I love this place. The food is always fresh and great. If you don't see what you want on the menu, just ask and they'll probably make it for you, as everything is made to order. It's also a BYOB, so you'll save money. 4 stars, as the place could use a makeover, however the staff are great! read more

The food was ok, but the service bordered on disdain. If I wanted to have a plate of food thrown at me an be ignored for the rest of the night I'd go visit my Mother. read more

Cozy little restaurant located in Worcester. Once you walk in you can smell the beautiful aroma coming from the kitchen, brought me back to my childhood of walking into my Nonno's kitchen. Tried the chicken and Eggplantparm with linguini, pasta cooked perfectly and the chicken and Eggplant, one of the best that I have ever had. My wife got the chicken picatta, lemony, just the way she likes it but without overpowering the dish. My son had Italian sausage with potato au gratin, spicy, rich flavors , ambitious dish that is a hit! Just one complaint the meatballs were ok and for two $7.00 seemed a bit much but don't let that stop you from enjoying a meal that will bring you back to your Italian childhood! read more

See all

Had dinner here last night and was not disappoined. The place has only been open for about 6 months, but the restaurant has developed a nice walk in business already. It was 3/4 full, not bad for a Wednesday night. I was warmly greeted and promptly seated at the counter, being alone for dinner this evening. The place looked recently renovated, inviting and very clean. A small restaurant, but very cozy. BYOB only. They do have a television, but it is placed in the kitchen, only the people who eat at the counter can really see it . A bread basket was pompty brought over, which I sampled, but only thought it was so-so. My waitress took my order of Rosalina's Sautee, which was chicken breast, spinach, mushrooms, pasta , and pine nuts sauteed in a garlic sauce. The meal was incredily tasty and plentiful. It was served in a big white bowl, plenty to bring home for a second meal No skimping on any of the ingredients. I was impressed. The person next to me ordered up a piece of lasagna and a homemade meatball. The lasagna potion was HUGE and the meatball one of the biggest I've seen on a regular menu. I also got to meet both of the owners, and are extremely friendly and dedicated to the business. I finished the meal with a small dish of pistachio gelato, which I thought a bit expensive for the pice, the amount, and the quality you get. I was definately impressed by the main course however, and it more than made up for the bread and dessert.... I will DEFINATELY come back for more! read more

The story that Mike D. Had related is not what transpired. His allegiance is w/ the restaurant . I will not bore u w/ the details of what transpired; just know that I was treated rudely, unfairly & was made an utter embarrassment of. The owners have zero class & I am thrilled to never set foot in their establishment again. It was always tainted by the unfriendly & sullen hostess/ owner. To further add to their low class trashy additudes, I was sent an email by one of the owners that is too disgusting & low to even repeat. Just more proof that rudeness & trash is on the menu here. Go at ur own risk . read more

this is what I love to see. Simple food made in the traditional way. Small family owned business with real skill and love in the simple food with complex flavors. I have now been going to Rosalina's for 2 years almost once a month and have not found much to complain about here. First off . this place SHOULD be a hidden gem but its just too good for everyone to not have found out by now. That makes for a really crappy parking situation and if your party is smaller than 4 and you show up at 7 on a Friday you may be laughed out of this place. You can get lucky with a 2 person party and get seated at the bar. That's only happened to me once so don't count on it. These are the only negative things I can report about Rosalina's. Oh and they are BYOB..SCORE!!! My go to dish is the Lemon Chicken,especially when I'm not feeling a huge heavy dinner. . That said , when I am feeling the heavy yum yums ,I ask them to make it with Alfredo sauce rather than the light delicate sauce that covers the gemelli and spinach so well. If you have a huge belly, bring a friend and get the Antipasto salad. Its enormous and full of so much more than your typical chopped lettuce and ham cold cut salad you get anywhere else. - Grilled Veggies, Oil cured Tuna, cured meats, olives and pepperonis mmm! I always say I should stop there but I have to order more. I have shared Valentines here and other occasions. I can attest that LOVE that you can taste in the food, even simple cheese ravioli or the Sausage and potatoes dish (must try). I find myself savoring every last drop of sauce, (best red sauce ever btw) every last piece of perfectly seared meat or seafood ( clams or Frutti di Mare are INCREDIBLE!!) till I have to be rolled out or carried to my car on forklift. They have all of the traditional items you see on ANY Italian menu, your parms, scampis, masala, but they also have some regional Italian delights that you really should venture out and try!! Everything Italian that you've tried is just better at Rosalinas. read more

Went back to Rosalina's last night for Valentines day. I could just say "ditto" to my last review, but I'll expound a little bit. Good service (as always), and the BYOB option ensures you can bring the wine you want and not pay a crazy mark up. The food was fabulous. I had a lobster ravioli dish in a white sauce, and the Mrs. had Veal Parm. Both were fabulously flavored, and the portion sizes were crazy generous. We started with a fried eggplant dish, and finished with a gelato dessert. Everything we ate was perfectly prepared, and contained flavor I usually only get at home (my previous review remarks on how most Italian places skimp on flavor, whereas Rosalina's makes Italian food GOOD). All this said, it dawned on my last night what makes Rosalina's so good. Thinking about the other Italian places I've been to in Worcester, many are owned by "Restaurant Groups". For instance, Via is owned by the folks who own the Sole and 111. Nothing wrong with that, but when I go to Rosalina's... I'm seated and attended to by the mother and fed by the daughter. When you see the owner of the restaurant you eat at behind the counter cooking your dinner, you KNOW its going to be good. That's the difference - other places are standard fine Italian dining, whereas Rosalina's gives you the personalized touch of good home-cooked Italian food made by local Worcester natives. Question about your dinner? Comment on the Restaurant? Just raise your hand and you can ask the owner yourself - she's just over the counter. read more

Listen, Rosalina's is the antidote to all that garbage that is served at places like Olive Garden and Bucca Di Beppo....if you're enjoying eating chain restaurant crap then stop reading Yelp reviews because you're obviously a food moron. At Rosalina's you have authentic, inventive and lovingly prepared and served Italian food. There were 4 in our party, we started with the clams as an appetizer, delicious tender morsels of perfectly seasoned clams....dip the bread in the sauce....just do it!!!! The simple beauty of handmade ravioli brought me back to my mother's kitchen. I had the three cheese ravioli which were served with chicken parmigiana. There were six large ravioli which were amply filled with a remarkably creamy mixture of three cheeses with the slightest hint of what I think was nutmeg, but it was so subtle that I'm not sure. The red sauce was a classic tomato sauce like what I grew up with, it had that homemade taste with a body and subtle sweetness. The chicken parmigiana was a thicker piece than you typically find, but Rosalina obviously understands that chicken doesn't have to be pounded into mush to be tender. The chicken was tender, juicy and tasty....I want to have it again tonight! They offered three ravioli specials, 3 cheese, shaved steak and shrimp.....next time I go I'm going to beg for a combo plate of whatever they have on special. Unfortunately three of our 4 member party had the same meal so I can only comment upon the "Alisa's Choice" entrée....it consisted of eggplant and a large meatball atop gemelli pasta.....the meatball was different but very good, I suspect it was made mostly with veal and pork, it was well seasoned and had that soft mouth feel that is so critical for a good meatball. The white chocolate bread pudding is as good a dessert as I've had anywhere.....she uses croissant as the bread, the rich custard and not too sweet caramel made for a warm and inviting dessert. I would run you over for that dessert..... This is a must visit place. read more

When your restaurant visit starts out with not being able to find the right entrance (yes, it really is the one on the corner which opens right on top of a group of people), where to wait for a table (which is right at the door, standing on top of those people who are eating), and having everyone inexplicably staring at you, you know you've arrived at Rosalina's. We felt like outsiders and a bit unwelcome. We were eventually greeted and served, though people who arrived after us appeared to get far better treatment. Perhaps just two guys eating together for dinner rubbed people the wrong way? The food was perfectly edible, but nothing great. There wasn't a moment of "now this is good Italian" or anything. It just seemed like "let's get our food and get out of here." The meal took a while to arrive and the service wasn't very good (no checking in or offers to refill drinks). We have already found better Italian restaurants, but admittedly the bar was not set high. Heck, even one of those monster chain restaurants is better. read more

I had some sort of chicken pasta and it was great. Not greasy or unhealthy. Lots of veggie options and the staff was happy to accommodate my quest for greens versus the pasta (but I did have some and it was good!) This place seems quiet and easy going. I can't wait to go back. read more

See all

Yes, yes, yes - this place is perfect! Don't go here if you're expecting a chi-chi atmosphere. It is what it is - a classic, old school Italian restaurant - but one that serves amazingly delicious food. These ladies clearly care about keeping true to their roots and to whomever taught them to cook. It is BYOB with plastic table cloths and closely spaced tables. They serve soda but little else to drink - it you go with kids, BYOB for them too (they generally don't even have milk or juice)! Generally, you cannot go wrong with anything on the specials menu. Guaranteed fresh and delicious (if they haven't sold out of what you want). They specialize in raviolis and you won't be disappointed in sampling any of their ravioli offerings. Their eggplant is delicious - perfectly sliced and prepared. Penne arrabiata is the perfect spice. Don't hesitate to ask for a special order - they cook everything fresh and are HAPPY to accommodate. It's not on the menu but they offer gluten free pasta here. Caution - don't fill up on too much on the crusty on the outside, fluffy on the inside, freshly sliced for you bread. It would be nice it they offered a high quality EVOO to go with the bread but it's honestly so delicious that you don't need anything. The service here is solid. You won't necessarily get warm and fuzzy but you also want get false, saccharine sweet fluff either. What you will get are women (generally) who are committed to serving the great food they have, who know the menu inside and out and want you to enjoy your food. Mistakes are quickly remedied with an honest apology. Parking can be tricky and don't even think of going here without a reservation. You don't need to book weeks out (unless you have a large party or a special occasion) but you will wait for a while, and generally outside, if you don't call ahead to make sure they can seat you. You won't be disappointed. The value of the amazing food you will experience here is worth returning again and again and again! read more

Freshly made, authentic Italian food in a small, quaint BYOB restaurant. The food was amazing and the service excellent. I highly recommend it!! read more

This is not the Taj Mahal. But it is a great neighborhood establishment with scratch made dishes. The atmosphere is not polished, but hey, they know that. It's BYOB, so if you want to fancy up your meal, bring a bottle of Chianti. The food is plenty and fantastic. The prices are INCREDIBLY reasonable. I had the Design A Dish, and my boyfriend had an entree with a duo of eggplant and meatballls. Both were wonderful. We ate until we hurt, took it home and had dinner the next night. We also had the antipasto. This salad is what other antipastos wish they were. No deli meats on this platter! Chicken, sausage, veggies, tuna, cheeses, and the dressing drizzled over the top was just enough. We didn't even toy with the dressing they brought on the side. It was very filling, I even took some home for lunch the next day. And the bread......oh boy, the bread. Pillowy on the inside with a great crust for dippin'! I give 5 stars because it is as good as it gets FOR WHAT IT IS! They are only open 4 hours a day for 4 days a week. C'mon folks, if you want high end dining with fanfare, go to a more expensive place. read more

Not the best restaurant we've been to in the Worcester area and definitely not a great place for Italian food. Overpriced for what you get, although the portions are large. The haddock Franchaise was oily, kind of tasteless and had a strange sort of rancid oil kind of taste. The shrimp scampi was no better. Also oily and lacking in complexity and flavor. The large portion sizes don't make up for the lack of a developed flavor profile. We didn't even bother with dessert as we were afraid that it would just be spending good money after bad. The background music is good however, if that somehow makes up for a $50+ bad dinner for two. Give it a try perhaps... Maybe your experience will be better than ours. If not, don't say I didn't warn you. How this restaurant has an average review of 3- 1/2 stars is far beyond me. read more

Let me start with WOW, what fabulous Italian food. The owner actually waited on us, Rosalina herself, her recipes & her Mom's recipes are spot on outstanding. We started with homemade crusty Italian bread & a bowl of very warm Mussels Caprese (great tomatoes) in a light garlic & olive oil mixture, sooooo good. Next was a $3.00 large side salad that had all you'd want, except NO iceberg lettuce, fresh Arugula instead, yay. I had to order what else, (I am trying out an Italian restaurant first time) linguini & meatballs was a perfect choice, everything was not only freshly made, but piping hot. The meatballs were monstrous with veal, pork & beef and spiced JUST right ... the sauce (they call it gravy) was again, superb. My daughter had linguini with sausage's and she was as happy as I was ... and so will you, if ya go! Oh & Phantom Gourmet was there (not today ahahaha) but they called Rosalina's "a Dish worth Driving to," we agree. read more

This is a great little place with delicious food in generous portions for a very reasonable price. AND it's BYOB. Even better. When you like wine it can easily become half your bill. Six of us had dinner and everyone loved what they had; we were all sharing our dishes. I enjoyed the cozy atmosphere and feeling like someone's Italian grandmother was back in the kitchen cooking something special for us. We left fat & happy & with extra cash in our wallets. Can't beat that! read more

Went here for dinner on a Thursday night recently. The atmosphere is authentic neighborhood restaurant, dated, well worn interior that is clean. This a no frills street corner restaurant that serves better than average classic Italian dishes. It's priced well, waite staff is friendly and the kitchen staff serves a nice variety of classic well prepared Italian dishes. read more

The owner insisted our party give an additional $20 tip...and tge service was HORRIBLE! Avoid this business!

From the moment we walked in the staff at Rosalina's Kitchen made us feel totally at home, and by the end of our meal I couldn't believe we hadn't found this place sooner. There were clearly some regulars there, but we were welcomed as warmly as any of them and the staff was very friendly. We tried the macaroni with meatballs and the eggplant and chicken parm. The meatballs and pasta were delicious and it all came with a very nice sauce. Their meatballs are tender and not too dense, but huge so you are still getting a good portion. I ate one and brought the other home. The chicken was good, but the eggplant was such a star that the chicken didn't shine as it might have. The eggplant was thinly sliced and crispy, with clean flavors and not too much breading. We didn't bring any booze but might next time - we stuck with water so we'd have plenty of room for the food. We're already looking forward to our next trip to Rosalina's Kitchen. read more

The food was amazing! So fresh! This was our first time coming in. It is BYOB and its very casual but the food, Mmmmmm! Fresh eggplant thinly sliced and a little crisp along with homemade pasta. The said was great! We had dessert, homemade cannoli and taramasu cake! The perfect amount of coffee in the cake, this place is a little gem! We will be back, this time we wont forget the wine! read more

Cute place, good food. The staff is brash but I think it's their schtick because it feels like it's part of a show. Regardless, the BYOB is fun and they have a great variety on the menu. Word of advice, don't dilly dally while your there and never ever ever waste time taking a memorable photo. It's just not the type of place to do that. Enjoy your meal though cause those ladies can COOK! read more

The food was terrible! We ordered the frutti di mare and we felt like we were swimming in the ocean. I specifically asked the waitress if the white sauce was a garlic/olive oil type of a sauce and she said yes and recommended the dish. This dish had no garlic or olive oil, it was basically a watery broth. One of the dishes didn't even have any fish on the plate. As far as service, we let one of the waitresses know and she said she would tell ours. Our waitress came over and did not mention a thing, didn't even ask if we liked our food. Considering there were 3 plates barely touched if I were the waitress I would have recognized it and at least apologized. We were not looking for a refund of any sort it was not the waitresses fault that the food was bad but an acknowledgment would have been nice. I would never go back! read more

Excellent new dish! The spicy shrimp in garlic sauce... Service as always very good. read more

Rosalina's Kitchen - Another great meal half gone - Italian Near Me - Worcester, Massachusetts

See all

I have been here numerous times. The food is always great!! Its a BYOB so the money you save while eating delicious food is worth it alone. The place is tiny and needs you to eat and leave so they can sit more people and make money. I can see this place so much nicer than it is right now. Its in dire need of an interior makeover but the food is legit. I will keep coming back for the food alone. read more

Best Italian I have had thus far in Worcester! I had the the crumbled sausage over the crispy gnocchi and my boyfriend had the Atlantic salmon with pasta and it was to die for! The gnocchi was soft on the inside and crispy on the outside paired with creamy white sauce and roasted broccoli. The salmon was so juicy and well seasoned! Not to mention it's BYOB which I love because we didn't have to spend $15 on a drink. Very cozy ambiance. It felt like I was at my nonnas house eating love on a plate. Highly recommend!! My only regret was not taking pictures of my food. read more

Service was HORRIBLE. Owners, who were also the hostess and waitress, were RUDE. WILL NEVER GO BACK read more

I went to Rosalina's last weekend with my mother based on a few recommendations from people. I only gave it three stars because in my opinion, the food was just alright. Maybe I'm extremely picky when it comes to Italian food, but I wasn't floored by the whole experience. I had the ricotta puffs, which I truly loved. They are little balls of ricotta cheese breaded and fried, and melt in your mouth. They are served alongside pasta (not fresh which I'm not a fan of) and thin slices of plain, fried eggplant. The pasta is served in a light tomato broth, which was basically just oil, butter, and some tomatoes. The dish was alright, and I did love the puffs, but over all I wasn't in love with it. I think perhaps if I had gotten the eggplant park I may have been happier. The portion size was huge and I left with a doggy bag, so you get a lot for what you pay. My mother ordered a special which was homemade cheese ravioli with chicken parm. She said it was good, but she wasn't a fan of the tomato sauce. The bruschetta topping was delicious, but the bread it is served on was very thick and a bit chewy, making it difficult to bite and it became a bit messy. We also had the sea salt caramel croissant bread pudding, which was the highlight of the meal. You think you are too full to eat something like this dessert, but it is surprisingly light since it is made with the croissant. It melts in your mouth, very delicious. The waitress was great, making sure we had everything we needed. And the establishment is BYOB so you can bring your own and avoid a ridiculous mark up on wine, which is a huge bonus. The place is relatively small and was packed by the time we were leaving (We went for dinner right at 5 when they opened to avoid a crowd). You can make a reservation for parties of 4 or more which helps. Again, it's not that I didn't like this place, I just think it is average Italian food in my opinion. Although the fact that it is BYOB and cozy, plus the staff is great, I would return again. Maybe I got the wrong dish, I don't know. But I think for a quick and relatively inexpensive meal (because trust me you'll get more than one meal out of it), it is A OK. read more

I saw it on phantom gourmet and was excited to go. I was seated and ignored for 30 minutes, no one took my order. I told the hostess this, and she started yelling at me to "just leave then". I have never experienced any worse customer service than Rosalinas kitchen. read more

If you are looking for authentic Italian food like Mom made; head to Rosalina's. It's a rare gem and worth the trip from anywhere. The food is excellent, everything prepared fresh and the atmosphere is cozy and welcoming. It may be one of Worcesters best kept secrets because you might be tempted to keep it under wraps by only telling your friends it, for fear that if word gets around how nice it is, you will have to start booking a table weeks in advance read more

My parents have been coming here for years, and tonight they finally brought the whole family to celebrate my dad's birthday. We had the honor of having Rosalina herself attend to our table! She was so warm and helpful and made all of us (especially my young nieces) feel very welcome & special. The rest of the front of house staff was equally kind & helpful whenever we needed more water or a corkscrew. Everything we ordered was fantastic, from the overflowing platter of antipasto to the gooey chicken parm & eggplant rollatini and the uniquely delicious Sebastian's Cabin, with chicken, bacon and maple syrup. Those filled-to-order canolis are out of this world! Pack up the last 1/3 of your dinner to save some room. Thank you for a wonderful evening, my husband and I will definitely be back! read more

That was a less than pleasant experience. We were seated by the rather, well let's say 'stern' hostess, and immediately felt rushed. Yes, we knew all about the seating time limit but really? We ordered the eggplant appetizer and next thing we know, our dinners were being delivered. OK, we say to ourselves.... Guess we're just going to head straight into dinner. I had the chicken marsala with linguine. The chicken was cooked perfectly but the entire dish was so under seasoned. The wine hadn't been cooked off so it was super sweet. The hubs said the ravioli was good. I had to ask for bread 3 times, as I figured that would help fill me up. Once it finally came, it was your average wonder bread. Skip the rude hostess, bad food, and go elsewhere. read more

Our timing was perfect, getting in before there was a wait. Love that we could BYOB of wine. We started with the calamari, very fresh and tender with a light batter, one of the best we've had. The entrees were excellent. They were fresh, cooked properly with lots of flavors and generous portions. It was tough to decide what to order! The tiramisu was very good and a healthy sized portion that was big enough to share, but didn't! The owner / chef was on the floor taking orders, checking on the diners throughout the night. A great personal touch. We'll be back! read more

I went to Rosalina's Kitchen tonight for my fiancé's birthday and had the most excellent time. I ordered the shrimp scampi which was awesome. The shrimp was cooked to perfection and was well seasoned and the pasta was the perfect consistency. I was so busy wolfing down my food, I barely spoke! Even so, the atmosphere was lively and fun and I had a good time. I would definitely go back and recommend to a friend. read more

This is our second visit, and it was as good as the first. Staff is friendly and seem genuinely concered that we are enjoying our meal. Even the bus boy stopped by to be sure that everything was to our liking. The place isn't fancy but the food is good, the price is reasonable, and the staff makes you feel like they appreciate you business. I've seen some of the negative reviews bu our experiene was definitely favorable. Oh well, to each his own. read more

I have been wanting to try this restaurant when I heard it was credited by Phantom Gourmet. The experience was far from meeting expectations. It started from the first call. We placed a take out order and the woman was not very friendly who took our order. Then when we got home and saw the food - we were less than impressed. The chicken picatta which I ordered with gemelli pasta when I was asked linguini or gemelli was prepared with penne that tasted like it was out of a box. The chicken was overcooked, the breading was white and barely there, and there were only a few pieces. The spinach was also very sparse. The wedge salad we ordered was served on half a romain with a quarter of a tomato cut all different ways and then long strips of bacon. The dressing was way too much. It all looked like it was just thrown together. When Paying $18 for a chicken picatta and $8 for a wedge salad you expect better quality. Won't be going back or recommending. Glad we just did take out rather than dining in. read more

Not the best. Sour waitstaff and hit or miss on entrees. I will say order the fish, it's thinly sliced and lightly fried in several entrees. Good. read more

I don't think Rosalinas kitchen is aware there are far better restaurants in Worcester with much better service. Don't waste your time.

Woah, this is not a place to linger. I understand needing to turn tables over on a saturday night but there are better ways to accomplish this than being rude, negative and agressive towards your guests! We were meeting friends from a few hours away in Worcester, hoping for a nice time catching up. We ordered appetizers, entrees, and dessert and after dinner we were reprimanded for taking 2 hours for dinner! (it was actually 1 hour 45minutes but either way... Ive never been scolded by a restaurant owner for trying to enjoy an evening!) The food was pretty good- but watch out for Angela. read more

I've driven by here a lot over the past few months, and finally managed to get in there to eat. Really glad I did. The place is small and cozy, which makes it feel really intimate, and it's BYOB. The staff is really friendly and interested in accommodating the needs of the diner, they even have gluten-free versions of their food. Prices range from about $15-$17 a plate for generous portions. Speaking of food, everything is prepared to order, and they have the standard Italian fare (chicken/eggplant parm, frutti di mare, etc.) but they also have some really interesting and unique dishes as well (ricotta puffs anyone?). I chose some calamari to start (cooked perfectly, tender, not too greasy) and had one of the night's specials for dinner: chicken, artichoke hearts, spinach, and sundried tomato in a vodka cream sauce with gemelli. The pasta was cooked perfectly, the chicken was tender, and the flavor was excellent without being overseasoned. I ended up soaking up every bit of the sauce with the incredible crusty bread they served us. This place is definitely worth checking out, and I mean repeatedly. I can't wait to go back and try some of the other menu items with some friends and family. This is truly some of Worcester's best Italian food. It's as close to home cooked as you can get without being in your own kitchen. Go there. Now. read more

I heard about the restaurant and I was so excited to go there for my birthday. We had a 7:30 PM reservation last Saturday night. We arrived at 7:20 and were lucky enough to find a spot right in front of the restaurant. We were so excited and starving! We walked into the restaurant and there were a lot of people standing at the front door. We were told that even though we had a reservation, we would have to wait. The hostess, owner was extremely curt and unpleasant. She didn't seem to care that we were waiting and waiting. After 45 minutes, we were fed up and decided to leave. No apologies from the owner. She didn't care that we left her restaurant or that she spoiled by birthday. There was one waitress who was so sweet to us but she got yelled at for trying to accommodate us. As much as I wanted to go there, I would never spend my hard earned money on a restaurant that doesn't care about my needs. They shouldn't have accepted the reservation if they couldn't seat us. At the very least, they should have been kind and shown some compassion. We went to Artuoro's in Westborough and had a fabulous meal! read more