A first look inside Olio, Bayport's cozy new Italian restaurant

The consensus at the bar inside Olio was that more buttered bread should come with a bonus side of butter.

Even early on a weekday, almost every seat at the new Italian eatery in Bayport was filled, giving the bar-seat crew a sense of conviviality that had guests swapping dinner recommendations. And just about everyone ordered that bread. A plate arrives with toasted housemade focaccia ($6), and on the side is a hefty dollop of butter that has Parmesan cheese mixed in like a little golden haystack of flavor. A small add-on of red sauce ($2) is optional.

Industry veterans Riley Jackson and Luke Sawtell opened Olio just before the holiday season, an extension of the popular pop-up they ran on Mondays and Tuesdays, when the restaurant they worked at was closed. It's the culmination of their years of experience and dreams of restaurant ownership. Sawtell worked at Isaac Becker's Bar La Grassa, and that skill with pasta and reverence for Italian ingredients is on display.

Location: 338 5th Av. N., Bayport, 715-964-3205, oliobayport.com.

Hours: 4-9 p.m. Mon., Wed., Thu.; noon-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun.

The vibe: It's easy to picture this restaurant opening in the North Loop or a similarly buzzy urban neighborhood, but this is a Bayport-dedicated team. Sawtell and Jackson grew up in the St. Croix River Valley and live nearby, and the familiar greetings passed between staff and diners suggested a mostly local crowd. The room and food set the stage for an upscale dining experience, but jeans and nubby sweaters aren't out of place.

The food: As mentioned, start with that sourdough focaccia and don't skimp on the pasta orders. Nightly specials allow the kitchen staff to stretch its creative muscles, and on our visit that meant a giant raviolo ($12) filled with spicy njuda sausage and an egg yolk, dressed in aged balsamic, fresh-grated cheese and hazelnuts. The Pici ($18) is described as a traditional carbonara, with crispy bits of pancetta and to-the-tooth noodles with a texture that clings to the rich sauce.

But that's not all to explore. Vegetables include a charred cabbage wedge ($11) served with a bagna cauda aioli/Caesar dressing, and the sweet carrots ($11) are roasted with chili honey, which results in an orange-hued mahogany color.

The menu changes often, with a handful of appetizers/vegetables/pastas and entrees that are built for ordering as a progressive meal, with reasonable prices and portions. The chicken Parmesan ($18) is breaded and fried with a crust-sauce balance that can be served on its own or upgraded to come with pasta.

The drinks: Since we had a front-row view of the bar staff, the experience included dinner and a show. Drinks are modern twists on classics with some really interesting and beautiful spirits providing the backbone. The 2nd and Walnut is a cozy seasonal twist on the Old Fashioned with the welcome addition of the black walnut-based nocino. Our meal ended with a creamy sip of an espresso martini, and bitter fans will find a lovely collection of amaros to ponder.

The staff's beverage knowledge isn't limited to the hard stuff. Wine pairings are readily recommended, ranging in price from affordable to splurge-worthy.

Getting there: It's an easy drive east from the Twin Cities, and there is an abundance of on-street parking.

Accessibility: The restaurant is a single level with room to maneuver, but there isn't much for dedicated handicapped parking.

Noise level: Even when full, the noise was an excited level, but not loud. We had no problems carrying on a conversation with each other or our newly minted friends at the bar.

Reservations: Seats fill up quickly at dinner time, even during a midweek visit on the early side of the evening. On our visit, tables were all reserved and the first-come, first-served bar seats were a hot commodity. Plan ahead and visit Tock to snag those tables.