LaRosa Restaurant & Sports Bar New Britain, CT

Are you looking for a local hometown restaurant with a large portioned meal at a good price?

Have you been to LaRosa's Restaurant and Sports Bar lately?

The restaurant, a fixture in New Britain, sits humbly nestled at 145 East St. It is a family owned restaurant by New Britain natives Bob and Pat Rametta and daughter Tammy Rametta-Nolan.

"We consider our place a mom and pop shop with good prices and a friendly atmosphere," said Tammy,

Bob Rametta, well-known across the city, once ran for alderman and was the Columbia Federation candidate. He was a banker, but, it was a restaurant and bar he always wanted to own.

"We lived in New Britain our whole lives," said Bob. "Most people know who we are and like our food."

Pat Rametta does a lot of work for St. Ann's Church, is a corporater for the Hospital of Central Connecticut and is a long-time worker at the local Webster Bank.
The family has owned the restaurant for 24 years. The last 15 years, Tammy has been the main cook.

"When we got the restaurant, we decided we wanted to keep the Polish cuisine because that was what we known for," she said. "I just kind of went with it and have been doing my own thing."

The Polish Platter, which includes kielbasa, sauerkraut, stuffed cabbage, three pierogi's and mashed potato with gravy for only $12.95 has been a favorite among regular customers. Polish cutlets, fresh soups, a $12.95 prime rib special on Saturday nights only and a pork loin meal are among some of the restaurants other specialty items. Meals come with vegetable du jour, tossed salad or soup, mashed potatoes or French fries and bread and butter.

"People who come in here are nice and really get along," said Bob. "We have a nice mixture of people."

But, for those who are new to the restaurant, the food is the treat they have been seeking.

"When we see people who are new I always want to know how they heard about us. I love meeting new people," said Tammy. "I want to be sure they enjoyed the food and had a good experience."

Several years ago a Hartford Courant food critic visited the establishment giving them a 3 star rating.

"That's pretty good," said Tammy. "He really liked the Polish food and soups."

The restaurant serves about 40 people with booths and tables. It is fit for casual attire and is cash only. It is handicapped accessible and has plenty of parking in the back lot.

The restaurant is open for both lunch and dinner and a full service bar is available. Call ahead for take-out and catering is also available upon request.

The sports bar is open Monday-Thursday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Lunch is served in the restaurant Monday through Friday 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Dinner is served Wednesday through Saturday from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

For more information call 860-225-6187.

Quick Review: (The Delmonico steak was cooked to perfection and came with a hearty helping of mashed potatoes. Pot Roast and curly fries were an overwhelming portion. Pot roast was tender and moist. Salad and side dishes were very satisfying.)