Jackson Kalb’s Ospi Restaurant Debuts Sept. 21 in Venice

With hand-made pasta, pizza, and a variety of Italian and California wines in tow, Ospi is bound to open with a ton of fanfare. Already, Eater L.A. has described Ospi as one of the most anticipated restaurant openings in Venice while Food and Wine has described Owner and Chef Jackson Kalb as a “pasta prodigy.” Ospi is set for 2025 Pacific Ave. in Venice and was estimated to have a spring 2020 opening, but that was set back due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The grand opening date is expected to be this upcoming Monday, September 21, Kalb told What Now Los Angeles (WNLA) Wednesday.

According to Kalb, Ospi will differ from his existing El Segundo restaurant, Jame Enoteca, in a few ways. Ospi’s cuisine will focus more on regional foods in Southern Italy. Also, because of the pandemic, “we kind of simplified the menu to give people what they wanted, something bold and comforting right now.”

“Of course, all of our homemade pasta is what we feel is the most exciting part,” said Kalb, who described the pasta as being made mostly by semolina flour and water, which is traditional in the southern half of Italy. “It’s more of a softer, silkier noodle” compared to the pasta at Jame Enoteca, he said.

Jame Enoteca opened in June 2018. Kalb said he’s received a few offers to open new restaurants, but he is focused fully on opening the new Ospi restaurant and doesn’t have anything new to disclose on the horizon.