Rosalina

I really liked this restaurant. A few of my girls needed a night out I just needed good Italian food! Meatballs tone exact! Preggo problems lol anyway! My meal did not disappoint. I saw all these pics on Unilocal of these huge saucer sized raviolis! I needed in! My meal was soooo good! Best meatballs I’ve had locally! And I’m
Super picky. All my girls loved their meals except the polenta lasagna. It didn’t have much flavor which was strange because the rest of our food was amazing. I also had a Greek salad to start! The salad was so fresh and the feta OMG soooo good! Service was good. I do feel after we ate there was a slight rush to get us out but it’s a small restaurant don’t sure they wanted to get another party in. I will definitely be back

Rosalina’s pretty. Like, really pretty. Think warm, low light, brushed metal, loops of car-​lot bulbs, all set against gingham and mahogany accents.
The food is better-​than-​decent, if a little inconsistent.
Warm Brussels Sprout Salad: advertised as «sized to share». It was on the small side and, while the flavors worked, it was salty to the point of distraction.
Baked Eggplant and Crostini: Delicious. The sauce is the star here, and it doesn’t disappoint! The whole thing. Was warm, crispy, melty, and delicious… yum.
Burrata Ravioli and meatballs: the BEST meatballs I’ve had at a restaurant. Bonus points for the Narragansett Creamery Ricotta in the ravioli.
The service is where pretty little Rosalina loses me. I went with two friends later in the evening — not peak time, but not closing time. We ordered a bottle of wine and two apps to share, with the intention of catching up. Our server was, in a word, pushy. I can’t figure out if he wanted us to leave or to order more, but his impatience was palpable.
Great atmosphere/​ambience, an interesting menu with an emphasis on local ingredient, and service that I hope isn’t representative of the entire staff… because I’m dreaming of Rosalina’s meatballs and eggplant already. :)

This place was an incredible find while in town for work. We were a party of six and split a few appetizers, including the antipasto and the luscious fried dough. Wine and cocktails were spot on excellent. The squid ink spaghetti was out of this world, and the tiramisu was the best I’ve ever had.
The service was likewise excellent. Owner and chef Lauren Lynch and her husband were friendly and generous. The entire staff was wonderful and on top of it, even on a busy night.
So good we went back again a couple of days later.
Highly recommend!

WHAT A FABULOUS FIND!!! This could quite possibly be one of my favorite restaurants right now… I highly recommend the homemade sausage and peppers app! it was outstanding… We also ordered a side of meatballs… They were some of the best i have ever had! I am not sure what was better but the Thick Cut Pork Chop with Vinegar Peppers was AMAZING… However the Bolognese was one of the BEST things I have ever tasted… We were so full and had to take home quite a bit of the Bolognese, however it heated up well and was just as good the next day when prepared on the stove top… The bar is our go-​to spot to eat and this place never lets us down…
We recently recommended this to our friends who were visiting from out of town and they felt the same way as we did…
Outstanding job and I will definitely be back soon!

I cannot believe it took me this long to write a review considering I’m here 1−2x a month! Rosalina is perfect casual, Italian dining with modern flares in a cozy and welcoming atmosphere. The ambiance, though casual, can be passed off for being on the upper end. When you sit down, here’s exactly what you do…
Appetizers: eggplan parm — it’s a crock for 2 – 3 people of layered cheesy eggplant you spoon out onto crostinis. Pizzette — think a doughboy with fresh marinara sauce on top and sprinkled parm cheese.
Entrees: Bolognese — my family is from Italy, and this is the best bolognese I’ve had! There’s nutmeg/​clove flavors in it providing a depth of flavor. It’s not saucy — just a lot of meat which is a great sign of a good bolognese. I actually suggest getting 2 entrees (1 bolognese, 1 other meat) and split both. This dish is also great the next day, toss it in a skillet to heat through and its just like it came out the kitchen window! Pork Chop — seriously, the vinegar peppers… that’s all I’m saying!!!
The owners are so friendly, and always there circulating the room checking on guests. Service has always been tops here. I love it!

Cute restaurant, good location. We had tickets to a show at PPAC and ate dinner at Rosalina’s with plenty of time to find closer parking to the show. Quality of the food was really good. The ONLY complaint is that they have boxes of Barilla pasta in the kitchen. We were seated right in front of the pass (window where the food comes out) and thought it was weird that the Barilla was on the shelves.
We had the platter with meats, olives and cheeses — soooo delicious! Everything sliced thin, olives not too briney, eggplant capponata was good. Had the sausage, great flavor and a wedge salad which was dressed nicely. Would def go back to try some more items. Lots of locally made ingredients.

This place is a gem. The romantic setting will make you feel like your in NYC
We had the chilled calamari salad with banana peppers and the warm brussel sprout salad.
Main courses the gemmli with sausage is a big hit
Dessert they have cheese cake from the Carnegie Deli to die for

Best I can say is meh. For all the hype our meal was just ok. When we made the reservation my husband noted that I cannot have dairy. Too bad he was the only one who noted this. Two items came out with cheese on them. Bread brought at the beginning was a bit stale. The antipasto appetizer was ok, but promised pickled veggies and the only veggies were an eggplant concoction and olives. Had the bucatini with shrimp and pancetta and asked for light on the crushed red pepper. Bit too spicy and pasta was very al dente. Husband had the polenta lasagna that looked good and was the size of a meatloaf. Server was reasonably attentive. Manager ignored us and seemed very preoccupied with Windexing all the tables around us. Bathrooms were not that clean. Overall, meh. Not on my list of places I want to go back to.

I’ve been wanting to try out this establishment for quite sometime when I heard about their half-​off appetizers and $ 1 oysters for happy hour between 4−6pm. To be honest, I think this is truly a 3.5 star establishment, even taking in account the free wine with Unilocal check-​ins, mostly because the food was kinda unremarkable. My fiancée bought a very unique bourbon mixed drink and it was quite complex and delicious. As for appetizers, we shared the tomato, avocado salad, the warm brussel sprout salad, some oysters, the eggplant parmesan and calamari. The biggest disappointment was definitely the eggplant… which would have been good if it had more eggplant than breading. The calamari was a bit of surprise since it was sauteed with celery, instead of fried and served with banana peppers. Unfortunately, the calamari itself is very tough and did not soak in much of the flavor. The brussel sprout dish is good, just a bit on the salty side. The tomato dish… I don’t even want to say anything because it was just diced tomatoes with a few pieces of avocadoes… do not get this dish!
Overall, our server was definitely a little peeved that we only ordered appetizers, but he was very polite and cordial. I’d try this place out if you’re with friends, but I probably won’t return.
Food: 3 stars
Price: 3 – 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Ambiance: 4 stars

Happened upon Rosalina during a recent visit to Providence and was drawn in by the inviting street front presence. The food was good. Many classic Italian fare to choose from and all were cooked to perfection; loved the local farm to table vibe that my waiter Will was prouder than a Papa, bragging on his babies, to tell you about.
My review would have been higher if it weren’t for the totally gross ladies room. Too bad I discovered this after eating. It was revolting. Ceiling vent was literally caked with hanging dust. Never seen anything like this in a restaurant of this caliber. Needless to say, I won’t be returning.

Rosalina has officially won my heart. I recently revisited because my date wanted to try their Providence Restaurant Weeks Menu. Knowing they always serve a quality vegan option, I went along. When I inquired about whether or not the special menu could be adapted for my dietary restrictions, the waiter checked with the chef and was able to switch out the sauce on the appetizer so I could take advantage of the Restaurant Week Menu deal (which already included a vegan entrée).
— The appetizer: Pizzette Frite (minus cheese/​substituted sauce) — this was like a doughnut and a pizza had a baby and created one of the most delicious things I’ve ever experienced.
— The entrée: Sadly, the pizzette frite was so delicious I was almost completely full by the time my entrée came. I ordered their cauliflower steak entrée, which was topped with an amazing eggplant concoction and rested upon a bed of garlicky spaghetti. Perfection. I had to take most of it home because I knew my dessert option couldn’t be boxed up.
— Dessert: I had the choice of Blood Orange or Wild Berry Sorbetto. I went for the latter and was not disappointed. While I’d rather have a piece of cake or tiramisu, I am unable to (unless it is veganized) so I’ve been enjoying a lot of sorbet/​sorbetto lately. This is one of the better ones I’ve had and it even included whole wild berries mixed throughout.
— The service was great and our friendly, professional waiter presented the perfect amount of attentiveness — not too much, not too little.
The receipt also really made my day. It stated «Vegan Friendly RR» for my item and that sums it up for me; While Rosalina is a predominately meat and dairy establishment, they are very vegan friendly and put a lot of thought and effort into their vegan option. I can’t wait to go back!
On our way to the car, my date and I both asked each other our favorite part of the meal and it was really hard to pick a favorite — it was all great. We did both admit to loving the olive oil so much we wanted to drink it (we didn’t though).

Yum! Rosalina is a refreshing addition to the lineup of Italian restaurants in Providence. Might I suggest you skip out on Federal Hill for your Italian fix? I might.
Inside is a nice open space with a lot of family pictures and cozy décor. Service is always good; I’ve never had a problem. The free valet is available all week and makes getting here easy; parking is troublesome otherwise.
I’m really into the wine list. It’s not just a bunch of expensive bottles; there’s a lot of inexpensive, easy drinking wines (that are actually good). I especially like how they have Richer Pour on tap (the on-​tap wine people from Boston). A liter of Garnacha puts you back a mere $ 17 or so, and it’s tasty too! The lambrusco is a favorite of mine too, great for sharing during warm weather.
Food includes a lot of the typical italian fare: meatballs, ravioli, shrimp arribiata, etc. I always get appetizers here though, the shrimp in the tomato-​vermouth is especially tasty. Bread always comes with both olive oil and ricotta, as it should be. I’ve never had a bad dish here, everything seems to be made with care.
Can’t wait to come back soon!

Went here on a Sunday night around 8:30pm and wow, was it packed. There was only two of us and there was not a table in sight! Luckily we were able to get full service at the bar. The bartender was nice, but I wouldn’t say service was that great. It almost seemed as if we were a nuisance to her. The food however, was impeccable! They did have appetite bread, and it came with an olive oil, crushed pepper, ricotta cheese dip. Really good! The bread seemed fresh and warm.
For my entrée, there was no name to my plate, but it was a pasta. I got the squid ink spaghetti that came in a white wine and olive oil sauce with garlic, crab meat, green chilies, and fresh parsley. Wow was it amazing! Definitely one of the best pasta dishes I’ve had!

We ate here on a Wednesday night so the place was fairly quiet, and we had great service and delicious food. My only word of caution is with their sea bass, as although I asked for it deboned I guess that only means the main bone as I was continually picking bones out of my mouth as I tried to carefully eat it. My wife’s chicken parm was excellent so about halfway through my fish I decided to abandon ship and «helped» her eat her parm. We ended the meal with a waffle sundae that was darn good.
Use the valet parking for easy in/​out, and enjoy a great meal. Just be careful if you get the fish!!!

I was sadly, very disappointed.
It started off great: the hostess sat us with no wait, the ambiance was adorable, the waiter came over after a bit and was very friendly.
The Lemonata drink I ordered was pretty good-​not great. I ordered the cheese ravioli at the waiters recommendation and it was good… again, not great. The orzo «risotto» was really good.
Then we stopped seeing our waiter. Like… ever. He would never check on us, refill water… I finally had to flag him down for dessert. We ordered the polenta crème brûlée. It was disgusting. It had bananas on top (not advertised, and it completely overwhelmed the flavors) and had so much nutmeg/​cinnamon in it, we literally choked from it burning our throats. The peanut butter mousse was blech as well. He never asked us how we liked it, and it sat barely touched until we had to again grab him to get our check.
The whole experience went from okay to awful quick.

I’m kind of hesitant too eat at a place, where I’m the only customer. But I’ve been here before and convinced myself to stay. The host and I had a very good conversation regarding music. Apparently the kitchen staff likes country, which was obvious from the volume. And in the front was pop music. Anyway, I say at the bar, where I could enjoy both. Now the waiter at he bar was just okay. No extra attention, like one usually receives by sitting at bar. Dang!!! I was the only one there. As I sat, more customers trickled in – and were given more attention. But that didn’t deter me.
I ordered the meatball sandwich which came w a cup of soup. So I got the caprese
soup, which was YUMMY!!!
My only complaint was I wasn’t told there is extra charge for soup.

Made a 7:30 reservation on a Thursday night for wife’s birthday: three empty table when we arrived ignored by hostess who needed two helpers to set a table then wanted us to wait some more so she could seat a large party who wasn’t there
We left and went to Gracie’s next door

one of my new favorite places downtown
convenient location right around the corner from Gracie’s
courteous staff who check on you just the right amount without being tedious. very speedy service
the crust on the bread is a little harder than id like but the bread is good. goes really well with the ricotta and olive oil they serve, tastes much better and is certainly healthier than butter
so far I’ve had 2 spaghetti dishes. it’s thick, homemade, a little chewy, and reminds me of a heartier ramen
good presentation
delicious and incredibly fresh tasting salads
reasonable prices
free street parking or they can give you a voucher for a parking lot less than a block away from the restaurant

Wait, I’ve seriously not reviewed Rosalina yet? What a tragedy!!! Here it goes…
I love it here. I love the food (which is impeccable and delicious), I love the décor (which is chic and comfortable), and I love the staff (who are accommodating and friendly). For a town full of Italian restaurants, Rosalina just offers up something different — you can tell this place is full of love, the actualization of a dream. Rosalina is, in a word, special.
They also don’t do everything like everyone else. Case in point: their calamari. In a state known for their fried version with cherry peppers, Rosalina does it their way; chilled, tossed with tomatoes, peppers, celery, dressed with a light vinaigrette and plated to perfection. They make sure you know this and get your ok before putting down your order, which is super considerate and very thorough.
They do a great job with oysters on the half-​shell, and their eggplant parmesan appetizer is the stuff of my dreams — ooey, gooey, flavorful and hot. It’s so good, this dish alone would get Rosalina 5-​stars. Seriously. Oh, and that fried dough thing? GET IT. There are no words to describe how outrageously good this thing is, so just go and get it for yourself. You won’t be sorry.
Every plate of pasta I’ve tasted is authentic, delicious and prepared beautifully. In fact, as I write this review I’m wondering why I don’t come here more often, especially since they offer valet parking. They also have a fantastic drinks and wine list — very thoughtfully curated and well-​priced — and have amazing cheesecake, to boot.
My advice? Ignore The Hill and head to Rosalina. The food’s better, the parking is easier, and the atmosphere cannot be topped. Mangia!

I came here for a special dinner while my boyfriend was visiting from out of town.
The fried dough appetizer was good! Get it! The soup I got was a special and it tasted like marina sauce. so ehh if your into that thing get that. The salad however is where it is at! It had avocado and was yummy!
My Bolognese was very tasty and was enough for me to eat for two meals. My boyfriend however was disappointed in his fish. It was very boney, lacked in flavor, and was pretty expensive.
With Rosalina there were highs and lows and overall was a nice night out together.