With a passion for providing the freshest dining experience possible, Osso is refining our culinary cravings
By Mary Malik
“We are not your typical restaurant for many reasons, but mainly because we didn’t start with the idea of opening a restaurant at all,” says head chef and co-owner Maggie Demko, of Osso, Hambden’s extraordinary pasture-to-plate restaurant.
“We are passionate about the farm on which we’re located, the food that comes from it, and our desire to share that food with family, friends and beyond.”
Owners Scott and Tara Webster purchased a piece of farmland in Hambden in 2012 with the goal of simply raising a few chickens. Fast forward almost eight years and they’ve added turkeys, ducks, goats, hogs, cows and other large livestock. Today, Flying W Farm is 40 acres of land that produces a bounty of fresh meats, eggs, milk, cheeses, greens and more. It also serves as Osso’s home.
“Scott and Tara wanted to open a true pasture-to-plate restaurant to share what they’ve created with the community,” says Maggie. “I have years of chef training and have learned from some of the top chefs in the area. I’m constantly educating myself on different techniques. I use these skills to create unique dishes from the ingredients that come directly from this land.”
For Maggie, this is a chef’s dream come true. She gets to create new dishes every day from the freshest ingredients available to her.
“Scott and Tara have always believed that the best tasting meats, eggs and milk come from a natural, farm-raised setting,” says Maggie. “They know people have been searching for a restaurant that offers just that.”
Launched in February 2019, Osso offers a high-end dining experience right in the midst of Flying W Farm. Choose to dine in the rustic meets refined main dining room or the more relaxed bar area, or watch the animals graze as you enjoy your meal on the new patio.
“Everything that can possibly be made from scratch in this kitchen we make,” says Maggie. “Mayonnaise and mustards, ketchups, chips, cheeses, breads, even pickles are all made right here.”
Osso offers a more traditional format dinner menu on Thursdays for walk-in diners, and prix fixe, multi-course, reservation only dinners on Fridays and Saturdays. There’s also an after 9 p.m. menu available each night. All menus are based on what is fresh and seasonal.
“Thursdays feature an a la carte menu that changes regularly,” says Maggie.
“Terrine boards are very popular. I choose different terrines, cheeses, mustards, olives, chutneys and other tasty, freshly made bites and present them on a beautiful wood board. That and a salad made from our farm-grown microgreens might be enough. If not, our entrees include pasta, chicken, pork and steak choices and our desserts are all homemade.”
The weekend menus always change and allow Maggie to really get creative. On Fridays you will be presented with four to six courses that include small portions of different appetizers, entrees and desserts for one set price. On Saturdays, you’ll feast on six to ten courses.
“I try out new recipes depending on the fresh ingredients available to me,” says Maggie. “I wander the farm and the greenhouse, see what looks good that day and get inspired. Not many chefs have that freedom.”
Osso’s beef selections all come from the farm and include Japanese Wagyu ribeye steaks and short ribs, dry-aged strip steaks and other cuts.
“It’s about getting creative with the ingredients the land presents us with,” says Maggie. “Our multi-course menus allow people to be adventurous and try things they may not ordinarily try. We present things with unique flavors that blend well together and sometimes like to bend the rules a bit.”
With live music every night, Osso is the fresh, pasture-to-plate experience you’ve been searching for—right here in Hambden.
Osso is located at 9145 Old State Road in Hambden. For information and reservations call 440-230-3600, check the website OssoFarmRestaurant.com or find them on Facebook.