonara, cacio e pepe, and all'amatriciana — the menu now also include new dishes such as cappelletti with lobster and saffron-chili butter as well as canestri with chicken liver ragu and pecorino romano.

Even with the new additions, the restaurant’s fans can rest assured that staples such as the chicken with salsa verde, hanger steak, and seasonal salads will remain available.

In addition to changes in the kitchen, the week-long closure will also allow for a minor refresh of Ostia's main dining room. Changes include the addition of new paint and more plants. The goal is to make it brighter and more similar to the restaurant’s popular greenhouse dining room.

McShane is also giving diners a little more with their meals. Diners are now greeted with complimentary chips, olives, and nuts and a sip of sparkling rosé, which is something McShane serves to guests in his home, according to press materials.

“The word ‘restaurant’ comes from the French word ‘restaurer,’ which means simply ‘to restore.’ That is something we are trying not to forget,” McShane said. “Our job is to make people happier on their way out than they were on their way in. For me, that is by treating guests like they are at my house and not taking things too seriously.”

  

Photo by Michael Anthony

Pizzas will finally be available for lunch and dinner at Ostia.