Rosmarino is located in Carlton Towers
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Chef Abhijit Saha has been part of Asia’s food landscape for decades now, with boundary-pushing restaurants like Caperberry and Fava, and Michelin recognised Saha in Singapore. His latest venture is, Rosmarino, a laid-back, southern Italian style restaurant located in Bengaluru.
“At Rosmarino the focus is more regional and artisanal. The Idea was to open an Italian restaurant with a focus on southern Italian cuisine from the regions of Campania, Sicily and Puglia. Also, the restaurant is a tribute to the Napoli which is the birthplace of Neapolitan pizza,” he tells us.
Chef Abhijit Saha
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement
The restaurant is located inside Carlton Towers, which was the site of an unfortunate fire 15 years ago. The towers are located on Old Airport road making its close to the bustling Indiranagar. Rosmarino is on the ground floor, with ample parking. “With the opening of Rosmarino, I also wanted to revive Carlton Towers, one of the original food hubs of Bengaluru.”
Bread talk
Rosmarino is the Italian name for the herb rosemary “The herb is very popular in southern Italian cuisine besides basil and oregano.” We take a seat in the alfresco area and it has a bistro-like feel with wicker chairs looking up to the blue skies.
After sipping on our coffees, which are nothing to write home about, we start with the garlic flat bread. There are many options; we go for the cipolla caramellita. The seeded sourdough bread is topped with caramelised onions, baby potatoes, and two types of cheese. The bread is fluffy and has the distinct tang of fresh sourdough.
The cream of cremini and porcini mushroom soup is rich and comforting. The asparagus and blue cheese arancini is tasty, but lacks the strong blue cheese flavour which I am a fan of. I also recommend the prawn alla busara, where the prawns are tossed with a tomato sauce, saffron, garlic and chilli flakes. The breadcrumbs and Italian herbs add texture.
Cipolla caramellita garlic bread
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement
Handcrafted pasta
Their pastas look tempting, so we go for one portion of spaghetti in a pomodoro sauce. The pasta is cooked just right, and the classic Italian tomato sauce coats each noodle. The freshness of the sauce comes through, and the simple dish is elevated with the notes of basil. The ingredients shine in this one.
Fazzoletti, a type of pasta that translates to little handkerchiefs, are made with large square sheets of dough. The chefs at Rosmarino hand make and laminate the fresh pasta in the open kitchen that you can peak into. Edible flowers and herbs are pressed into the pasta, before it is cooked with a butter, truffle and cheese sauce. I skip dessert, but the tira-mess, a tiramisu served with a chilled latte, comes highly recommended.
At Rosmaroni, I am impressed by how tasty a dish can be when fresh ingredients meet simple flavours. That is what Abhijit’s expertise brings to the table, the nuance that many Italian restaurants lack.
Published – December 13, 2025 02:27 pm IST
Dining and Cooking