In late May, Paul LaRosa and Michael Cammarata, owners of Andover’s LaRosa’s, opened a second outpost of their successful restaurant. The new iteration, in downtown Newburyport, takes up residence where the Italian spot Vera once stood. With 120 seats, including both indoor and outdoor seating, the restaurant continues the precedent set by the Andover flagship, which opened in 2009: Italian scratch-made food, served in a casual setting to a discerning crowd.
Owner/partner Michael Cammarata, owners Melissa Gauthier and Paul LaRosa (from L to R).
“I think it felt like a natural progression,” says Paul LaRosa of the newest opening. “I thought that the dining scene in Newburyport was something that we’d be a great part of, to add to the great dining scene that already exists.” LaRosa’s existing customer base, he says, includes people who hail from Andover originally but who have moved to Newburyport seeking a coastal lifestyle. “We have a lot of customers in the area,” he says. “A lot of customers also frequent [Newburyport], especially in the nice weather.” Capturing the demographic in this market seemed to make sense, he says. The restaurant is already taking off, with enthusiasm mounting on both weekdays and weekends.
Pesto Pizza
Pizza Perfection
LaRosa’s purchased both the building and its contents from the previous owner, and, when they did, they benefited from a few added perks. When LaRosa’s took up residence in the Market Square space, for instance, they inherited an imported Italian pizza oven, and so they have added to their roster a selection of Neapolitan-style pizzas, cooked at 900 degrees for about two minutes. Pies are based on a 48-hour-proofed dough, LaRosa says, which keeps them “nice and airy.” “The idea is that you could eat a whole pizza yourself, just like they do in Europe. It was really a big thing for us, to create something, a vehicle for fresh, quality ingredients,” he says.
Signature Espresso Martini
The pizza is one draw, LaRosa says, and the setting is another entirely. Armed with a prime location, LaRosa offers guests the best of both worlds: the opportunity to sit outside with a view of the brick-paved downtown area, all while enjoying superlative Italian cuisine. “People want to be in the hustle and bustle,” he notes. “I think our location—being right on the corner, right as you turn onto State Street, Market Square—if you’re outside there, you’re seeing the world pass by you. And I think there’s no better place to have a spritz or a cocktail and some high-quality food.”
The welcoming interiors
Scratch Kitchen
Speaking of food, the restaurant holds the kitchen to exacting standards. LaRosa’s serves fresh pastas, some of which, like the gnocchi, are made in house. (Other pastas, like tagliatelle, run as daily specials.) The basement, set up to function as a prep kitchen, is where the magic happens. “We make all our dough in house,” LaRosa says. “We have some world-class dough-making machines, imported from Italy, to go along with the imported oven.” The restaurant, he notes, has no freezer, so all the food is produced fresh daily; when it’s gone, it’s gone. Sauces, pastas, and daily accompanying sides are made fresh from scratch.
Gnocchi alla Vodka
Although the restaurant has been open only a few months, demand and excitement have built up quickly. Reservations are accepted on a limited basis, and the restaurant reserves them for indoor tables only, both to guard against the weather and to ensure that the outdoor seating is kept open for diners. “We also have a 24-seat bar,” LaRosa says, which remains the restaurant’s beating heartbeat. On any given night, the bar is a place where locals meet to commiserate, eat, and enjoy a glass of Italian wine. The restaurant is currently open for both lunch and dinner, seven days a week, and LaRosa thinks that they will expand the operation to include takeout—eventually. But, for now, guests are content to make this newcomer a part of the fabric of Newburyport’s community. And LaRosa’s has been thrilled for the warm welcome. “We’re a family-run business,” Paul LaRosa says. “We’re super happy to be a part of the Newburyport community.” Given how full the restaurant has been at prime dining hours, Newburyport seems just as happy to share space with this Andover ex-pat.
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Dining and Cooking