Chef Jackson Kalb, known from Top Chef Season 19, has expanded his Memento Mori Hospitality group to Orange County with the opening of Ospi Costa Mesa at Paseo 17—a newly reimagined upscale center at East 17th Street and Westminster in Costa Mesa. Opened last month, this marks Memento Mori’s first Orange County location and the second Ospi outpost.
Kalb’s culinary journey started at just 13 years old as an apprentice at Melisse (2 Michelin stars) in Santa Monica. Before earning a degree from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, he sharpened his skills at world-class restaurants, including Joël Robuchon (3 Michelin stars), Alinea (3 Michelin stars), and Danny Meyer’s Union Square Café. Alongside his wife and business partner Melissa Kalb, he launched Jame in 2018, followed by Ospi in 2020, and most recently expanded with Jemma di Mare and Jemma Hollywood in 2023.
At Ospi Costa Mesa, the menu transports guests to Southern Italy, featuring house-made pasta, thin Roman-style pizzas, and rustic country bread toasts, all paired with an extensive wine list and craft cocktails. Open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, Ospi offers a warm, inviting atmosphere that suits everything from a casual trattoria lunch to a lively dinner party or a leisurely weekend brunch.
Inspired by ospitante—Italian for “host”—Ospi blends the charm of a Brooklyn red sauce joint with Venice Beach counterculture, bringing a fresh take on Italian dining to the heart of Costa Mesa.
Hours of Operation
- Monday through Thursday: 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
- Friday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Saturday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Sunday: 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
- Lunch (Monday through Friday): 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Brunch (Saturday and Sunday): 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Aperitivo Happy Hour (daily): 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Dinner (daily): 3 p.m. to close.
Ospi Costa Mesa is at 234 E 17th Street, Suite 100, Costa Mesa. 949.200.9232
The Latest from greer's oc
Vuori Warehouse Sale Coming to Tustin
The Vuori Warehouse Sale is back, and it’s happening this week at Alternative Retail in Tustin! From March 6-9, you can shop Vuori’s premium performance apparel at unbeatable prices. Known for blending fitness, surf, sport, and…
Lip Lab by Bite Offers Custom Lipstick Experience at Irvine Spectrum Center
For those in search of the perfect lipstick shade, Lip Lab by Bite offers a fully customizable experience, allowing makeup enthusiasts to create their ideal lip product. Customers can personalize everything from the formula and shade to the finish…
Book Club at Balboa Island Museum Featuring Born in OC
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill Now Open in Irvine
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill®, the award-winning restaurant specializing in classic Mediterranean fare with a modern twist, is now open in Irvine. The restaurant is owned and operated by experienced entrepreneur Dany Askar and his family, who are focused on…
Follow Greer on Pinterest
from the blog
- 03.04.25 – Vuori Warehouse Sale Coming to Tustin
- 03.04.25 – Lip Lab by Bite Offers Custom Lipstick Experience at Irvine Spectrum Center
- 03.03.25 – Book Club at Balboa Island Museum Featuring Born in OC
- 03.02.25 – The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill Now Open in Irvine
- 03.02.25 – Gem Studio Now Open at Irvine Spectrum Center
- 03.02.25 – Preserve Your Flowers in a Unique Way at Maivie
- 02.24.25 – Wine, Words & OC Stories—Born in OC Booksigning at Hi-Time Wine Cellars
- 02.23.25 – An Evening with Pulitzer Prize-Winning Poet Tracy K. Smith at Segerstrom Center
- 02.19.25 – Christine Brennan to Speak at 27th Witte Lectures
- 02.18.25 – Napa in Newport: An Evening of Fine Wine, Dining, and Giving
- 02.13.25 – Alicia Pet Care Center’s 10th Annual Free Spay & Neuter Day
- 02.12.25 – Relax, Recharge, and Rejuvenate at 128 Luxury Health Spa
- 02.12.25 – Celebrate Romance in Temecula This February and Beyond
- 02.11.25 – Valentine’s Weekend at Triangle Square: Dining, Dancing & Celebration
- 02.07.25 – Big Changes Underway at Eclectic LAB Anti-Mall
- 02.07.25 – Oscar Night Cinema Series at The Lido Theater
- 02.07.25 – FASHIONISTAS 2025: Orange County Center for Contemporary Art (OCCCA)
- 02.05.25 – Women’s Wellness Retreat
- 02.02.25 – The Musicians of Bremen Live! Premieres at Segerstrom Center for the Arts
- 02.02.25 – Love & Art: An Afternoon of Chocolate, Wine, and Creativity
More Daily Doses
- 03.04.25 – Deli Nerds Brings High-Quality, Clean Eating to Costa Mesa
- 03.04.25 – Golf For A Cause: Join ‘18 For The Elephants’ and Support Conservation Efforts
- 03.02.25 – Now Open: CasaDamí – An Intimate European Café & Wine Bar in Newport Beach
- 02.24.25 – Celebrate OC Restaurant Week March 2 - 8, 2025
- 02.16.25 – Dizzy Bird Expand to Irvine Spectrum with Bold Rotisserie Flavors
- 02.12.25 – Dine Out Long Beach, Restaurant & Cocktail Week: 10 Delicious Reasons to Join the Fun
- 02.11.25 – Love at First Bite: Valentine’s Dining in Orange County
- 02.06.25 – Bring Your Podcast and Video Content to Life at Sunset 17 Studio
- 02.02.25 – Pepper Lunch Expands to Irvine Spectrum with a Sizzling Grand Opening!
- 01.30.25 – Explore, Dine, and Relax: Catalina Island’s Winter Getaway Packages
- 01.29.25 – Celebrate Lunar New Year with Incredible Dining Experiences at South Coast Plaza
- 01.27.25 – Ospi Costa Mesa Brings Southern Italian Flavors to Orange County
- 01.23.25 – Wild Strawberry Café Opens in Laguna Beach
- 01.22.25 – Ring in the Year of the Snake with Festive Fun at The District Tustin!
- 01.20.25 – The Winter Cocktail Tour at The District at Tustin Legacy
- 01.19.25 – Graze Craze Expands to Costa Mesa with Charcuterie Boards & Boxes
- 01.18.25 – Segerstrom Center for the Arts Presents: An Intimate Evening with David Foster and Katharine McPhee
- 01.15.25 – NEP Café Redefines Modern Vietnamese Dining with a Bold New Chapter
- 01.13.25 – Over 110 O.C. Restaurants Unite for Wildfire Relief Fundraiser – Tuesday, Jan. 14
- 01.02.25 – Segerstrom Center for the Arts Presents GRAHAM100
