Wednesday to Sunday
Open at 4:45 PM
(Closed Monday and Tuesday)
Dine in, Takeout and Delivery Service
Mamma Rosa’s Restaurant in the heart of downtown Kelowna is a truly authentic Italian experience!
Mamma Rosa’s specializes in the art of handcrafted pasta and Italian food. This quaint restaurant feels like an Italian home, right at Mamma’s table. The aromas will entice you and the flavours and fresh ingredients will amaze you!
This downtown Kelowna restaurant was established in 1984 by the Anfuso family. Rosa and her husband Giacomo and their son James opened Mamma Rosa’s on Hwy 97. Their little Italian nook soon became a very popular Kelowna restaurant with line ups of tourists and many locals wanting to experience their unique pasta and pizza daily. Mamma Rosa’s needed to expand so the Anfuso’s moved the restaurant location to downtown Kelowna at 561 Lawrence Ave where you can find them now.
Rosa Anfuso is the mastermind behind the authenticity and truly mouth watering food. She was born in Sicily and moved to Genoa Italy where her love and passion for cooking flourished. Rosa’s cooking talents grew and lead the path to the delicious menu items personally developed by Chef Rosa and James. The specialties are most definitely “secret family recipes.”
Mamma Rosa’s authentic Italian food is unique to other Italian restaurants because of the daily homemade pasta and fresh breads. Their menu is extensive, full of many varieties of fresh pasta made from 100% Derum Semolina and a large selection of tasty and intriguing sauces. Rosa and James use true Italian products imported from Italy such as handmade Mozza (Burratta) made in Puglia, prosciutto di parma, and parmigiana reggiano. It is also their respect for the fresh and seasonal that brings them to create dishes with black winter truffles from Italy, B.C. chanteralls in the fall, and Canadian mussels when available. They pride themselves on using only premium high quality ingredients for every dish they create. Every plate of food is prepared when you order, not hours or days before. Every vegetable is chopped at the moment you order a fresh house salad or heavenly pizza. The fresh garlic toast you receive with your pasta order is divine and the pizza crusts are raved by all who have their first bite.
House specialties range from hand rolled homemade cannelloni (3 types), beautiful layered lasagnes (6 types) one being lasagne pesto (not found anywhere but here), and handcrafted ravioli (2 types). Mamma Rosa’s was the first Kelowna restaurant to introduce focaccia -white pizza, sundried tomatoes, and pesto sauce. Their pesto is divine and of course strictly traditional, the purest of ingredients. A local farmer grows the fresh basil which is picked and at it’s best at the end of July. Rosa and James make 180 litres of the pesto every year!
Mamma Rosa’s Restaurant has been nominated and voted the best Italian Restaurant every year by the people of the Okanagan since this award has been created in 1998.
Mamma Rosa gives back to the community every year. They have raised money for the Kelowna General Hospital and the Canadian Liver Foundation in memory of Giacomo Anfuso -Founder. Since 2003 Mamma Rosa’s has donated $146,000 to these charities with the help of many loyal customers and friends.
Ask your friends about Mamma Rosa’s … and if they haven’t yet had the pleasure, come enjoy this delightful dinning experience together! BUON APPETITIO!!
