Rossi’s resets in Big Pine
If you live in Big Pine, the Rossi Family is well-known to you. The Rossis are one of Big Pine’s pioneer families with a history that goes well back to the town’s earliest days.
If you are a traveler on the 395 corridor, there is a good chance you have stopped for drinks at Rossi’s Place, which is owned by Mike Rossi, or perhaps had dinner at the now-closed Rossi’s Steak & Spaghetti Restaurant.
According to Mike Rossi’s mother, Alma, the family bought the building in 1939, which today is the site of Carroll’s Market. Back then it housed a restaurant and a bar. Mike took over the bar in 1954 when he left military service. The bar remained at the original location until 1994 when Mike’s cousin, Duane Rossi, asked Mike if he would be interested in moving the bar to just up the street to compliment Duane’s new restaurant, Rossi’s Steak and Spaghetti.
The bar had a great run at that location for twenty years and then, in a positive variation on “what goes around, comes around,” the bar relocated to its original location at 142 South Main Street this summer.
The “newly-relocated” Rossi’s Place still retains the same warm and friendly atmosphere for which it has always been known. It features a full bar and food made from homemade recipes.
The ladies seem to especially enjoy the Vodka Collins. As for the food, everything is “Fresh? Not Frozen.” All the pizza crusts are made from scratch. There are the “Build your own Pizzas,” sandwiches, and salads with Rossi’s “Original” Famous Bleu Cheese Dressing available along with great Beer-battered Onion Rings! Diners recommend trying the BBQ Chicken and Chicken Alfredo Specialty Pizzas.
With Mike Rossi behind the bar, often with his wife Yvette, it is as it has always been? very much a family business. Alyx Bien is the chef who whips up the magic in the kitchen, while granddaughter-in-law Kendra Kelly works as a waitress and back-up bartender. Granddaughter Breanne Nelums steps in as a back-up waitress, and all manner of Rossi’s relatives and friends stop in. And there are a lot of them!
Rossi’s Place opens at 5 p.m, It is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. There is food service from 5-9 p.m. and Rossi’s is open for Monday Night Football! It is closed on the major holidays. Take out is available by calling 760.938.2308.
