The pizzas at Rosa’s are made in the woodfired oven, resulting in deliciously charred bases. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Rosa’s was a last-minute addition to the expansive Lawns of The Lobby precinct. The team behind the revitalisation of The Lobby building added the back deck and service area for the casual garden bar and kiosk after they’d nearly finalised their plans for the area. But it’s a good thing they had the belated brainwave, with Rosa’s quickly becoming a go-to favourite for nearby public servants to pick up a coffee and pastry in the morning or after-work drinks in the idyllic setting of the National Rose Gardens.
Dropping in for a weekday lunch, it’s immediately clear just how much of a favourite it has become: the deck is full of groups enjoying the dappled spring sunshine.
Unfortunately, we arrived shortly after two large groups had ordered, and we were informed there would be a 25-minute wait for pizzas. I briefly consider the ready-made sandwiches on the counter but the panuozzo special has caught my eye, and I am also keen on the sausage pizza. Expectations set, we go for the pizza dishes anyway and order some fries to tide us over.
The deck at Rosa’s looks out over the rose garden and is a lovely place for breakfast, lunch, or an after-work drink. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
I was pleasantly surprised by the fries: the herb salt is flavoursome and gives them a moreish quality. I’d intended to just snack on them a little until the pizza arrived, but we were devouring them instead!
Described as “the Italian lovechild of a pizza and sandwich”, the panuozzo is essentially a cooked pizza base, folded around meat and salad. It’s well worth the wait. Today’s special was roast beef with caramelised onion, mayo and rocket. It’s a classic combination, and I enjoy the extra artichokes, too. The whole thing is fresh, filling and delicious.
The pizza base on both dishes is soft and bubbly with a charred base and exactly the right amount of chew. The sausage pizza is also delicious; the zucchini pickles add a nice counterpoint to the salty sausage meat and cheese. There’s a perfectly equitable distribution of toppings (don’t you hate it when some pieces get all the good stuff and others none?), and if I didn’t have to go back to the office, I think it would have paired very nicely with a light red wine.
The panuozzo is somewhere between a pizza and a sandwich. Check the specials for the day’s filling. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Casting my eye over the wine list, I see that it’s compact but full of big hitters like Vasse Felix from WA and locals MADA Wines. Capital Brewing beers are on tap or grab a tinnie of a non-alcoholic Heaps Normal. Cocktails are also available, and I can bet that Rosa’s will start pumping for after-work drinks functions now that the weather is warming up.
The rose gardens are a lovely setting. There are no flowers at the moment, but the established trees and expansive lawns are nice at any time of year. I’ve been told the liquor licence extends a fair way down the grass area, which opens up possibilities for extra seating or perhaps even lawn games in the summer.
The herb-salted fries at Rosa’s on the lawns are particularly moreish. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
There’s a tempting tiramisu on the menu, but alas, I am full of pizza and need to get back to the office. Next time.
Rosa’s is located at King George Terrace, Parkes. They are open from 7 am to 4 pm Monday to Wednesday, 7 am to 8 pm Thursday and Friday, 7:30 am to 8 pm on Saturday and 7:30 am to 4 pm on Sunday. See the menu and book online. Follow Rosa’s on Facebook and Instagram.
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