The Rosa Restaurant

Portsmouth, NH

Photography: David Maurand/David Murray

The Rosa Restaurant is located within the Historic District of downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  

The goal of this project was to renovate the Rosa Restaurant, the oldest running restaurant in the Portsmouth community, to an open concept interior while maintaining elements of this 85 year old family-style Italian restaurant. The program called for approximately 190 seats. 

The primary design solution for the interior was to have an open concept and include materials that fit the historic nature of the building. This is accomplished by providing large openings between the three dining areas and an open kitchen. Folding windows were incorporated along the sidewalk façade to open the dining spaces to the exterior in warmer months. The existing brick walls have been exposed on the interior and matching brick veneer has been added on many wall finishes. Reclaimed wood flooring and LED fixtures have been utilized.