Rossella

Ice Cream, Italian, Mediterranean, Pizza·
££££
·
Silver Award
·

SquareMeal Review of Rossella

Silver Award

Tucked away in the heart of Kentish Town, Rossella is the epitome of a family-run trattoria with its buzzing atmosphere, open kitchen and well-stocked deli-counter. Chef owner Luca Meola embraces his family history, which seeps through into every element of the restaurant.

Locals clearly know that Rossella is the place to be, with Friday night seeing every table filled several times over. With its family-photo-clad walls and shelves loaded with wines and oils from the family vineyard in Benevento, Rossella isn’t winning any prizes for cutting edge design, but it is homely, welcoming and utterly charming.

A Limoncello Spritz starts the evening with a bang, featuring homemade liqueur, of course. It’s incredibly refreshing, with a zippy lemon tartness that banishes the gloomy London weather outside.

The evening continues, and time seems to fly by in a whirlwind of classic Italian cooking. Rossella shows that sometimes the simplest things are the best things, whether it's the crisp crunch of garlic bread or the rich, basil-infused tomato sauce that smothers traditional Neapolitan meatballs. The bruschetta is a standout favourite - fresh tomatoey chunks have been doused in a sweet balsamic glaze that has us scraping the plate clean.

Freshly made tortelloni parcels are another undoubtable highlight. Springy fresh pasta is stuffed generously with crayfish and prawns and served in a pool of creamy lobster bisque. It looks simple enough, but executing a dish like this takes some skill.

We end our evening with tiramisu. Rossella throws some Tia Maria and amaretto into the mix, giving their dessert a powerful coffee punch that’s only enhanced by the addition of a shot of espresso. It’s perhaps a tad bitter for some, but a sweet scoop of vanilla gelato is on hand to nicely balance things out.

Nowadays, you can spend a pretty penny on a plate of pasta in London, but with reasonably priced and reliable dishes, Rossella gives them all a run for their money, and then some.

Good to know

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Average Price
££££ - £30 - £49
Cuisines
Ice Cream, Italian, Mediterranean, Pizza
Eat at Home
Deliveroo, Home delivery, Just Eat, Takeaway service, Uber Eats
Ambience
Cool, Cosy, Fun, Lively, Romantic, Traditional
Food Occasions
All day dining, Dinner, Lunch
Alfresco And Views
Outside seating
Special Features
Counter dining, Dog friendly, Gluten-free options, Vegan options, Vegetarian options, Wheelchair access
Perfect for
Birthdays, Celebrations, Child friendly, Dates, Group dining [8+], Romantic, Special occasions
Food Hygiene Rating

About

Rossella is a restaurant with a story, and a heartwarming one at that. Luca Meola, owner of Rossella is continuing his family’s love of food in this traditional Italian trattoria in the heart of Kentish Town. Here, he shares authentic cuisine and carefully selected ingredients in this authentic Italian dining experience. Luca first found his passion for cooking as a child when working under the tutelage of his father, Luigi. His family started the first Rossella in Benevento in 1960, before bringing this love of Italian cuisine to Ilford in 1978 when Luca’s father moved here and launched a new restaurant. Starting as a kitchen porter, Luca worked his way through to getting in on the action in the kitchen, learning the ins and outs of the business, before going it alone to open up his own space.

The restaurant is contemporary, light and filled with Italian deli products that you can buy during your visit, giving it an authentic flair. Beyond the packets of pasta and tomato sauce, you’ll see a wall of personal photos from Luca’s childhood, to remind guests that Rosella proudly remains a family run restaurant. On the menu, you'll find starters and small plates like fried pistachio and pancetta arancini, alongside cheesy aubergine parmigiana and garlic bread with indulgent extras like mozzarella, napoli sauce or caramelised onions.

Moving onto mains, we like the sound of sea bass fillet with baby prawns in garlic butter, or the Pollo Crema e Funghi which sees succulent chicken cooked in cream, mushroom and a white wine sauce. You can also expect an impressive selection of pizzas with a 'make your own' section, as well as fresh pastas like Tagliatelle alla Nonna with sautéed aubergine, courgettes and red onion in a classic Napoli sauce, topped with fresh buffalo mozzarella. Just ask the team about gluten-free and vegan options, they've gone through great efforts to find delicious alternatives that are just as enjoyable.

And, when you're not visiting Rossella yourself, you can order online for delivery - so remember that next time you're having a night in!

Reward offers for Rossella

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250 Points for evening diners

For new diners to this restaurant, spending over £50 on Mondays to Thursdays, for evening diners.

200 Points for new diners

For new diners to this restaurant, spending over £50.

100 Points

For all diners any day, every time

100 Points for lunchtime diners

For all diners to this restaurant, spending over £50 on Mondays to Fridays, lunchtimes only.


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FAQs

What is the dress code at Rossella?

Casual

Helpful? 1

What is the menu like at Rossella?

We are an Italian Trattoria in the truest sense, offering recipes of our family tradition.

Helpful? 1
Meet the team
Rossella

Luca Meola

Owner

It’s fair to say, Luca’s life has always been about food. As a youngster he remembers long summers spent in Naples - his home - where his family would harvest olive oil. When his father Luigi moved to London in the 1960s, Luca joined him in his restaurant, starting out as a waiter but eventually working his way up through the kitchen.

Now Luca runs the kitchen at his own restaurant, Rossella, continuing his family’s tradition and love for food, and bringing a slice of Napolitan life to Kentish Town.


Videos and 360 tours

Rossella

Location

103 Highgate Road, Kentish Town, London, NW5 1TR

020 7267 9797 020 7267 9797

Website

Opening Times

All day
Mon 10:30-22:15
Tue 10:30-22:15
Wed 10:30-22:15
Thu 10:30-22:15
Fri 10:30-22:15
Sat 12:00-22:15
Sun Closed

Reviews

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13 Reviews 
Food/Drink
Service
Atmosphere
Value

Tara K

10 August 2024   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5
Love Rosella!

Great service, lovey atmosphere, gorgeous food- would highly recommend!

Maria K

17 February 2024   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5

Kelvin R

15 February 2024   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 4.5
Value 5

Good food and good service, food came quite quick aswell so we weren't waiting long. Would definitely recommend!

Anon

05 December 2023  
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5

Lovely! 

Anna D

02 July 2022   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 4
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 4

Eleanor T

16 May 2022  
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 4.5
Value 5

I've been living in the area for years and for some reason I never walked in, that's a mistake I'm not going to make again! I had a wonderful time, my pizza was so tasty and I loved that I was able to customise all the toppings! The staff was great too, I always enjoy a lively atmosphere and between the italian music in background and the friendliness of the staff that's exactly what I got! I can't wait to come back.

Dave V

14 May 2022   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5

I really liked what they did with the refurbishment, it still looks cozy but in a way that surely elevate the place. I was glad to see familiar faces between the staff and to see that the quality didn't change one bit, as delicious as I remembered. Usually better to reserve the table, the place is as busy as ever and for good reasons. The new wine selection is also very good, we had a bottle of Amarone that was simply amazing. The prices went up a bit but still very affordable compared to the other places I visited lately. I enjoyed every moment of my visit, it was a joy to finally come back here and seeing them do so good. Well done Rossella

Michaela T

09 May 2022  
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5
Very good

Very nice, authentic italian food. Pasta al dente, tasty sauce and big portions with a generous topping of parmesan grated by the waiter right at the table. Service was friendly, fast and efficient. Particularly appreciated the fact that even if it was busy everyone was extremely kind, smiling and took the time to explain and recommend dishes. The wine was top as well, we had the one that they produce in the family vineyard in south Italy and the aftertaste was just amazing. We booked already our next visit and we can't wait to be back.

Joshua L

29 April 2022  
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5

A very nice experience in this busy Italian restaurant. My friend's pizza with italian sausage and my salmon pasta were absolutely delicious, a lot of options to modify your order and a frindly and accomodating staff. Our cocktails were very good as well! We'll surely come back!

Caroline C

26 April 2022  
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 4.5
Love it!

I came to Rossella after reading some reviews online for a place close to the O2 and I wasn't disappointed. It was supposed to be just a quick pizza but as soon as I walked in the lovely smell convinced me to have a proper meal with starter main and even dessert! My waistline is going to regret it, but I just couldn't resist to the amazing fritto misto nor the baked lasagna and I surely couldn't resist to the many choices of gelato! Even the coffee was exactly like the one I had during my last visit to Italy. I'll be back for sure next time I'm in the area!

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