Anyone who has met me knows I am very proud of my Italian heritage. And anyone who has ever worked with me knows a day doesn’t go by when I don’t eat Italian food. Lasagna for breakfast? All the time. Pizza at any hour and at any temperature? I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

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But the quintessential Italian dish in my mind is gnocchi. It’s the first pasta Grandma Gossie taught me how to make at age 6. It’s the dish that defined every memorable family gathering of my childhood. Gnocchi, to me, is the dish by which great Italian restaurants, professional chefs and home cooks — like me — are judged.  

So when we went to Rosso Italian, there was no doubt what I would order: The gnocchi.

To say Rosso Italian’s pillowy-soft potato dumplings — handcrafted with precision and love — lived up to to the memory of Grandma Gossie’s deliciousness would be an understatement. Each delicate morsel from Rosso Italian melts on your tongue, releasing a burst of rich, buttery flavor. Tossed in a velvety red sauce, infused with perfect combination garlic and herbs, Rosso Italian’s gnocchi is a culinary masterpiece, a symphony of textures and tastes that lingers, leaving you craving more.

And that, my friends, is but one dish. Rosso Italian, operated by Pomo Restaurant Group (yes, the same folks who make the perfect pizza), offers a contemporary take on high-end Italian cuisine, drawing inspiration from global flavors and influences.

“I always harbored a dream of expanding Pomo Restaurant Group with a new twist,” Owner Stefano Fabbri says. “When the opportunity presented itself, I knew the timing was perfect. The energy and vibe of Downtown Phoenix combined with the perfect location and ambiance solidified my belief that Rosso Italian would be the ultimate dining experience.”

If creating the ultimate dining experience was the goal, Fabbri and his team have succeeded. Rosso Italian’s menu features a selection of carefully crafted entrees, appetizers, seafood and the signature Napoletana pizza from its sister restaurant, Pomo Pizzeria. All menu items are made with the freshest and highest quality ingredients, so they make guests feel like they were transported to Italy with each bite. 

In addition to the house-made gnocchi burrata, some standout menu items are the tagliata di manzo, pork chop Milanese, fusilloni Rosso, yellowtail crudo, tuna tartare burrata and beef carpaccio. But throw a dart at the menu and you’ll walk away with the best dining experience of your life. Rosso Italian is THAT good.

The wine and cocktail offerings have been expertly curated to complement the menu and offer a wide range of options.

Adding to the Mediterranean flavor, the interior design of Rosso Italian is sleek and rustic, with more than a touch of Italian warmth. The 5,000-square-foot space offers bar and pet-friendly patio seating and is a great event space for buy-outs.

Vuoi un pasto perfetto? Vai a Rosso Italiano. 

Rosso Italian

Location: CityScape in Downtown Phoenix

Parking: There is garage and street parking available and there is a two-hour parking validation available when using the Cityscape garages.

Hours: Open Sunday to Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Thursday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. 

Information: rossoitalian.com