Pat Pascarella has had a busy few years building the Porchetta Group, with hits like The White Bull and three Grana locations. But closures at Alici and Bastone signaled a need to adjust. Atlanta Magazine reports his response is Rosso, an "old-school red-sauce joint" opening near the corner of 10th Street and Virginia Avenue in Midtown.
The concept is a deliberate step away from the regional Italian cuisines Pascarella served at his previous spots. "I tried doing fancy, trendy dishes for Instagram," he told the magazine. "Now I'm back to the food I want to eat."
The decor leans into the cliches: red-and-white checkered tablecloths and a portrait of Frank Sinatra. The menu features modestly priced Italian American hits, the kind of comfort food that defined American-Italian restaurants for generations. Think blanched and sauteed dishes with high-end technique but familiar flavors.
Rosso sits alongside Bar Pilar, an Ernest Hemingway-themed speakeasy that shares the space. For Pascarella, it is a reset after expansion did not go as planned. For the Midtown strip near Piedmont Park, it adds another option in a neighborhood that keeps adding residents faster than restaurants.
