Restaurant Refresher: Cosima Gets an Update

Seeking respite on election night before the results started rolling in, we canvassed for a happy hour spot with top-notch drinks, excellent food, and, most importantly, no TVs. The winner: Cosima, the beautiful Sicilian restaurant in Hampden that recently revamped its menu in hopes of making itself a more attractive candidate for all.

With its location inside an old sailcloth factory in historic Mill No. 1, Cosima feels like an oasis, removed from the hustle and bustle of the city. Owner Judith Golding and concept director Donna Crivello have maintained it as a fine-dining staple since it opened in 2016, but in October it pivoted to add more Italian street food and affordable pizzas and pasta dishes. The new philosophy works especially well at its lovely, large, U shaped bar that faces an open kitchen.

Cocktails here always have been, and continue to be, outstanding. The night we visited, beverage director Aaron Simons was behind the bar. He was a wealth of knowledge and one-liners; when we asked if a certain pasta dish was a small plate, he said, “Every plate is a small plate if you believe in yourself.”

We started with an Arancina, the restaurant’s signature take on an Old-Fashioned. Made with Buffalo Trace bourbon, Amaro Sibilla, Luxardo Maraschino liqueur and served with an orange peel, it’s a smooth drink that works before or after a meal. The Il Focolare, on the other hand, is like dessert in a glass. It’s a combination of Baltimore Spirits’ 1904 apple brandy, Aperol, Bigallet China-China Amer, lemon juice, and apple brandy brulée. Perfect for a chilly fall evening.

For round two we leaned on Simons’ expertise. He recommended the Il Fumatore, a mezcal-based cocktail he accurately described as being pleasingly smoky and tart.

Cosima’s happy hour deals are among the best in town. From 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays (that’s right, weekends are included too) at the bar, the Arancina is just $8 (it’s regularly $15). There are $5 Negronis and Spritzes, $7 select glasses of wine, and a high-quality selection of $5 draft beers (including local favorites like Brewer’s Art Resurrection, Monument City 51 Rye, and Diamondback Green Machine).

We ordered arancini and a bowl of fried olives from the street food section of the menu to go with our drinks. Both were nice complements. Tuesday is pasta night, which means half off all pasta dishes. We went with the eggplant ragu, a hearty helping with tomatoes, onion, fennel, raisins, capers, and olives. Contrary to Simons’ quip, this plate was almost too big for even two of us to finish. Wednesdays, bottles of wine are half off, and Thursdays all pizzas are $10. (We’re partial to the Semplice, with rustic tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, pecorino, roasted cherry tomatoes, and basil.)

Shifting courses is never an easy thing for a restaurant that’s been around as long—and been as respected—as Cosima. But if the early returns are an indication, Cosima’s future will be as successful as its past.