A new Italian restaurant has opened its doors at 1224 W. Webster Ave. in Lincoln Park, bringing house-made pasta, an all-Italian wine list and a menu built around family recipes to the neighborhood. Osteria Gilberto seats 56 guests and is owned by Sergio Barbone, Agustin Di Rienzo and Katherine Serrano, who describe the concept as a dining experience centered on Italian tradition with modern touches.
The opening caps months of anticipation. As Chicago Food Magazine reported, Osteria Gilberto is now officially serving Lincoln Park diners. Earlier reporting from What Now Chicago had indicated Barbone was aiming for a July opening, and that a liquor license application had been submitted for the Webster Avenue address before the restaurant's debut.
The restaurant's own site describes it as a modern Italian osteria rooted in tradition and inspired by Tuscany, according to osteriagilberto.com. The dining room, designed by Crespo & Br., draws inspiration from Rome, Tuscany and Liguria, while the pasta program follows traditional Italian techniques, prepared fresh daily according to the same site.
A Menu Named for a Family Patriarch
Osteria Gilberto takes its name from Gilberto Barbone, who was born and raised in Livorno, Italy, before moving to Venezuela, where he married Marina Bastidas and raised sons Ugo and Sergio. Trained as an engineer with a doctorate in robotics, the elder Barbone reportedly called his nightly family gathering tavola — a tradition the restaurant now channels into its hospitality. Sergio Barbone said the restaurant is intended to keep his father's spirit alive for the Lincoln Park community, while Di Rienzo said the goal is for the space to feel as though it has always been part of the neighborhood.
That family history shows up directly on the plate. The menu includes hand-made ravioli honoring Gilberto Barbone and his brother, alongside a 16-layer lasagna di Gilberto. Other dishes rooted in classical Italian technique include polpette, steak tartare, agnolotti al limone and branzino piccata. Co-owner Katherine Serrano said the restaurant should make guests feel warm, welcomed, cared for and at home.
What's on the Table and in the Glass
Executive chef Sergio Ornelas leads the kitchen, bringing experience from Mexique, Tanta and Tzuco, where he worked alongside chefs Carlos Gaytán and Jesús Delgado. Per the OpenTable listing, the menu — last updated Sept. 15 — features the six-hour-braised short rib brasato with saffron polenta and gremolata, San Daniele prosciutto with burrata and seasonal fruit, and lemon ricotta with brown butter, sage and pine nut crumble, as noted by OpenTable.
The bar program leans into the same Italian focus, offering handcrafted cocktails and classic aperitivi alongside an entirely Italian wine list that travels from the hills of Tuscany to Piedmont, Veneto and Sicily, according to the restaurant's website. The branding carries the family theme even into its logo, which forms the letter G out of a musical whole note.
Hours, Reservations and Health Record
Osteria Gilberto is open Monday through Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from noon to 11 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 10 p.m., with reservations available through OpenTable. The restaurant's most recent listed health inspection, dated Aug. 20, recorded no violations, according to Gut Check Chicago. Diners can find more details or follow along at osteriagilberto.com or via the restaurant's social media handle, @osteriagilberto.
