Rosa's Italian Restaurant

The story of Rosa's Italian Restaurant began in Benino, Italy, when 15-year-old Rosa Cristallo and her family moved to Boston in 1955. The vivacious and fun-loving Rosa fell in love with Bill MacMillan and married in 1966. Spurred by her pioneering spirit, the couple headed west to California and opened a "Rosa's" in Visalia and later Bakersfield. 

In 1988, Rosa and Bill moved to Pismo Beach, where they opened Rosa's Italian Restaurant, the hero of our story. While this sounds like the end of our story, it's only the beginning. 

Before the Pismo Beach location opened, Rosa's son Douglas was apprenticing as a chef at Quo Vadis restaurant in Turin, Italy. While there, he learned the art of crafting Northern Italian fare that showcases meat dishes and butter and cream sauces. Returning home, he combined this cooking style with his mother's Southern Italian recipes featuring tomato sauces, olive oil, fresh vegetables, pasta, and seafood dishes. In typical Rosa fashion, she embraced her son's passion, gave him the helm, and became an award-winning chef known up and down the California coast. 

Douglas has also launched other restaurants with his family. Check out Ada's Fish House and Vista Steak and Seafood, where he flexes his creative prowess as a chef. 

Rosa's Italian Restaurant is close to other landmarks like Ashtie's Beach Shack, making it easy to combine shopping and sightseeing in Pismo Beach with fine dining. 

Sadly, Rosa and Bill are no longer alive, but you can still sense their zeal for family, passion for fine cuisine, and joy of sharing life at Rosa's Italian Restaurant.   

Vibe

The interior of Rosa's Italian Restaurant looks like something you'd see in Italy. Arched windows, Italian light fixtures, and French vanilla-colored walls create a relaxing atmosphere. The wooden chair railing, terra cotta wainscot, and white linen tablecloths add elegance. Paired together, you have a chic yet laid-back ambiance perfect for a romantic dinner or planning a gathering with friends after strolling the Pismo Beach Pier.

The patio area makes dining al fresco divine, whether at lunchtime or savoring dinner beneath a canopy of stars. While any restaurant can design memory-creating decor, what makes Rosa's unique is that it feels more like "home" than a restaurant. Visit and discover how unique Rosa's Italian Restaurant is. 

Rosa's Italian Restaurant: Menu & Drinks

Your palate is in for a treat at Rosa's Italian Restaurant! It serves lunch and dinner featuring various fare, ensuring something for everyone in your crew. 

A deliciously healthy lunch option is the Nico Salad, which is equally stunning to behold. The salad features butter leaf lettuce, green apples, Gorgonzola cheese, candied walnuts, and pomegranates. This deliciousness is crowned with a house-made apple-cider vinaigrette for a tart, crisp, and sweet finish. The good news is that it is also served at dinnertime. 

Speaking of dinner, the Tutto Mare is a seafood lover's dream come true. It features shrimp, salmon, clams, cod, calamari, and mussels. The seafood comes in a garlic, olive oil, and tomato sauce with linguine. 

Capellini al Naturale is a light pasta dish featuring fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic, and virgin olive oil. For an additional cost, add prawns, chicken, or salmon. Other pasta choices include lasagna, fettuccine alfredo, and ravioli. Rosa's also serves pizzas and calzones, along with steaks, chicken, and lamb entrees. 

Craft cocktails abound at Rosa's with creations like the Spaghetti Western. This classic features house-aged Old Fashioned served over a big rock with a flame-torched orange peel. The Italian Garden uses strawberry and cucumber house-infused vodka, jalapeno, black pepper-infused vodka, rosemary, lime, agave nectar, and club soda. It's a refreshing and invigorating cocktail with a kick of heat. 

Whether you are seeking a romantic night out or a cozy place for friends or family, Rosa's Italian Restaurant will take your Pismo Beach vacation to new heights.