Rossella to open Muswell Hill restaurant with deli and bar in May 2026, marking first expansion in 14 years

Kentish Town Italian restaurant and deli Rossella is expanding to Muswell Hill in early May 2026, with founder Luca Meola opening a second site at 107 Muswell Hill Road (N10 3HS) to bring together a restaurant, bar and deli under one roof.

The expansion follows more than a decade of trading at the original Kentish Town site, where Rossella has operated since 2012. Meola, a second-generation Italian Londoner, opened that first restaurant at the age of 19, drawing on a family hospitality background that stretches back to Benevento in southern Italy, where his family opened their first restaurant in 1960. His father, Luigi, later moved to London in 1978 and ran a trattoria in Seven Kings, Ilford, before Luca carried the family name northwards with the Kentish Town opening.

The Muswell Hill site has been designed by Faber & Co with a layered, retro aesthetic intended to give the impression of a space that has developed gradually over time. The layout includes a dedicated restaurant area, a separate bar focused on aperitivo and cocktails, and a deli section stocking Rossella’s own-label products and Italian hampers. The bar can also be reconfigured into a private dining space for up to 30 guests.

The menu builds on Rossella’s existing Italian cooking while introducing a broader à la carte selection with greater emphasis on main courses. Dishes include Tagliatelle Ragù di Agnello, a slow-braised lamb ragù; Spaghetti allo Scoglio in a Napoli sauce; Veal Milanese; Bistecca Tagliata, a sliced steak served with rocket and parmesan; and Salmone alla Puttanesca. Antipasti feature Bruschetta di Pomodoro made with ciabatta sourced from Dunn’s Bakery, a long-established local business in Muswell Hill, alongside Mozzarella Fritta.

A pizza counter positioned beside the bar will serve as a focal point in the room, where chefs will prepare pizzas using a 48-hour slow-fermented dough. Options include the Friarielli, topped with Sicilian pork and fennel sausage, sautéed friarielli and red chilli.

One of the more distinctive elements of the dining experience will be the dessert service: Rossella’s homemade Tiramisu will be served tableside from a vintage drinks trolley that originally belonged to Meola’s grandfather.

Drinks will include house wines sourced directly from the Meola family vineyard in Benevento, Limoncello and Meloncello produced on the Amalfi Coast using family recipes, and cocktails such as Negronis made with Sacred Vermouth – distilled in nearby Highgate – and Espresso Martinis served in vintage glassware.

Luca Meola said: “Everything we do at Rossella comes from my family and how I grew up. Food was always about bringing people together around the table, and that’s still what drives it now. Muswell Hill feels like somewhere that really values that kind of place, somewhere local, relaxed and genuinely part of the neighbourhood. We’re not trying to reinvent anything, it’s about doing things properly, sharing those traditions and creating somewhere that feels like part of people’s everyday life.”

The restaurant will be family-friendly and dog-friendly, with a children’s menu and planned pizza-making workshops for younger guests, as well as a programme of wine tastings and other events.

Food Desk

For further information and reservations to the current Rossella Restaurant in Kentish Town, visit the website here.