On the second floor of a creek-front building in Ashland’s Downtown Plaza lies Osteria La Briccola, a warm and welcoming authentic Italian restaurant that opened in early June 2021. The moment I walked into the modest but intimate space, I was greeted by the smells of fresh focaccia bread baking in the kitchen below, an aroma I had yet to have been greeted with in Ashland before.

As wait staff arranged dishware and prepared for the restaurant to open, I sat down with Maddalena Ayala-Deorsola, General Manager of Osteria La Briccola, to learn about the menu, culture, and essence of the restaurant.