Vine Hospitality, founded by Chef Roland Passot and the team behind the Bay Area restaurants such as Left Bank Brasserie, LB Steak, Petite Left Bank, Meso Modern Mediterranean and Camper, is launching Rollati Ristorante, a modern Italian-American restaurant, opening in the Miro building in the heart of downtown San Jose on Friday, September 15, 2023.
Rollati, the first Italian restaurant for the group, is inspired by the food and hospitality that shaped Vine CEO Obadiah Ostergard’s upbringing. With a menu that reflects Italy’s rich cultural heritage and the evolution of Italian-American cooking in the U.S., the dishes are familiar and comforting by design. Located at the base of the new Miro residential development, the restaurant offers a large space for indoor and outdoor dining, as well as an upscale provisions market featuring freshly prepared foods for those on the go and Italian pantry staples to take home.
“Over thirty years, our restaurants have developed an impeccable reputation, quickly becoming neighborhood favorites,” says Ostergard in a statement. “All of our restaurants feel personal, but this one feels particularly so. I’m excited not only to open our first Italian restaurant, but also our first restaurant in downtown San Jose.”
Rollati’s menu features dishes from across Italy, as well as those perfected in Italian kitchens across America. The menu features classic and familiar favorites alongside market driven dishes, inspired by seasonal ingredients from local farmers and seafood purveyors, with the occasional nod to a modern pantry. Fresh pasta, made in house, features prominently on the menu; and guests can get a glimpse of the process from a window in the dining room which overlooks the pasta station.
Menu options include:
● Linguine alle Vongole
● Thousand Layer Lasagna
● Chicken di Parma with marinara and mozzarella
● Whole Sea Bream with black garlic bagna càuda
● Spicy Pie with spicy honey, mozzarella, soppressata and basil
● Pork Saltimbocca with prosciutto di parma, pork au jus and garlic mashed potato
Menu development was truly a family affair as CEO Obadiah Ostergard worked closely with his nephew, Chef Sam Gimlewicz, to develop a menu reminiscent of the hospitality and many treasured family meals enjoyed around his grandparent’s table – while being pushed by Passot to source locally and cook from the heart. “This restaurant is personal for me,” says Ostergard. “It’s been an opportunity to pay homage to the people in my life who were so influential in cultivating my love of food and hospitality.”
Chef Christian Luxton will oversee the daily operations as the chef de cuisine. The restaurant will open with dinner only, with lunch and weekend brunch coming in the following weeks.
The bar program features a comprehensive array of Italian-inspired cocktails, aperitifs and digestifs with multiple variations on spritzes, martinis and the classic negroni, including a seasonal martini and rotating cocktails on draft. There is also a collection of seasonal drafts and bottled beer. Director of Wine & Spirits Serena Harkey has developed a robust wine collection of bottles and by-the-glass options from producers throughout Italy and California thoughtfully selected for pairing with the menu’s Italian flavors. Harkey is especially proud of the selection of Franciacorta wines made from Chardonnay and in the traditional Methode Champenoise style.
“When we started working on Rollati’s beverage program, I knew immediately that I wanted Franciacorta to star on the wine list,” Harkey says. “Prosecco may be much better known, but Franciacorta offers all the elegance and refinement of champagne and remarkable versatility to complement various occasions and food pairings.”
Cocktail options include:
● Heirloom Tomato Martini featuring olive oil washed vodka, heirloom tomato and a touch of balsamic
● Bufala Negra featuring Woodford Reserve Bourbon, basil, balsamic and ginger ale
● Limoncello Spritz featuring house-made limoncello, Ketel One, Prosecco and soda
In the weeks following opening, Rolatti will roll out a happy hour program on weekdays and will also feature DJs spinning records in the bar on Friday and Saturday nights.
Arcsine, the Oakland design and architecture firm who designed the latest new restaurants from the group, including Petite Left Bank in Tiburon and the new Left Bank Brasserie in Jack London Square, transformed the space on the corner of Santa Clara and South Fourth Street in a way that feels both completely modern and nostalgic all at once. The space is sleek but soulful; black and white photos conjure the “old world,” while the airy open space and floor-to-ceiling windows imbue the restaurant with light and vitality. A rich black stone bar top with distinctive veining evokes a classic European feel and grounds the space, while wood finishes, deep green hues and terracotta accents provide a sophisticated spin on an elegant but understated classic “Italian diner”.
Photo: Leila Seppa
