Antica Osteria Cera

Pablo Fernandez Dec 2025

It is genuinely inexplicable to us how this restaurant holds 2 Michelin stars. The space itself is modern and well designed, clearly popular with locals, and surrounded by expensive cars—expectations were high. Unfortunately, the food did not come close to meeting them. The service felt rushed from start to finish. The entire meal lasted about 2.5 hours, when a 2-star tasting menu should unfold over at least 3 hours. Several dishes suffered from basic execution issues: • Three dishes were noticeably too salty • Multiple cold dishes were served on hot plates • Temperature control throughout was inconsistent Most importantly, not a single dish was remarkable. None. That is unheard of at this level. To put this in context: • A 2-star restaurant like La Peca delivered six memorable dishes. • Venissa (1 star) delivered four. • Seafood restaurants we deeply admire—Pepe Vieira, Gueyu Mar, Elkano, Campero—some without stars, deliver far superior flavor and product. • Other 2-star references such as The Smoked Room (Madrid), Coquillage, Anne de Bretagne, and Christophe Hay are consistently excellent. Here, you see good ingredients, attractive sauces, and beautiful presentation—but the taste simply does not match the visuals or the reputation. Expectations shaped by extensive dining across Europe and Asia were repeatedly unmet. Core issues: • Temperature control • Salt imbalance (too much or too little) • Lack of depth, umami, and creativity • Rushed pacing The wine selection was good, though not a precise pairing—still, it was one of the better aspects of the experience. Overall, this was a deeply disappointing meal and entirely inconsistent with what one expects from a restaurant holding two Michelin stars.