Top Chef superstar announces big return of his shuttered downtown Italian restaurant

One of the first restaurants to shutter at the start of the pandemic will finally resume service this week after 18 months away. Rosalie Italian Soul reopens its doors inside downtown's C. Baldwin Hotel this Wednesday, September 15.

First opened in October 2019, Rosalie is the first Texas project for acclaimed chef Chris Cosentino, known for his restaurants Cockscomb in San Francisco and Jackrabbit in Portland, Oregon, as well as for winning season four of Top Chef Masters. Named for Cosentino's great grandmother, the restaurant takes its inspiration from the Italian-American cuisine the chef grew up with.

“I’m incredibly excited about reopening Rosalie Italian Soul,” Cosentino said in a statement. “The food at Rosalie represents immigrant cuisine in America, and as an Italian-American descendent of immigrants, those dishes and the stories they tell are so close to my heart. I can’t wait to work with Jacob to tell those stories again to Houston diners.”

"Jacob" is the restaurant's new executive chef, Jacob Coronado, who replaces opening chef Sasha Grumman. Most recently chef de cuisine at CultureMap Tastemaker Awards Restaurant of the Year winner Nobie's, Coronado will oversee Rosalie's kitchen along with the hotel's other culinary operations, including private events, in-room dining, and welcome amenities, according to a release.

“This is an incredible opportunity for me,” Coronado said. “Italian-American cuisine is soulful, and I’m thrilled to be creating elevated renditions of classic Italian-American dishes that speak to that soulfulness.”

While both the chef and food and beverage director David Tinsley are new to Rosalie, much of the food remains the same. Fans will find favorites such as blue crab manicotti, Texas wild boar ragu, and pepperoni pizza remain. While the whole chicken Milanese appears to be gone for now — hopefully not for good — the chefs have added a few new items such as snapper with wild mushrooms and hanger steak "pizzaiolo-style" with tomatoes and cherry peppers that should give diners plenty of solid choices.

Also intact is the restaurant's retro-styled space, which takes its inspiration from Rosalie Cosentino’s ’70s-era kitchen. Details include retro TVs and custom walnut shelving that holds records, boomboxes, and art. Denim-covered banquettes, raised booths, and a family-style common table provide a mix of seating options.

Rosalie will be open daily for lunch from 11 am-2 pm and dinner from 5-9 pm.