Rosso brings nostalgic, joyful Italian cooking to Midtown

Rosso opened in late March in the space formerly occupied by Alici, the Amalfi Coast-themed Italian seafood restaurant also operated by the Porchetta Group. Pascarella and his team decided to pivot to a more accessible, family-friendly restaurant in the Midtown Promenade space, Tyler Byrd, the group’s chief marketing officer, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Rosso is a place where you can order buttered noodles without being embarrassed about ordering buttered noodles. To any entree, diners can add a side of spaghetti or lumache (a pasta shape sometimes called “shellbows”) that comes with a gentle, buttery sauce and a smattering of fresh Parmesan.

The restaurant also has an expansive patio with a partially separate section filled with outdoor games and toys. The kid-friendly factor is high without feeling like a Dave & Buster’s.

In fact, Rosso has also been successful at capturing the attention of the young adult crowd on the Atlanta Beltline, just a few dozen yards away. The restaurant’s mozzarella stick, a gargantuan, deep-fried billy club of an appetizer with an irresistible cheese pull, has been racking up views on social media. Nestled in a pool of Rosso’s excellent, deeply savory red sauce, the mozzarella stick earns the hype with real flavor.

The menu is large, but not overwhelming, and the portions tend to be big, though the mozzarella stick is the only dish that reaches comical proportions. Many of the dishes are easily recognizable classics, with just enough of a creative twist to feel interesting.

Cheesy garlic bread is made with fried pizza dough, giving the crust a deeply wrinkled surface full of pockets where garlic butter, marinara and mozzarella can pool. It’s nearly the size of a medium pizza on its own. The meatball — called “Our Famous Meatball” on the menu — is large, too, but not outrageous. It’s impressively tender for its size, made from a flavorful combination of beef and sausage, its texture and flavor enhanced by an extended braise in more of that addictive marinara.

The eggplant rollatini is another treat, with slices of eggplant first battered and fried, then rolled around a filling of ricotta and baked in pomodoro sauce. They retain a bit of fried crunch from the light batter, an effect that can only be accomplished when the dish is baked fresh and served hot.

The clams casino, unfortunately, landed at the other end of the thermometer. This dish was one that took a long time to arrive at our table and would have been much better when hot and fresh.

Occasional slow service was the primary concern during my visits to Rosso. On two dinner occasions, our table ordered drinks and appetizers, but saw the food delivered before our beverages. Our servers were attentive, professional and pleasant each time; the wait seemed to stem from the kitchen and bar.

Byrd noted that Rosso hasn’t yet been open for two months, though much of the staff from Alici carried over to the new restaurant. She also said the opening general manager had left and been replaced, and they were still working out the kinks.

Our servers acknowledged the delays and, in one case, gave my table a complimentary drink. The server explained that there was an issue with the device that made the lemon meringue foam topping for one of the cocktails, so they gave it to us at no charge. And whatever the issue, it didn’t ruin the zippy, refreshing lemon meringue tie cocktail, which was still capped with a rich snowdrift of foam.

Rosso’s other cocktails, from bar manager Charlie Gozzo, are highlights, even if they apparently take a while to make. The Amalfi Mai Tai, a ballerina-pink drink served in a highball glass, gets character from a strong undercurrent of bitter Campari. The pepperoncini margherita (a play on a margarita) made with savory ingredients like ancho chile reyes and pepperoncini juice, was light and refreshing with a surprisingly balanced sweetness. The Rosso-groni and Rosso-tini, the house special negroni and martini, respectively, were made with expertise and precision. Both are served with a side car, making them feel like bargains at $15.

The steak alla Diane and flounder piccata both showed off a deft hand in the kitchen. My steak was perfectly cooked medium-rare and blanketed in a rich mustard, brandy and cream sauce. My wife’s flounder was lightly seared to a perfect texture that demands to be eaten immediately. On another night, my veal Marsala arrived disappointingly cold, though it still hit the classic flavor profile.

The buttery sides of pasta, available as a $7 add-on to any of the menu’s “big plates,” showcased the kitchen’s skill in making fresh noodles, though I wished I had the option to order them with some of Rosso’s marinara.

If you get a seat in the dining room, dessert becomes mandatory. Your choice of three desserts are wheeled out on a cart and served tableside. The tiramisu is as classic as it gets, scooped directly from a huge trifle bowl, though the chocolate fudge cake (which is gluten-free, though you wouldn’t think it) was a close second place for me.

Rosso seems to have a recipe for success in Midtown. It follows a trend started more than a decade ago by Carbone in New York, the wildly successful restaurant that became known for its nostalgic Italian American dishes and prices so high as to be nonsensical. Thankfully, Atlanta gets much of the nostalgia at prices that seem reasonable in today’s market, with many pastas and entrees that cost between $18 and $25.

This family-run “red sauce joint” doesn’t need to run like a Swiss watch, but a new concept from such an experienced restaurant group should operate with a touch more precision. The pivot from Alici shows that Pascarella and his clan are willing to learn and adapt. Rosso is a good restaurant that could reach another level with just a bit more refinement.

3 out of 5 stars (good)

Food: Italian American

Service: solid and professional, but sometimes slow

Noise level: moderate to loud

Recommended dishes: cheesy garlic bread, mozzarella stick, our famous meatball, eggplant rollatini, insalata mista, spaghetti and meatball, black spaghetti, Chilean sea bass, pork osso bucco, flounder piccata, steak alla Diane, broccoli rabe with chili and garlic, sauteed spinach with garlic, tiramisu, gluten-free chocolate fudge cake

Vegetarian dishes: cheesy garlic bread, mozzarella stick, eggplant rollatini, insalata mista, minestrone, manicotti, potato croquette, shoestring fries, broccoli rabe with chili and garlic, sauteed spinach with garlic

Alcohol: full bar with a strong cocktail list and a tightly edited wine list of mostly Italian bottles

Price range: $50-$100 per person, excluding drinks

Hours: 4-9 p.m. Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday; 4-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday

Accessibility: fully ADA accessible

Parking: complimentary valet or paid lot with four total hours free after validation

Nearest MARTA station: none

Reservations: recommended, available through Resy

Outdoor dining: yes

Takeout: not yet, but coming soon

Address, phone: 931 Monroe Drive NE, Atlanta. 404-876-1000

Website: rossoatl.com

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s dining critics conduct reviews anonymously. Reservations are not made in their name, nor do they provide restaurants with advance notice about their visits. Our critics always make multiple visits, sample the full range of the menu and pay for all of their meals. AJC dining critics wait at least one month after a new restaurant has opened before visiting.