Mario's Osteria: A Boca Raton Italian Staple Rebuilt From a 1980s Original

Tucked into the Glades Plaza shopping center in Boca Raton, Mario's Osteria serves Italian cuisine that draws on both Southern and Northern regional traditions. The restaurant traces its roots to a Mario's that first opened in the city in the mid-1980s; after that original location closed in 2009, the concept was reintroduced at 1400 Glades Road in January 2012, carrying its name and culinary identity into a new, more upscale setting. Since then, it has become a familiar stop for Italian dining along one of Boca Raton's busiest corridors.

A Dining Room Built Around a Reclaimed Wine Wall

The interior moves away from a typical neighborhood trattoria look, favoring an elegant dining room finished in olive and earth tones. An open kitchen lets guests watch dishes being prepared, while a distinctive wine wall — built from recycled wooden wine boxes — anchors the space as a design centerpiece. Spacious booths and a covered outdoor terrace give the restaurant flexibility for both intimate dinners and larger groups, and a full bar rounds out the setting for pre-dinner cocktails.

From Chicken Scarpiello to Homemade Ricotta Cheesecake

The menu spans panini and lunch specials, wood-fired and specialty pizzas, and an extensive pasta list that has included veal osso buco ravioli in a truffled mushroom cream sauce. Among the kitchen's longtime signatures are Chicken Scarpiello, prepared with a white wine sauce, pepperoncini, and roasted peppers, and Snapper Vesuvio finished with capers and artichokes. Meals often begin with the restaurant's well-known garlic rolls and can close with a homemade ricotta cheesecake that has appeared on the menu since the concept's earliest days.

Good to Know

Mario's Osteria is located at 1400 Glades Road, Suite 210, Boca Raton, FL 33431, inside the Glades Plaza shopping center. The restaurant offers dine-in, takeout, and delivery, along with catering and private event services for groups, and valet parking is available on-site.