The Rosa

The Rosa

real estate Our Story
The building that houses the Rosa restaurant was built in 1815 following the third and most severe of the three great Portsmouth fires. The first one, on December 26th, 1802 devastated the Market Square area. The second, on December 24th, 1806 began on Bow Street and went up Market Street towards the square. And the third, on December 22nd, 1813 destroyed 300 buildings along State Street from the Unitarian Church all the way down to the river. Following the third fire, the city enacted the "brick laws" forbidding the building of tall wooden structures in the downtown area. The Rosa building was built during the reconstruction of the State Street area.
In the early 1900''s, the building was the childhood home of Ralph Rosa. Ralph had worked as a cook for several area restaurants throughout high school and into his twenties before finding a job at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. However, after loosing that job due to layoffs in 1926, his mother suggested opening an Italian restaurant out of her home using her family recipes. So, with the help of his mother, an Italian chef, and a small wait staff, Ralph Rosa opened The Rosa Restaurant on December 22nd, 1927.

The early years were a struggle, and The Rosa actually had to close for a couple of months during the height of the Great Depression, but the end of prohibition brought better days to the restaurant (The Rosa being the first restaurant in New Hampshire to obtain a liquor license after prohibition). Ralph Rosa opened a lounge next door called The Forrest Club in the 1940''s which evolved in to the Cara Mia Lounge in the early 1960''s while the restaurant had quickly become a local favorite for Italian-American fare.

The restaurant was purchased from the Rosa family by Ralph''s long-time friend and customer Joe Hunt in 1981. Since that time Joe and his wife Pamela have done several renovations to the building, added two more dining areas upstairs, purchased a private parking lot directly across the street, and expanded upon the menu to include several steak and seafood options on top of the traditional Italian fare of parmigiana, pizza, veal, and pasta.

The Rosa neighborhood has also seen its fair share of changes in recent years. The South end of Portsmouth has been transformed from a residential working class neighborhood to more of an extension of the downtown district with several shops, galleries, restaurants, museums, and theaters. The old homes in the "Puddle Dock" neighborhood directly behind The Rosa are now a part of The Strawberry Banke Museum, and the old warehouses along the river across from The Rosa which used to be home to many area merchants and were a part of Portsmouth''s great history as one of the most active seaports in the area are now home to several computer companies, real estate agencies, inns, and the Seacoast Repertory Theater.

Today The Rosa Restaurant is a staple among Portsmouth residents for dining out. There are five separate dining areas, each with it''s own charm, and there are two function rooms to accommodate private parties and special occasions as well as business meetings.

While The Rosa has certainly changed with the times, we have not forgotten where we came from and the people who made us what we are, and we have not forgotten what Ralph Rosa set out to do all those years ago and that is to provide good, hearty, consistent, mid-priced meals and great service in a casual atmosphere that always makes you feel welcome.




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80 State Street Portsmouth, New Hampshire 603-436-9715


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