Good food, great service, warm welcoming staff. Operating hours are designed to cater for both Business and Leisure clientele. read more

Hello little pizza place tucked up in the Strand where you didn't think restaurants were! We hit this place up after we did the Sydney Film Festival and boy oh boy am I glad we did. You see, it might be a bit on the pricey side, but this place delivers in flavour. So much so that there was a moment of moans when we each had a slice of the white pizza which had roasted cauliflower, buffalo mozzarella, truffled pecorinos called "Cavolfiore al Tartufo". It was better than .. well a lot of things and we might have taken a moment of silence to enjoy it. YUM!!! We also tried the wild boar called the "Salsicce "Mignon" di Cinghiale" - Petit Cured Sausages made with 100% Wild Boar and Black Pepper. For someone who doesn't eat pig, I made my companions order this dish. Not often you see wild boar on the menu. We also shared an "Insalata di Asparagi" - Grilled Asparagus Salad with Organic Gorgonzola Dolce Latte, Curly Endive and Lemon Agrumato Dressing. And I don't even like asparagus this had me rethinking my whole not liking it. The salad was divine, the salad dressing even better and the asparagus was out of this world. We also shared some of the cannelloni "Cannelloni col Ripieno di Zucca" - total vegetarian dish and it hit the spot. Pumpkin, mustard fruit, ricotta and parmigiano. To die for. A great little dish that would be perfect to share as an entree between two people as it comes out with 3 cannelloni wraps. We also shared a few bottles of wine that went deliciously with the meals. Blink and you'd miss it, it's on the top floor of the Strand. You walk in and there's a dark room before it opens up into a bigger room that reminded me and my companions of a gothic boudoir - or a coffin seller. Take your pick. The wait staff know their menu and can pronounce it - unfortunately we couldn't so there was a lot of giggles as we tried to pronounce what we wanted and ended up pointing. We had a lovely night followed by a lovely dinner here. The sad bit was that once you ordered trying to get a waiter to meet your eyes to try to get the bill was a bit strenuous as they all seemed to like looking at the floor instead of checking patrons. Which is why I dropped a star. read more

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I found this place by accident, and was happy about my discovery. While walking around the strand as usual, I noticed a small sign by the lift - "La Rosa is now open on level 2"... So, I went to the level 2 and got to this lovely place. My first impression - wow, it's different from the typical Sydney setup - more of Melbourne... The place is divided by multiple parts (the site itself is not huge though), and consists of wine bar w/chairs - which I love, lounge chairs in the wine bar area, regular dining area including one big family-style table, and another counter/kitchen area with chairs. While there are no views at Pendolino (which is on the other side of the same floor), La Rosa has nice views of the other side of Pitt Street. Although their theme sounded casual Italian - pizza, they do have good food offerings from nice appetizers to share, homemade pasta, mains, and sweets. My favorite dish is Rigatoni Verdi Di Spinaci con Gamberri - Rigatoni Pasta with Prawns, Minced Calamari, Olives & Chilli. When I sit at the bar, a glass of '09 Strada del Bacco - Sangiovese-Shiraz is served almost automatically. ;) They are open from lunch through evening with no closing between. So, you can come here for lunch, dinner, between, or after. People who work here are very friendly and interested in getting to know their customers. read more

The restaurant is upstairs of the strand and is almost like a hidden restaurant amongst the stores. The restaurant itself is intimate and dimmed for atmosphere. We were there for a team dinner and therefore had a set menu. I opted for the leather jacket with calamari which was beautiful and fresh, the squirt of lemon amongst the buttery sauce was a zesty refreshment. The seafood sat on a bed of cheesy potatoes which was also beautiful. The only downside was that the fish wasn't completely deboned or scales, a minor inconvenience but didn't ruin the evening. Also a little more relief from the heavy dish would've been nice. For dessert I had the Zeppola, which was lovely but far too big for myself. The donut itself was beautifully crunchy on the outside and soft and moist on the inside. Personally I felt the caramel sauce was a little over kill but around the table it was definitely a crowd favorite. read more

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Disappointing. I like the position in the Strand Arcade but the food is just ok. My swordfish entree and my husband's main of veal with tuna were the same size and plated in exactly the same way - very thin slices laid around the whole plate, topped with salad and with a couple of pieces of bread on the side. He left hungry. Service was forgetful with us having to request cutlery and our ordered side salad. We won't be back. read more

La Rosa The Strand - One is an entree the other a main. I left hungry. - Italian Near Me - Sydney, NSW

What I had: Fresh pacific oysters, asparagus salad gamberi e zucchini pizza and ciceri de tria (seafood pasta) Oysters were small. But other than that, everything was superb! Light and tasty salad. Pasta was one of a kind. Chick peas are good with pasta. Pizza was really good. The chili flakes made of them better... Would definitely go back. Killed it! For 3 adults and 2 kids, I paid A$170 read more

La Rosa The Strand - Cheese pizza for my kids - Italian Near Me - Sydney, NSW

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We were hosting a dinner party here for about 16 people and the restaurant was very easy to work with. We had a long table in the back area of the main dining room. While the ambiance was nice, and there were some dimly lit candles on the table, it was quite dark; perhaps a little more lighting would help to appreciate the great food too. We had a pre-selected menu of pastas, appetizers and desserts. Each dish was appreciated well. Flavor was good. Will prob return next time I'm in the area. read more

Once upon a time, you used to visit a shopping centre to shop. These days, you are likely to find yourself visiting a shopping centre to eat. La Rosa Bar & Pizza is located on level 2 of that gorgeous city arcade, The Strand. Little sister to long time Italian favourite Pendolino, located at the other end of the floor, La Rosa offers an Italian wine bar and artisan pizza dining experience. The restaurant itself seems fitting to be located inside such a historic and character-filled building. The decor is somewhat moody, with hints of red, dark wood, and candlelight, creating just the right ambiance. The restaurant is cleverly divided into sections, creating a more intimate feel to the rather large space. The waiters, all men and most likely also all Italian, are attentive and knowledgeable. My group and I arrive for lunch, and for most of us, we cannot go past their pizza menu. I order the Funghi Pizza. Ms D orders the Puttanesca Pizza. Ms M orders an old classic, the Margherita Pizza. Just for something different, the other Ms D orders the Calamari with a side salad. The Pizza's prove to be excellent. They are authentic Italian style thin crust pizza's, with minimal topping and are bursting with flavour with plenty of crunch. I am told the Calamari was also delicious, and the beetroot in the garden salad was especially well received. At the end of our meal, our waiter, who by this time know's I am writing this story, suggests we share the Zeppola Dolci - which is a potato dough doughnut, and I must admit, not something I would usually order. For the benefit of this story, we all oblige. And my, were we all glad we did! This dessert is amazing. It was quite a sight to see each of us put our spoons in our mouths, while our eyes lit up and exclamations such as 'oh my god' started coming forward! The dessert was clearly a winner, and I'll admit, I had to physically restrain myself from licking the plate clean! If only I wasn't in public... La Rosa is one of my favourite go-to lunch spots in the cbd, but I'm told the bar really comes alive at night. Looks like another (evening) trip to La Rosa is on the cards again, very soon. read more

I made this as a backup booking for Jamie's Italian, since they weren't taking reservations. I saw some great reviews and called them up to make a booking for 12. As suspected, Jamie's was super busy so we came here on Friday night for my birthday. The ambience is great and the staff was super nice. I have to say, I've been to Jamie's once and the food at La Rosa is just as good, maybe even better. Plus the staff is super nice and helpful. Pizza's were yummy, good pasta and salads. Great place for Italian in the city! read more

Maybe absence has made the heart grow fonder, in my recent healthy food regime, but OMG I loved the pizza here. Friday night, no booking (you'd think I would learn, wouldn't you) and they managed to squeeze us at the bar for a pizza, sorry sir best we can do. I hadn't ben here before, top floor of the Strand, and was surprised at the lovely decor, dark and moody and slightly seductive, and the attentive staff. Arrived early, had a drink at the bar, some pistachios and with a bit of smooth talking with one of the waitstaff picked up a table when a cancellation came in. Bingo! The menu, not s many you took all night, and pleasingly flexible, with changes to the items OK. I had the special, chili oil and chili and sicilian sausage, not sure what she had, something with artichoke I suspect. The bases, fantastic. Crispy, thin, not crunchy, plenty of cheese, toppings a little on the slim side but italian pizza is, generally. I mean, it isn't Dominos. All in all we had a lovely meal, a good carb and grease fix, couple of gasses of plonk - good Friday night fare. I'll try and remember to book, next time. We will be back. read more

We ordered the crocchette di patate (potato croquettes); the quattro formaggi pizza; and the rigatoni pasta with prawns, minced calamari, olives and chilli. The croquettes were delicious and the pizza was very good too, albeit a little too chewy in the crust. The pasta was OK but I thought the sauce was more suited to a linguine type pasta than the rigatoni. We shared the zeppola (fried potato-dough doughnut with vanilla bean gelato) for dessert. My boyfriend loved it but I didn't think it was anything special. It just tasted like a really deep-fried Krispy Kreme donut covered in some very ordinary vanilla ice cream. All in all, not an unpleasant place to have dinner on a Friday night in the CBD, but you can definitely get better Italian food for the same price. Service was fairly fast. read more

Wow. Just wow. I've dined out a lot but tonight I was blown away. A salad to die for, a lamb chop that melted (no knife required) and a red to wash it all down. Not the cheapest place but realistically it's good value for the quality you get. I'll be back. Many times! read more

Popped in for a little xmas party organised by La Rosa. (I was a plus 1) Loved the Cavazza Prosecco and all the little nibbles on hand. The frittata and the ocean trout were my top two fav's of the night. Brushetta was also a crowd favourite. The dessert that was on offer def blew my socks off! It was doughnut ball with a sort of caramel sauce! Jeepers it was insane! Staff are very professional and courteous and on hand to top up your drink if required. The layout for the restaurant is very dark with lots of mood lighting. This place is great for functions or special occasions. Will have to come back and sample their dinner menu as it sounds pretty tasty! read more

Excellent food, and service was prompt but female waitress was rude, she was obviously irritated but we didn't know why...

This restaurant is small but cosy. The staff welcome you. I didn't like the wine but just remember it is australian or italian wine. The dishes are excellent from pizza to pasta everythin's good. I really recommend this restaurant and i suggest you to call to book a table near the windows (very romantic) read more

Very nice place to have dinner. Very calm and staff very friendly. Pizzas are tasty and well made. Pastas are self made and delicious. I tried the cannelloni and it was fantastic! read more

La Rosa The Strand - Cannelloni - Italian Near Me - Sydney, NSW

I was here in 2014 and tried it again. It was as good as then. We took the salumi misti plate for two as a starter and the Calabrese and Siciliana pizza as main courses. The food was great, the service very attentive. We took a bottle of Chianti and an Aperol Spritz as a starter. It was a great evening. read more

The service was fantastic. The appetizer was outstanding. We had the prawns and WOW! What a fantastic taste. The Barmundi was soooooo good. My wife had the capalinni and she ate the entire plate. This is a fantastic restaurant for an elegant meal. If you are in Sydney you must try this restaurant. read more

Hidden in the beautiful Strand Arcade, La Rosa is a real treat. I went for lunch and was pleasantly surprised by the mood lighting, it created a great ambience. The staff were attentive and knowledgeable. We had a salami share plate and some bruschetta to share as an entree. I ordered pasta as a main which was delicious. I have heard the pizza is also amazing so will be back to try! read more

Good service, bad taste. Dishes are too salty, or maybe I should order pizza instead of risotto read more

La Rosa The Strand - Below expectations, food too salty - Italian Near Me - Sydney, NSW

A fabulous boudoir like establishment in Sydney's illustrious and heritage listed Strand Arcade, nestled on the top floor of the Pitt Street end of the building, one could almost just dismiss it if you didnt know it was there even though its directly in front of the lift doors upon opening! the ambiance created when you walk in is like a step back in time, think dark and moody lighting, ornate ironwork and a black metal mesh curtain that feels like something from the middle ages Not only a classy dining experience but La Rosa also offers a wine bar, so you can actually catch up just for a drink or two with a friend without feeling the need to order food, but you would be mad to miss it, perfect pairings with a glass or two of red are the duck fat hand cut chips, the cheese board and the oil tasting board The menu also features an outstanding list of Italian favourites as well as 48 hour fermented Pizza's A favourite drink for me is the Rosoilo cocktail, like turkish delight in a glass! read more

Pizza here is absolutely the best in the city. I went there a week after visiting Lucio's and La Rosa's proscuitto pizza wiped the floor with Lucio's pricier offerings. I'll definitely be back for more. read more

Pendolino's sister restaurant conveniently placed at the opposite end of the Strand Arcade is scattered with thick candles for a moody Gothic atmos that's easy to settle into. The share plates are tempting, but we're assured the pizza is the way to go... being piglets however, we (two) begin with the salumi misti di casa - mixed house made cured salami and sausages to get in the Italian swing of things. And a nice leisurely nibbly way to kick off the dining proceedings. Pizza flavours are a tough toss up between the Quattro Formaggi - pizza bianca with four cheeses... buffalo mozzarella, ricotta, fontina , gorgonzola and béchamel $22; and the Calvolfiore al Tartuffo - pizza bianca with roasted cauliflower, buffalo mozzarella, truffled pecorino and béchamel $24 (yes béchamel on a pizza!!) Unfortunately half and half doesn't apply here (I confess, I did enquire, much to the embarrassment of my friend) so we opt for the Tartuffo being cauliflower bake fans from way back. This grown up pizza version is way better. We partner it with the Citriolo e Schiacciote - cucumber and crushed green olive salad with red onion, pecorino and parsley $12... a triumph unto its own and a perfectly refreshing condiment to cut through our cheese fest. Not a sceric of room left for the Zeppola - traditional potato and cinnamon doughnut with vanilla bean gelato $12, or possibly the best looking tiramisu I've seen... so a return visit is definitely on the cards. read more

La Rosa The Strand - Italian Near Me - Sydney, NSW

Amazing food... actually makes us want to move to Sydney :) Make sure to try the tiramisu, it is out of this world.

We had lunch here and the food was great. Wait time was approximately 20 minutes for table and 15 minutes after ordering food. Service can use an facelift. Not the worst service, but definitely not the best. Would I go back for lunch, there's only 1 place better than this and that place has a wait time of up to an hour plus depending on what time you go. read more

Really disappointing. As part of the SMH Good Food month we wanted to try the lunch specials offered at restaurants around Sydney we hadn't been to before. Assumed they would be adhering to a high standard to be included on the list... While the entree we chose (additional to special) was nice enough, the plain, boring and bland baked gnocchi that was served to us for main was so bad. I imagine this is what a burnt mac and cheese tastes like and for $38 we will not be recommending this place. No seasoning or love went into that dish! Service was inattentive and unfriendly. read more

We were looking to have a drink in Pendolino, but were motioned in La Rosa's direction for this instead as a place more likely for drinks. I'm glad we did. This is a really nice feeling place, we went early in the night and it's a lovely venue with very good service. Some fantastic offerings on the menu make us want to go back and try it for a full dinner (as do some of the reviews). A lovely little cocktail list, more extensive wine list and, of course, pizza - my favourite meal. read more

Poor services, only one person can take the food order. Waiting for very long time. Over price, charged even on the bread. Burn the most expensive item in the menu (A$ 80+, Steak), when I call the manager to complain, she mention that "It's the way it is". OMG, is it way that you eat a steak (Medium Rare) and taste like a Charcoal. It's not worth even A$10 to pay. If you think you want to come, please think more than twice. read more

The food was just "okay". The service was the worst part of this experience. The hipster waiter was not only rude and somewhat condescending but also incredibly pushy! I am sure he quickly figured out that I was annoyed by how pushy he was so he purposely started referring to me as "signora" in Italian just to be a dick (that is a Latin term for an older woman) hahahaha Anyway, we wanted a small appetizer and he kept insisting and insisting that we get it as a meal because it was not intended for sharing... dude, seriously? Then we ordered two glasses of wine and he starts insisting that we want the bottle. No, a-hole, we want what we asked for and nothing more. Do they get commission for pushing stuff on you that you don't want? Whatever, if we ever return to Sydney, we'd never come back here. None of the food was impressive. The pizza that is supposedly "proofed" for 48 hours was nothing to write home about, my partner makes a nicer pie on any given night. The wine was fab but it's not like they made it. Pretentious spot, not worth making the trip here. read more

I came with clients of mine to have lunch and the door man(with a bear):"there is no seat for you 3 inside!" 2 minutes later, 2 ladies come in with no booking, and the doorman:"wait for a moment, I am sure we can find seats for you inside" We then get them to take our order, he replied:" 1 second, are you in hurry?" I am really not sure what is that all about. I come for good food and do not put up for bad service (some person that have chip in their shoulder), perhaps he must earn quite a good bucks that's why he can't be bother. But be mindful that there are lots of restaurant who can serve much better food and at least have the basic manner or courtesy. These bad services can easily be spread out by the word of mouth. I just need to tell all my friends and colleagues, then see you later. That's all I can say. Worse dining experience. If you are bringing girl friend and want a bad service meal, I am sure you can find him here at the entrance. Food is good but not great. read more