Pasta e Famiglia: Cheyenne’s L’Osteria Mondello Opens Doors Again

In the golden years of my youth, I spent many evenings with my grandparents, chatting around a checker-clothed table in L'Osteria Mondello's restaurant. I cherish these memories of laughing and sharing stories over heart-warming food. Like so many of you here in Cheyenne, I had been sad to hear the restaurant portion of Mondello's closed - though, thankfully, the pizzeria has remained open over the last 35 years. It's an impressive legacy in the restaurant business, one for which restaurant founder Joe Mondello has earned the utmost respect from our community.

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In recent years, Joe has handed the reins to Jasmin "Dave" Agovic. He could not have chosen a better man to uphold the L'Osteria Mondello name.

A New Chapter, A Thriving Legacy: Meet Jasmin 'Dave' Agovic

When I met Dave, I knew instantly that this man cared about his guests like family. Indeed, like Joe, Dave treated everyone who walked through the door during our visit like family. Should I be surprised? No - what Italian restaurant is genuinely authentic without the culture and warmth of la famiglia?

(Did you know? L'Osteria means "tavern" in Italian.)

Dave came to Wyoming from New York City, but before his time in the Big Apple, he grew up in Montenegro, a small Mediterranean country nestled in the Balkans. It lies across the Adriatic Sea from Italy. Dave is a world traveler - during our conversation, he told me he's visited 80 countries thus far in his life!

So, you might ask, what brought this world traveler to Wyoming? Like all great stories, Dave's began with love...at first, the love of cooking and cuisine. He holds a rather unique distinction of having worked in Michelin Starred restaurants under such lauded names as Chef Thomas Keller. Dave spent many years working in Manhattan before a friend called from Wyoming asking for help starting up a restaurant here in Cheyenne.

You've probably heard of Napoli's...sìAfterer getting Napoli's set up, Dave returned to New York. And then COVID hit. New York shut down. So, Davreturnedut to Wyoming to hang with his friend at Napoli's. And then he met a girl.

You know how this story goes. A boy meets a Wyoming girl. The boy falls in love with her. The girl introduces the boy to Mondello's pizza. Boy falls in love with Mondello's because it reminds him of REAL New York Pizza. He decides to stay in Wyoming. After a time, they choose to get into the restaurant business themselves.

So here we are now, with Jasmin and his wife Anika set to reopen the L'Osteria Mondello restaurant. They've worked tirelessly to refresh the restaurant - one step into the restaurant, and you'll feel like you're dining in a Tuscan villa! The dedicated team at L'Osteria is ready to welcome Cheyenne back with open arms.

Bringing Back L'Osteria Mondello Classics & Introducing Mediterranean Flair

You might think sampling a slice of Italy would be hard to come by here in Cheyenne, Wyoming - a good 5,000 miles away from the land of Rome and Milan. But Dave has plenty of experience crafting Mediterranean masterpieces, and he's also been working with the Mondello family to perfect the restaurant's original recipe.

The reopened L'Osteria will feature classic Italian dishes at first, made with top-quality ingredients. Dave expressed his dedication to working with local producers wherever possible, especially for beef and produce. You'll find everything from mouthwatering bolognese to veal and salmon on the menu. His goal is to craft a family and community-focused restaurant where people sit down and spend an hour and a half enjoying from-scratch meals and each other's company.

Dave and Anika eventually plan to bring a unique blend of Mediterranean cuisine to the restaurant. Alongside Italian dishes like bolognese and gelato, they hope to bring Spanish, French, and perhaps even some German fare to the table - all at reasonable prices so all of Cheyenne can enjoy it.

A Family Dinner, A Labor of Love

If you get a chance to speak with Dave, you'll instantly know that L'Osteria is a labor of love for him. He speaks of the restaurant as one would a beloved family member - it's a place of connection, and to him, every guest is a long-lost cousin who needs a good meal and good company.

Expect nothing less when you sit down for dinner a L'Osteria Mondello's.

L'Osteria Mondello's Grand Reopening and Restaurant Hours

L'Osteria Mondello's officially reopens tomorrow, June 10, at 4 p.m. L'Osteria Mondello's will be open from 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday through Sun for the next few weeksday. Keep in mind that reservations are highly encouraged! Call 307-778-6068 for reservations.

Eventually, the restaurant will open every evening for dinner service, except Tuesdays.

For more information and updates on L'Osteria Mondello's, click here.