Last Updated on June 28, 2026
3.8 out of 5.0 starsNeighbourhood restaurant with a good time vibes
There are some neighbourhood restaurants that warm the heart. The place is packed with multi-generation families – grandparents sharing ice cream with their grandkids, the sound of children’s voices not having to be quietened because almost every table has at least one child seated at it. This was the scene at 6.30 pm on a Thursday night at Rossella in Muswell Hill. By 8 pm, the children had left, the vacant tables turned, and the restaurant was packed once again, this time with couples and small groups out for a local dinner. Being a very warm evening, the restaurant terrace was full, every sunflower-yellow chair filled. Indoors, both arms of the L-shaped room were full too. Rossella is an airy space, decorated with double-volume glass with vibrant green frames. On a summer’s night, the bifold doors were thrown open, and it felt almost Mediterranean. There are mustard-coloured curtains and attractive ceiling lights to match. There is a small deli section at the entrance.
The restaurant has recently opened its second branch, the original in Kentish Town having opened in 2011. The family that runs the restaurants hail from Italy, where their forbears opened a trattoria in the 1960s. A seasoned member of staff told me that what makes Rossella a success is consistency. Certainly, when a restaurant like Rossella is bedding down in a new neighbourhood, it brings with it the reputation of the original. The women in my Pilates class were comparing the Kentish Town branch, which they frequent, with the new one – the kind of conversation that occurs when a well-loved eatery gets a new family member. Rossella Muswell Hill has been open for a couple of months and is still training up its staff. Yes, there were some teething problems that a reviewer noticed, but I am sure these will be ironed out.
When I think back to the local Italian restaurant my family frequented when I was growing up, it is not the quality of the food that I recall but the warmth of the welcome and the consistency. You know what the menu looks like, you know which dishes you like and which you don’t. You usually order the same dishes. The waiters know who you are and which is your favourite table. I suspect that this is the sort of place that Rossella might become in Muswell Hill, a leafy suburb in North West London, which has many family-style eateries.
The menu at Rossella ticked all the boxes of a classic Italian restaurant – pizzas and handmade pastas can be ordered gluten-free, there were a few large salads and main courses, including veal Milanese and pollo saltimbocca. While enjoying an Aperol spritz and a Botovino (Botivo with ginger beer), we nibbled on rosemary focaccia, which was accompanied by a dipping bowl of balsamic vinegar and a very good extra virgin olive oil – grassy and peppery and available from the deli. The wine list offers ten Italian whites and reds, and there is an enticing cocktail menu, which I am sure will be popular on the terrace this summer.
Calamari fritti was served with a creamy aioli. While the calamari was tender, the batter lacked seasoning. Burrata e pera was colourful, and I liked the contrasting nutty flavour and crunch of the toasted walnuts with the soft creaminess of the burrata. The pear listed on the menu was cut into tiny pieces, thereby losing the ability to contribute its lovely fruity notes to the dish. A simple tweak of cutting the pear into large pieces should sort that out.
There was a good selection of classic pasta dishes. My guest chose tonnarelli cozze e vongole which looked delicious and had a generous scattering of clams and small mussels. The shellfish were sauteed in garlic and white wine with cherry tomatoes, chilli, and a sprinkle of bottarga.
My branzino al limone was a generous plateful – a pool of tasty lemon and wine sauce on which sat a layer of sauteed potatoes, a fillet of pan-fried seabass, a generous serving of small prawns and a tangle of watercress. Garnished with cherry tomatoes and a pile of green beans. The beans were a tad overcooked, and the potatoes needed proper sautéeing, but it was a colourful dish and very filling.
The dessert menu specified that the tiramisu was homemade, which makes me suspect that the other offerings may not be. The gelato and sorbet are bought in. I am not sure that it matters so much as the fact that the kids can order rainbow sprinkles with their ice cream.
We ended the meal with a good quality espresso and a peppermint tea. My guest enjoyed the family recipe limoncello, which is also available on the deli shelves, along with meloncello and nocciola.
Rossella is a lively neighbourhood restaurant in Muswell Hill, where you can be sure of a warm welcome and a buzzing ambience. It is a great place for a family lunch or an early dinner, for enjoying a pizza with your parents or your kids. There is a cinema around the corner from the restaurant, so Rossella is perfectly positioned for a pre- or post-movie date night. An eatery for any occasion.
Rossella, 107 Muswell Hill Rd, Muswell Hill, London N10 3HS
Phone: 020 46367772
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