Welcome to Montreal, Rosetta! This chic Italian bakery café is situated in St-Henri and is just the place to be if you’re looking for that next Instagrammable brunch picture.
The bakery, which is co-run by Rocco Cammalleri and his mother Maria Cammalleri, is an homage to Rocco’s grandmother, Rosetta.
“A lot of the products that we sell here, are based off of [my grandmother’s] recipes,” says Rocco Cammalleri.
Upon entering the bakery, I was instantly impressed with the style and aesthetic of the place. With striking black tiles, and beautiful marble tables, I felt like I was all the more chic just for having chosen to eat there.
Rocco says they were very deliberate in choosing the look of the store. He gives credit to a Belgian designer, Benjamin Van den Eede, who is responsible for ideas such as the concrete floors and exposed vents.
When it was finally time to order, I couldn’t decide because everything looked so appetizing. I finally rationalized that I can’t come to an Italian bakery café and not try their pizza. So, I ordered a cheese pizza.
When it finally arrived, the pizza was on a wooden serving tray. From afar, it looked like it was just a little slice of square pizza, but when the employee was done heating it up, I knew I was about to eat something that would give Domino’s a run for it’s money.
(Side note: there is a Domino’s right in front of Rosetta’s)
As I ate my pizza, with a knife and fork, I couldn’t help but appreciate the thick yet soft dough, the crunchy crust, and—what ultimately blew me away—the authentic tomato sauce. I made sure to chew slowly so I could savour each bite.
To my surprise, Rocco came with a free plate of dessert—which doesn’t come automatically with the meal—to help me wash down the pizza. An array of sweets were waiting for me as soon as I finished my meal. If you have a sweet tooth, this should probably become your new hangout spot. If you don’t have a sweet tooth, this would be the place to successfully change all of that.
Rosetta’s has yet to really work on advertising about their opening to the public, “yet business has been booming,” says Rocco. One customer, Darius Martin, said he comes often for the pizza, and is never disappointed. Another customer, Kaaria Quash, said he goes for the rice balls because “it’s like a surprise for my mouth.”
Next time you’re craving something sweet, savory, or just want fresh bread, check out Rosetta and get your Italian fix for less than 20 bucks.