We'd heard a lot of buzz around town about this new pizza place in Stock Island. I then was working with a client when one of his co-workers brought in left over pizza from Roostica for anyone to grab. I tried a slice and you better believe we were there two days later. I can honestly say they have some of the most amazing pizzas I've ever tried. If you're a fan of white pizza, try the mushroom and truffle pizza. I ordered the Margarita pizza, but now want to go back to try their Special Margarita Pizza (don't ask me the difference). The atmosphere is nice and thank God they don't pipe endless Frank Sinatra music into the restaurant. The staff were very pleasant and we can't wait to go back.
(5)
Joe W.
This place MUST be going through some growing pains in its beginning. Stopped in and seen a full restaurant with only seating at the bar. This place has a great atmosphere, (warning it's loud) and the prices are defintely aimed at the Key Haven crowd, and not the Stock Island crowd where this restaurant is located. I grabbed a Draft Beer ($4 each) and "John's Pizza" ($16). The pizza is roughly the size of a medium pizza from Domino's (which you can get for $5.99 carryout). The taste of this $16 pizza was very dissapointing. The pizza came out and had mushrooms on it, which wasn't listed on the menu. I notified the bartender, and she contacted the "expediter" (the guy that stands at the hot lamp table and takes the food from the lamps to the waitress/bartender) he got in an argument with her that it supposed to come with mushrooms, so she had to correct him and show him what the menu says. All this is happening in front of us, then we watch him take the pizza to the cooks. The cooks then proceed to use their hands and pick the mushrooms off the pizza as much as they could find. They then put some arugula on the pizza and gave it back to the expediter. The bartender was sitting there watching along with us, then she came out from behind the bar, and told them to make an entire new pizza. If they would increase the portion size, and the amount of toppings added to the pizza it would taste better. The taste ended up being on the bland side, and I feel it was due to lack of sauce and toppings, that the taste of the dough just overpowered everything. The pizza is thin to where it can't handle what little toppings are on the pizza, and becomes SOGGY very very quickly. Good luck on Parking here as more than likely you are going to have to park across the street in a lot that says "no parking". There are only 2-3 parking spots in front of the restaurant. It was pretty dissapointing to see the owners truck parked right next to the handicap parking, which makes 1 less spot for customers. So now for the scoring scale 1-5. Value = 1 Customer Service (bartender) 5 Food Quality = 3 No, I can't recommend anyone eating here, until they atleast get the things that I mentioned above FIXED! I would be willing to go back and try them out again, and giving an update on my review here, however I won't be paying to go there again.
(2)
Stephanie F.
Best pizza I've ever had in Key West. The brick oven pizzas are delicious. Unfortunately, I haven't tried anything else here. That being said the pizzas were great and the service was very good. It's also in a non-touristy part of town which is nice. I'd definitely recommend checking this place out.
(4)
Bob S.
NIce alternative to historic Key West area. Great food, specialty pizzas, attentive and friendly staff. Full bar with TVs.
(4)
Jordan V.
Went to the grand opening today! The owners are the owners of the iconic Hogfish Bar & Grill, and Geiger Key Marina, and they have brought great food to the historic Stock Island for years! So, we were very excited when we heard they were taking on an authentic Italian restaurant. The pizza, which is wood fired, is GOOD! Not the best, not memorable but delicious! The toppings are very light, and they don't put them far out to the edges. This is not your down and dirty pizza that you would expect to order for the big game, or I'm not even sure if it would feed 2 very hungry people. But it is delicious, but with the freshness, and because the fancy place, you can expect to pay $10-$15 for a pizza. The lasagna, let me tell you...Fresh pasta, fresh meatballs, great taste! Not much cheese, which really showed the flavors through this amazing dish! $13 for it, but it feeds 2 and comes with Foccacia bread. I sat at the bar to get my food to go, and the hostess was great about escorting me to the right place to get my order. Some of the employees were sitting around, have side conversations, and even wearing their headphones around their necks like they were DJ's. Surprising because the owners were there enjoying the grand opening, and I had a hard time understanding why the unprofessionalism was being tolerated on such an important night. I heard conversations about how the place was dead, and the grand opening was not what they had expected FROM THE EMPLOYEES! What a shame. As I was leaving, no one said anything, just more side conversations from the once attentive hostess, who was now busy showing a waitress a menu. Roostica does what SOME people enjoy, wood fired pizza with fancy sounding ingredients. Good food, great place, sub-par service. If you want to have a fancy restaurant, you have to get away from the laid back service we have come to expect from the Key West mindset.
(3)
Noe N.
One of the best places to eat in Key West! My husband and I went here after sampling their meatball slider from a Taste of Key West event. The meat and marinara in this slider was so gosh darn good that we knew we'd make a visit to the restaurant soon. When we arrived to Roostica, I was delighted by the charming atmosphere. My husband and I ordered a couple of beers and 2 pizzas. The fig and pig pizza is excellent! The combination of salty and sweet without any one flavor overpowering the other was divine. The Roostica pizza (sans mushrooms since my husband can't eat mushrooms) was another winner! This place made my tummy and wallet really happy with great food at reasonable prices. Service is friendly, place is beautiful, food is delicious and the price is just right. That equals 5 stars in my book!
(5)
Boisty M.
Favorite restaurant in Key West. Great happy hour and brunch. Delicious muddle drinks. I'm goin' back.
(5)
Ben O.
The food here is actually pretty good. They have a decent wine and beer list too. The 1 star is for the consistently poor/ rude service at the bar. Yes its that bad. My wife and I are those people that prefer to sit at the bar. Every time we have been there the bartender was rude, inattentive and really made my wife and I feel unwelcome. It is too bad because we really like the food. Either order take out or sit at a table ( although I cant vouch for the table service.)
(1)
Danielle N.
Really love the Margherita pizza here. Not so much on the Fried Saffron Risotto Balls (kinda bland) and the Eggplant Stack (the pale, tasteless tomatoes were the dealbreaker on that one). The restaurant is nice and clean inside and service was really good. Tiramisu was pretty good. Will be back to try more pizza!
(4)
Ian W.
This is my 2 year old daughters favorite restaurant. She walks in and places her own order for bread. The staff all greet her and make us feel very welcome. The food is phenomenal. They have the best brick oven pizza I have ever eaten.
(5)
Matt C.
This place is a great alternative to Key West as its only 5 minutes away and the prices are half of what you'd pay close to Duval Street. The staff are uber friendly, the Wood-Fired Pizza is amazing and the wings are some of the best I've ever had (and come with stellar wood fired onions and peppers). The portions surely arn't lacking for the minimal price. I'd 100% recommend this place!
(4)
April A.
We were driving back from a week in the Keys and needed to stop for lunch. By this point, I was sooooo over conch chowder and hogfish (key lime pie, anyone?) that Italian was a welcome escape. We came in on a Sunday and just barely missed the Sunday Brunch (till 2pm). We sat on their covered patio and ordered a margherita pizza and an Italian chopped salad. The salad was great, a bit too much dressing, but good. The margherita pizza was delicious! Cherry tomatoes were sweet and the crust was perfect. Thin and tasty. They also have sub sandwiches, happy hour, and lots of beers on draft!
(5)
Hunter M.
Smallish new-age Italian place with a matching atmosphere. The food was great. I had the baked tortellini special and some others at my table had a seafood pizza.. Good variety on the menu with some unique items. Their wood-fired pizzas seemed to be the house specialties but no reason to assume everything else they serve isn't delicious. Cool bar area with a decent wine list and plenty of craft beers. Very nice outdoor seating area if you can stand the heat. My only complaint was our server was useless.. She was prettymuch absentee, and when I asked for a cold glass to pour my beer in she brought me a scalding hot pilsner glass right out of the dishwasher still dripping with soap residue. I asked (jokingly) if she was serious and it became obvious she wasn't intentionally bad but just an idiot. I think she was the anomaly though because every table not in her section seemed to be getting good service.. Still had a good time though and I'd definitely go back.
(4)
Amiel B.
Nice atmosphere, and pleasant wait staff. Pizza was top notch. You can tell they know DOC pizza, and the fit the standard. Good wine selection. Best pizza in Key west so far that we have found
(4)
Clark L.
Six of us went to Roostica,all of us for the first time. Place looked great.As others have said,it was loud.Hate to eat there on Saturday night or during Spring Break! Service was just awful.Awful.Screwed up our order.Ended up giving us the extra pizza they brought.Manager came over to apologize..... Beer selection was mostly "Italian" beers on draft,plus Bud,Bud Light,etc,etc,etc.Poor options. BUT the pizza was great.Some of our party had salad and they reported that it was good.It looked good! The waitress said that the pizza was only big enough for one hungry person,so my wife and I ordered two.One would have been plenty for both of us. Two pizzas,one Yuengling(ugh) ,plus the free pizza we brought home-$29. We won't eat at Roosticas every week,but we'll go back.Hopefully the waitress we had will be on vacation. Three of us returned again on Sunday.Much improved service.Great pizza and very good meatballs and spaghetti .
(4)
Erin S.
I love this place. We go here at least once a week. I have never had a bad meal here. We usually sit at the bar. The happy hour specials are a great deal. I love the daily specials idea. We go for Sunday Gravy with friends quite a bit. The sandwiches for lunch are awesome. The pizza is great. I usually stay simple with the pizzas. I love the Margarita. I have had a couple of the fancy ones that were too busy. The meatballs with polenta appetizer is my favorite. They only have beer and wine.
(5)
Mihir M.
The food was good, but not the best Napolitan pizza - not like Una Pizza Napoletano in San Francisco, but good nevertheless. We had their margherita pizza, marinara pizza, & iced tea. The service was also good. This place is on Stock Island, just next to Key West & just off the main highway.
(4)
Karen F.
I'm not really a pizza fanatic, but we were planning on stopping at our favorite restaurant on our way home from Key West last night. They were closed until August. I went to my phone and looked for pizza in and around Key West. Roostica caught my eye. I read a few reviews. We decided to try it. We had The Ledo (veggie) pizza. It was so so so so GOOD. The atmosphere was really nice, the waitstaff, outstanding but that pizza!!! My mouth waters just thinking about it. Our server was Kim D. She was great! I Can't wait to go back to try more menu items. The menu looks wonderful. I hope Roostica is around for a long long time.
(5)
Rich P.
Great thin crust pizza. The pizzas are about 12" so if you're hungry, you can eat a whole one. We ate at the bar, and Sarah was very nice. They don't have pepperoni, but their version which is Italian Salami, the pizza is called " Diavola ". It was killer. We also had a white pizza with mushrooms and caramelized onions. If you like white pizza, it was very good. Two import beers, an iced tea, sausage and peppers appetizer, two pizza's and tiramisu. $55. Very reasonable and we brought food home. We live here and this place will see our faces a lot.
(5)
Parks C.
I am kind of amazed at the serial novel length of complaint by one user here. ..clearly some people are just whiney ! To set the record straight this is a wonerful place, so much that I take myself family and clients here frequently... that pretty much says it all.
(5)
Andrew M.
Stopped for a Lunch to sample the wood fired thin crust pizza before we start taking our guests here when they vist the Keys. First I started to whine about the parking our front till I saw the sign, Parking In Back, my bad. Greeted and seated promptly and drink orders taken. Saw a couple of the lunch sandwiches go by and was tempted to order one, but pizza was our quest. Ordered Brooklyn Boy Pizza which came quickly with tasty toppings, and was large enough to feed two of us. We had hoped for a thin cracker crust pie but that was not the case, it was similar to NY style. Some where in my years in the cooking equipment field I recall that if the cooking hearth gets too heated you'll begin to scorch (burn) the crust before getting a more of the moisture out of it and therefore no cracker crust but also an extra charring of the bottom. Needless to say cooking with a brick oven (wood fired?) is a lot harder than sticking a pie on a conveyor oven belt where timing is to the second and temperature variations are small so my hats off the the chef. Yes, it's loud, prices are Key West, but it's nice to have another alternative for Pizza in the Keys.
(3)
Joe Y.
Great food, good atmosphere but very large portions .
(5)
Jane H.
Great addition to Stock Island! Very good food, great bar and bartenders and happy hour offerings are wonderful. Such a variety of fabulous pizza choices, could go there every night for a month and try something new. Everyone comments about the parking but there is a large parking lot in the back of the restaurant so there's plenty of places to park. Must try if you haven't been there!
(5)
Josh S.
A nice quaint little pizza place on Stock Island, minutes from Key West.Excellent pizza at an excellent price! Service was very friendly. They even offered gluten free pizza which made my wife with celiacs very happy! Would highly recommend if you're looking to get away from the touristy crowds and enjoy some legit wood fired pizza!
(4)
Mark M.
Stopped in to try the wood fire pizza. Pizza was fantastic. It is the closest to Italy that I have had in the States. Just like in Italy, the pizza comes in one size and comes on a traditional pizza plate. Unlike Italy, they are courteous to slice it, versus cutting with fork and knife. They have traditional Italian beers on tap. If you don't care for Italian beers, they have a nice selection of bottle beers and a large selection of wines. The atmosphere and service was very nice. The restaurant was surprisingly bigger than I expected. I met the owners and was pleased to learn at how thoroughly they thought out the restaurant, from the ovens, to the plates, to the wine glasses, but especially the fresh ingredients. Their flour is imported and mozzarella is from Wisconsin. I have sampled some of the most famous pizzerias (Pepe's of New Haven, Rosatti's of Chicago, Well's Bros of Racine, Two Brothers of Red Bank, NJ, American Flatbread Co of Burlington VT, Pizza Nova of San Diego, Brandi's of Naples) and Roostica's pizza is a delicious wood fired traditional Italian pie.
(5)
Gary G.
Great wood fire pizza and Italian food on Stock Island! Our waitress Peggy was superb. She took great care of us and is definitely an asset to Roostica. The wood fire pizza especially the Margherita pizza is spot on authentic and delicious. The recipe is credited as being the same recipe as the world's first pizzas. It's considered a "D.O.C." pizza. Check my photos for a description of what it means to be D.O.C. The fried saffron risotto balls were interesting but I probably skip them next time only because they didn't live up to the flavors of the rest of our dishes. The Caesar salad was fantastic, the roasted beet salad was excellent and the bruschetta was delicious. But really, the standout is the pizza, definitely come for the pizza! Our group was lucky enough to grab some gluten-free dough before they ran out that evening. Both traditional and gluten-free dough were great. We sat outside but recommend grabbing a table inside as it is Florida and the insects also like the outdoors. The kids got a few bug bites while sitting at the table. Overall, we had a fantastic experience at this restaurant and recommend it highly. Enjoy!
(5)
Joseph E.
I was recently in key west and was staying across the street from Roostica. Needless to say that I ate there 3 of the 5 days I was in town. The pizza's are excellent and the pasta dishes are no slouches either. Our server Holly Ann was the best and made the experience all the better. I'll definitely be back.
(5)
Oksana G.
Zero points! A huge swim meet accross the street! No parking, closed for dinners because there is a 'filming'?! Who cares! Those are the customers you were destined for and you blow it! Never ever we will be there again! So sad! Plus, 'roost'ica that is a totally different story! Horrible first and last try!
(1)
Chris E.
I'm beyond happy to give Roostica a 5 star review. I came here on a slow September evening. It's conveniently located on Stock Island, the first Key north of Key West. Parking is available in front and across the street. The menu is is very pizza focused, but with their 900 degree oven, it's all great. I had the Fig and Pig pizza. My husband had John's Pizza. The size of the pizzas are about 12" and very hearty. I'm a big guy and I didn't finish mine. A smaller couple (or less hungry) could share one pizza. The wine list is surprisingly well priced and does not rely on the cheap stuff you see everywhere. For 2 pizzas, 2 glasses of wine, a small app and dessert to share, we spent $63~ Our server was named Susan. She was friendly and attentive. She kept our waters full and made sure we had everything we needed without hovering. Excellent service, excellent experience.
(5)
Alyce T.
Loved it. We chose the Brooklyn Boy pizza and it was wonderful. Had meatball sliders for an appetizer and loved them as well.
(5)
Cory P.
Garlic bread good nothing to wrote home about. Meatballs and polenta, parmigiana chicken. Service Fantastic. Definitely a new favorite
(4)
Dave O.
I love it when a lot of the reviews posted are from the locals, we got this recommendation from a local bartender and what a find it was. It's not likely you'll just stumble upon this place, located on Stock Island it's about fifteen minutes from the hotels on Duval Street. The neighborhood at night looks a little iffy the area is not well lit but I think the owners here have an agreement so I wouldn't expect any issues. Once you get through the door after turning the knob to the right and pulling very hard its like a touch of Italy, from the decor and a clientele perspective. Everyone was extremely outgoing a real family atmosphere, a few long family style tables in the front half, a few high tops in the back across from the bar, theres also a kitchen bar over looking the two wood fired ovens. Our server was very nice and attentive she made some great recommendations. We ordered a 12" six slice thin crust pizza with pepperoni (spicy salami), ham (prosciutto) and cheese (real mozzarella) all of this on top of a perfectly wood fired crust with the perfect amount of sauce that would rival any I've every eaten state side. It's very causal but it was so typical of what you would find at any authentic Italian restaurant a few tables filled with older gentlemen dressed in retro sport coats having espresso a few of the long tables with three or four generations of family members eating spaghetti and garlic knots with marinara and lots of wine. The pizza was exceptional as I would expect everything that is served here to be. The service was great and everyone was treated like family and you felt appreciated for stopping in to eat at their establishment. I definitely recommend you give them a try.
(4)
David B.
Had to pick up daughter at airport in Key West and her flight was delayed 40 min, so I asked who had the best pizza around and everyone said Roostica . I had the Roostica signature pizza. They are all 12 in , all fresh ingredients , the house made mozzarella to the sun dried tomatoes . The best I ever had.
(5)
Amanda B.
Incredible food! The shrimp pesto pizza was absolutely incredible. Staff was very friendly and the restaurant was decorated well. Highly recommended.
(5)
Andy S.
Welcoming, clearly a popular location amongst locals. Pizza is an obvious focus with more than half a menu dedicated to it and more than half a kitchen (open to watch) focusing on it. The pizzas that the 3 of us ordered were fresh, tasty, slightly crispy base done to perfection. Wait staff (Amanda) perfect, no complaints only praise for being attentive and helpful.
(5)
Tim D.
So we're sitting and talking on the beach in Key West, and the people sitting next to us say - Hey, if you're looking for good pizza, go to Roostica. They were so right. Classy place, a block or two off of Rt 1 outside Key West. Great lunch spot. Good wines, and good beers. (Try the Funky Buddha IPA.) As good as the coal-oven pizza was - and it was really good - the wings that soaked overnight in limoncello (spelling?) were even better. Friendly staff. A gem. Beats Duval Street by a mile. Enjoy.
(5)
Kristin G.
My firefighter friend recommended this place because it was across the street from his station. Since my husband and I were down in Key West for the Ragner race, we figured this was a great place to get fueled up and celebrate his accomplishment. It was a Saturday night and we didn't have a reservation for 4, but were seated pretty quickly considering how packed it was. Took a minute for the waitress to make her way over to us, but when she did, we put in our drink order and chatted away while we looked at our menu. It had been a while we were chatting before the waitress came back, bc at one point I had to stop the conversation to say "wait, we haven't placed our appetizer order in yet" (we were pretty tired after the Ragnar race, and wanted to get to bed) So she finally shows up, and we decide to order the cheese and meat platter for the table for all of us to share. Came out fairly quickly, and it was fantastic! Everything seem fresh, even the buffalo mozzarella. Shortly after we placed our order and I had the lasagna and our friends had the wood fire pizza. The order took a while to come out. Not sure if it was the fact that they inly had two wooden grills to make the pizza, or they were just very busy. Nonetheless, we get out food, and of course in true Italian fashion, the portions are HUGE! I'm usually ok with that bc I have a big appetite. I gobbled up my food, but not because it was tasty bc I was hungry. It actually wasn't all that great. Felt like it was a bit burnt at the top (perhaps over cooked?) everyone else enjoyed their food but did admit that they have had better. Being that the prices aren't cheap, I expected a bit more from their service and food. Overall, the food was ok. Service, so so.
(3)
Tom A.
Forget the endless conch fritters and land here. The pizza is fantastic! My family and I went nuts here. Loved the pie! Hip high end interior is relaxing and fun. Wood fired pizza has a great crust, great sausage and fabulous olives. Not out of a can, Kalamata olives. Yum!
(5)
Samantha M.
Great place to go if you want real fresh pizza! Staff was nice. Clean restaurant. The one thing I was not impressed with was.... When I asked for a bottled water... I got a glass bottle that obviously can be opened and refilled... I again asked for a sealed bottle (not previously opened) but the server said that they did not offer any flat water other then the one she provided. She continued to let me Know that they do offer a sealed sparking water.... Unfortunately I'm not a fan of carbonated water :(
(4)
T R.
Completely overpriced crap! Service was sub par and pizza was just ok... Tourist trap!
(1)
Joe M.
Thanks to Roostica for being one of the great places to eat in Key West. Rick does a wonderful job slinging pizza pies its "Amore"!
(5)
Ted L.
As I've written before, this really is one of my favorite places in Key West. The other day started out like one of those Key West days where nothing was going right. I started out with a meeting a Federal office that is only open two days a week (and this wasn't one of them). Then, I had to argue with the US Postal Service because their mail carrier had arbitrarily decided that everyone at my address had moved and cancelled our mail as I had been out of town for two weeks. Then, in the middle of mid-town, my (then) scooter broke down. I called the Scooter Repair guys (that will be a separate review) and they came and got me and the POS bike. When deciding where to go, I was talking to the driver and he says "Well if you go to Roostica you don't have to spend $20 on a cab, you can just walk over and pick up the scooter." I had just had dinner there the night before and didn't really feel like it for lunch, but my new GF has been instilling the "go where it takes you" attitude in me so I said sure. That's when things got better. I noticed the special on the board: Rigatoni in red sauce, with spinach, mushrooms and sausage. It was absolutely sublime. It was a very light sauce, with the sausage, spinach and mushroom in perfect proportions, so that every bite was nearly perfect. I mentioned to them that they should put it on the menu as a regular item and that it was my favorite thing that I had eaten there since they opened. That was until a couple of nights later. My friend John and I had been reef fishing and caught 7 hog snapper (that's right, caught... on hook and line) and we decided to take it and have them make a piccata with it. Ironically, that was the special of the day. No problem! Sarah and the management accommodated us... cooked our catch and it was phenomenal... lightly panfried in flour, capers and buttery, velvety, lemony goodness. If its on the menu when you are there... try it! Also, try the garlic knots rather than just the regular bread. You'll be happy you did! Only real downside is wireless is spotty. But give it to Bobby and Michelle Mongelli and their staff. They have got it going on... right across the bridge on Stock Island.
(4)
PaulSEGAL ..
Very good thin crust pizza brought out fast. Seat yourself, grab a menu(I did) Water served in old fashioned mason jars with handles. What more do you need?
(4)
Sue L.
The Best Pizza in Town. Let me rephrase that The Best Pizza in Most Towns. Unless you are from Chicago or New York you will not find Pizza this Good. Soups very good, salad also good, calzone excellent. Service good. Decor Italian. What U need to know is it's not tourists food it's good food, so come on in.
(5)
Stacie M.
Unethical place. Their sign out front says happy hour till 6:30 but when we arrived at 6:20 they said as of tonight happy hour ends at 6:00. I went to the manager to complain that their sign out front said 6:30 and he had an attitude. He said he knew the sign said 6:30 but the owner said as of today it is 6:00 and they weren't going to honor the sign posted out front. I thought it was the law to honor what you advertise????
(1)
Marian T.
Nice meal, good wait staff,,liked my Beet salad with pistachios. My husband loved his sausage calzone.
(4)
George N.
I ordered extra crispy, I gave this place 3 tries in 1 year and, well, three strikes you're out Roostica. Completely disregarded on my order everytime, the last order I was with a vegan and ordered a pickup veggie pie and got sausage and pepperoni, thanks for your utter complete lack of focus. Your pizza is disgustedly soggy throughout the dough and your overly spicy sauce should be in a salsa jar in a Mexican restaurant. I would decline a meal for my dog.
(1)
Jim P.
Went here since we didn't want to deal with finding a parking space downtown. Good decision. Great family owned restaurant. Very family friendly. Antipasto was great, no lettuce just meats, cheese and veggies. Very good. The small fed both of us. Individual pizzas were also good especially the "devil"; very spicy which I liked. Other meals looked good but we wanted pizza.
(4)
Tammy R.
Great pizza, great service and great atmosphere. We come for lunch and dinner every time we're in Key West. Workman's Lunch Special today for $11 includes small salad with delicious ranch dressing and small sausage pizza. Both are good sizes for lunch. Will be back!
(5)
Gail N.
First time to eat here. We decided to get take out due to a long day of fishing and pool time. Garlic bread fantastic! The italian salad and the homemade dressing unbelievable! Margarita pizza and make your own pizza with salami and sweet sausage (homemade) made perfect. Our cousin has a wood fired pizza shop and hand in hand you guys rock. Definitely when we come back next year we are going to eat in!
(5)
John D.
After looking downtown for a place to eat, we decided on Roostica's. It was the best choice. With a wood fired oven, the pizza and bread was delicious. I highly recommend the brunch menu, but honestly, all the food was great. With a complimentary mimosa or Bloody Mary during the Sunday brunch, you can't beat it. I will definitely be back.
(5)
Aimee M.
This little hidden gem has amazing pizza. My hubby and I shared the Hell's Kitchen pizza. Chewy crust and spicy pepperoni. The muddled strawberry basil is a wonderfully refreshing drink as well.
Very nice atmosphere, lovely decor, quaint and traditional pizzas. The only reason I did not give a full star rating is because of the cocktails. I did not care for the watermelon jalapeño mojito and my mother had the sangria which tasted like box wine. Very basic. Must try the pig and fig pizza and the roostica. The Italian salad is lovely and filled with delicious olives (but I'm biased). Overall a place to be impressed by!
(4)
Lindsay G.
We asked a local bar manager and friend of ours where we could get some good Italian food. We are so glad she referred us to Roostica on Stock Island! If you want great pizzas/salads, this is the place. Even the calzones are delicious and freshly baked in their oven. My friend ordered the spaghetti bolognese and it was soooo tasty. The staff was friendly, we didn't have to wait long, and each of the dishes our group ordered could've been shared by two people. Definitley a great place if you want non-touristy Italian food while you're in Key West!
(5)
Kathryn A.
Great size servings for a decent price. Excellent food. Fresh food/veggies. Friendly atmosphere. I'm definitely coming here again!
(5)
Karen T.
Convenient location to where we were staying. Nice comfortable, casual interior. Quality food ingredients. Overall a very nice experience.
(4)
Danielle S.
This is a Stock Island diamond in the rough. The ambiance is cozy (when there isn't a couple making out uncomfortably close to you) and the service was fairly quick. The saffron risotto balls were good, but you're given too few. The marinara sauce they come with is underwhelming and makes them taste like meatballs. The fig and pig pizza was delicious. Not convinced it's worth the trip out of Key West, but it's good if you're in the area.
(3)
Nathan R.
This is a hidden gem . The pizza, lasagna and eggplant stack were all phenomenal. This spot is away from the crowds and worth the drive if you are in Key West. Really nice atmosphere that is on par with any nice major city Italian restaurant. Have excellent kids meal selections which is always a plus!
(5)
Zoe A.
Second time here in two weeks, first time on Sunday had family spaghetti dinner for 3... Had 6 big meatballs and 3 Italian sausages, salad and bread... With food left over for another dinner for two... All was delicious... This time with friends we all ordered various white and red pizzas , 6 piece each, shared and sampled, all great taste and salads big enough for two to share... All great tasting and service was friendly and prompt... We had dessert and that was delicious too! I would give it 5 stars if the noise level was somewhat "muffled" so that you can have enjoyable dinner conversation. The acoustics are awful! Everything else great.
(4)
Dennis B.
Casual atmosphere, great food and service, and reasonable prices. Located on Stock Island just east of Key West. We're staying here for a week and Roostica became our go-to place for a drink or meal. Their Roostica Pizza was excellent. Several in our party ordered the lasagna and, from my sample, one of the best I've ever had.
(5)
J C.
Ordered 2 Margarita pizzas to go. The worse I have ever tried. Barely any cheese cold and dry. Yet i pick it up 15 min after ordered
(1)
Dawn H.
Food and service was excellent. Nice quiet off the beaten path place. Will definitely stop at again while in Key West
(5)
Ryan K.
Busy! Very friendly staff as we enjoyed a great Margarita waiting on our take out. Caesar salad w/ traditional white anchovies, well portioned antipasto and the spicy Hell's Kitchen pizza were all excellent. Waiting at the pickup area I watched the prosciutto sliced fresh and enjoyed the atmosphere with thrifty locals and vacationers. However, seeing the food come from the window my regrets developed for not having tried the myriad pasta dishes or meatball sliders. Roostica will only disappoint if you must wait too long to be seated due to its popularity!
(5)
George H.
A very busy place due to it's close proximity to Boyd's RV Camp I suggest either eating dinner early or late. A good selection of beer brands...I highly recommend one of the white pizzas...we had the roasted beet salad and the mushroom and truffle white pizza...wood pizza ovens add flavor...a little disappointed that the wood fired pork tenderloin special was sold out but otherwise a fine meal!
(3)
Peter L.
We visited key west during fantasy fest and so one night we wanted to get away from the activity of Duvall street. We used yelp and found this place. What drew us here was the gluten free options and we were glad we made the 2 mile drive for it. Drinks- the key lime martini is good, has the tartness of key lime and isn't shy on the liquor Apps- we had the marinated olives which were very good and a nice starter. We also had the jerk oven fired wings which provided a nice Italian twist to wings Pizza- we had the shrimp and pesto. They can do any of their pizza on gluten free crust so we opted for that. It was a nice light pizza with good flavor, highly recommended If you want to get away from the activity of downtown key west and Duvall this is a great option for a nice dinner.
(4)
Karl C.
We had high expectations, based on prior reviews. We ordered 1 pizza as take-out to take back to our condo (less than a mile away). I wish we would have dined in at the restaurant, though. When we got to the condo, the pizza crust was soggy - you couldn't even pick up a piece without the end flopping and the topping sliding off. We tried to crisp up a few pieces in the oven, but that didn't help. Perhaps their pizza is much better eaten (very) fresh at the restaurant, rather than as take-out...?
(2)
Arrow S.
Have been to Roostica many times but tonight was the worst meal my wife and I have had. My wife had the wings and I had the Roostica pizza. The wings and peppers were cold and the pizza just wasn't right. I will go somewhere else from now on out. The witress was older and slow and very cold. The owner sit at the bar and wasn't paying much attention to the food coming out. Something was amiss tonight. Got stomach pains as well as my wife. I would give Roostica no stars if I could.
(1)
Dawn B.
First off the menu posted is incorrect but don't let that bother you. The current menu and specials are wonderful. Had a apple Gorgonzola salad, Jamaican wings, egg plant stack. Wished I would have posted a pic of the stack. It was wonderful tasty and fresh. On a previous visit had pizzas that were full of flavor and hot. Service great. They even have a sense of humor. Left our credit card and when we called a couple days later the gal said she found the cutest shoes with matching purse that the card worked perfectly for. Card was safe in cash drawer and they found right away. Overall great experience and prices.
(5)
Jenn K.
One of my favorite restaurants in Key West. I love love love wood oven pizzas, and these were wonderful with creative ingredients. We finished with a Nutella pizza..amazing!
(5)
Louise Y.
Wood fired pizza is wonderful! We sat outside, very pleasant. We have eaten there quite a few times. You will not be disappointed.
(5)
Kiersten F.
Everything was just OK. The younger hostess was really nice but then an older blonde woman (penny) came up and interrupted the other girl and made my friend and I feel realllly unwelcome. Like we were inconveniencing her for coming into the restaurant. The server was okay once she noticed us. A little weird when we asked about the happy hour kind of like "uh you should know." The rest of the meal she was nice enough just not around enough. The food left something to be desired. The bruschetta was pretty good but the bread was only toasted on one side. Weird. The "garlic" bread was Also only toasted on one side. This was even worse than the crostinis because they were thicker. It's like the cooks slathered the bottom in oil but forgot to toast it. It left the top nice and crunchy and the bottom soggy. Not appetizing. Also we tasted absolutely zero garlic, and I'm pretty sensitive to garlic. We had to ask for some powdered garlic. It tasted more like a slight bit of cheese had been toasted on it instead of garlic. Very bland. We also had the burrata and prosciutto witch was fine, although the bread was just the crostinis but not toasted. Just kind of flavorless and doughy. We thought it was weird they didn't just serve it with the crostinis. I'd give the service a B- and the food a C. The place is cute enough and I hear the pizzas are good. But sadly my first impression was a poor one. I don't think I'll be back.
(3)
D J.
In the mood for pizza. Meat, margarita, and cheese were all good. The chianti was good value. The spaghetti and meat balls were also good.
(5)
LB B.
What a pleasant surprise! Incredible food and great service, what more can you ask for. Don't let the surroundings fool you. These folks have an awesome wood fire oven and not only are the pizzas incredible but the bread is made in there as well. First time I ever wanted to steal part of my husbands Chicken Parmigiana sandwich!
(5)
Tracy K.
First stop on our first key west experience-yummy Pizza and calzone! Great environment.
(5)
Kimberly M.
So we saw all the reviews and we are staying close by. After a day of seafood0 we decided a couple of pizzas an some salad would be fabulous. Well...it might have been...somewhere else. I know we are from Jersey and have pretty high standards when it comes to pie. But...this was just bad. The sausage was just sliced stuff from the grocery store, the mushrooms were0 oh wait they forgot the mushrooms. And the worst was the crust. It was complete mush in the center. Ick! If you are thinking pizza- opt for Domino's over this place. Maybe some of their other stuff is better but we won't be risking it.
(1)
james b.
This is around the corner from the RV park where we were camping, and how glad we were. Excellent pizza, decent wine and beer, very friendly service. We're picky about pizza, and this definitely worked for us.
(4)
Chiki A.
"Pizza is Pizza" BUT some places do it better than others and so far this is one of my new favorites around here... & to be honest I thought we were going to pay a lot more...
(4)
Dana C.
Great experience. Delicious Neapolitan-american style pizza, super-friendly, fast service.
(4)
brittany m.
Best pizza in key west. The Jamaican wings are on point and their mixed green garden salad is amazing!
(5)
Don C.
Had seafood pizza. It's so untraditional I was disappointed. I like cheese and sauce on my pizza whatever the kind and this pizza was severely lacking on both. Maybe servers should warn that it's not traditional pizza. I would not recommend unless you're on a non-dairy diet.
(2)
Jennifer M.
We'll I have visited this place 3 times now. The pizza fantastic! Many different types to try. For a foodie, different kinds even the pepperoni is a spicy salami which is pretty spicy. The crust is fantastic. Had the lasagna and spaghetti and meatballs. The pasta was a let down. The meatballs had chicken meat and we had one meatball that was spare ribs which was their Saturday special. Just nothing compared to the pizza and not much flavor at all. Pretty plain and to the table very fast which makes me think it was pre made or from a big batch. I won't order the pasta again but the pizza was third best here in key west. Oh and your online menu doesn't have any if your pastas on it ;) also one IPA we requested they did not have.
(3)
Patricia S.
Food was great. Pesto shrimp pizza and diablo musselsm yum! Service lacks on refills and follow up.
(3)
Tara H.
We had the baked ziti with meat sauce and it was very good. The service was good too.
(4)
Mary Beth P.
We've learned that when vacationing in key west, stay away from the restaurants in the "tourist" section, but rather hit up the food places out of town. Roostica's is a prime example. Excellent atmosphere, clean, and excellent food. Garlic bread appetizer...may sound simple, but it was so good!! Highly recommend!!
(5)
Johnny G.
Well thank you Mr Pizza man Rick!! I Just got back from a 3 day 'pretend you're 22' party fest with my best buds of 30+ years Jimbo and Billy P. We went here only 2 times but it was really good. I had the marinara pizza both times. Rick (main pizza maker) couldn't of been nicer and more proud of his pizzas. He was more than willing to custom bake or cook ours 'a little longer' for that extra crispy goodness. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because we just didn't have time to explore the menu and try other things. We happened to go during Sunday brunch but I still got my pizza, thanks again Rick!! My buds got a few of the brunch specials (egg and sausage casserole) thing and devoured them both. This place is on Stock Island so its technically not in key west but its so close its worth the 10 mins away from Duval St drive. I sureto am Looking forward to going back in probably a year and try some other things on the menu.
(4)
Jennifer J.
Pizza is decent. Quick arrival to our table once ordered. Server was not as quick. Had to ask busboy to get us refills twice.
(3)
Amy V.
First time to Key West and this is the first place we ate once we arrived. The food was good, we all had pizza which is your typical wood fire oven pizza. The service however was horrible. Our waitress was rude, impatient and when we ask questions, she was short and snippy. Everyone at the table has a customer service background, we are shocked that Erica is still employed. I can't imagine she makes any money waiting tables with her attitude. Won't be returning ever.
(1)
Harvey R.
After ordering the workman's lunch I went to the bathroom to wash my hands. Some guy is piddling in the toilet cubicle. While I'm drying my hands the guy finishes and goes straight out the door. No toilet flushing or hands washing for him, and I think, What a schmuck! As I head back to my table I see the "schmuck" behind the kitchen counter where the food is prepared, so I go to the customer desk where there are 2 manager-type women and the cute teenager who took my order. I point the "schmuck" out and ask if he has anything to do with food prep. Yes! I'm told, he's the # 2 guy and he handles everything. (they were so right!) I tell them what happened and ask to cancel my order. The cute teen looked a little queasy and very embarrassed. Do I get an apology from management, or am I told that they'll do anything? Nope! While all this is happening I see food orders going out and being served to people who have no idea what went on. Do either of these manager-types go to stop the "schmuck" quiz him on what went down, or tell him to wash his hands? Nope. Last time I go in to Roostica.
(1)
Barbara S.
Brunch was wonderful! We had biscuits and gravy, a lox and cream cheese "sandwich" and a frittata, all were delicous and exceeded our expectations. Asia, behind the bar, poured our drinks, served our meals and..,, remembered us from previous visits:) Rick, chef extraordinaire, again prepared food that far exceeds "pizzeria" fare! We love this place!
(5)
Jerricho M.
I am giving it 5 stars for the pizza. I had the Margherita pizza and it was outstanding! loved every bite. fresh, fresh, fresh! ingredients. Eating Chicago style pizza my whole life I have to say this is amazing. well worth it. Can't wait to go back.
(5)
Ruth H.
Fabulous! We had the limoncello wings and the Sicilian pizza. So-o-o good! And the service and all the staff was wonderful. Nothing pretentious or touristy here, just top notch, very fresh food. Every item I saw being served made me say "I want to try that!!!" I'll be back many times.
(5)
Tim S.
This place came recommended,we were disappointed. Mushy dough,small portions & No Taste @ all. Off my list for sure,70$ for 2 pizzas,salad & 3 beers.
(1)
Saundra K.
Best pizza in town, had the fig & pig which is very unusual compliment of sweet and salt. We have eaten twice now and loved it both times, waitress was so busy so no real above and beyond attention, however, tips will reflect that. Only complaint, pizzas are a bit small so add a salad or get your own pizza! Atmosphere: very un-characteristic of Stock Island, out-door dining takes u away from Stock Island to an Italian pizzeria in Italy somewhere:-)
(4)
Louis G.
I fondly remember my recent visit to Roostica, only a few nights ago. Brought here by the family we are visiting, they had talked about this place since it opened and finally decided to bring us here. It turned out even better than we had heard. Upon entrance, we were greeted by a warm, open restaurant painted in a welcoming shade of beige, set with dark wooden tables and chairs, adorned with maps and pictures of Italy, and overseen by the partially open kitchen (the wood-fire oven and pizza prep station) complete with passionate chefs working nonstop to craft what is quite delightful food. There are low tables, high tables, and even table outside. It being a nice warm evening and a larger party, we opted for the outdoor option. We had a kind, helpful, energetic, wonderful, and knowledgeable waitress (it's such a relief when your waitress understands the menu and can answer the most obscure questions constantly bombarded upon them regularly by our diverse party) Oh, and water. Rather than depending on a waitress to constantly fill, large pitchers were provided for us to serve ourselves, a good touch and complement to the ambiance and style of Roostica. After three paragraphs, you probably want to hear about the food, yeah? Ok, here's the scoop: Fantastic all-around. As far as appetizers go, it isn't apparent there is a specific shareable small-plate section. Instead, most dishes are large enough to fill one person if they choose to embark solo, or shared among a few as an appetizer before a solo course, or even several dishes could be ordered and enjoyed from family style. This flexibility I commend in great menu planning. Decided on ordering the half Butcher's Block Antispasto platter as appetizer (shared amongst the meat-eaters and grazed upon by the vegetarians) it featured a generous amount of cured meats, fresh crusty bread, quality cheese, two types of pickled peppers, and pickled cucumbers. A younger member of our party enjoyed the lemoncello chicken wings, smothered in onion and red pepper, with wedges of lemon. (she removed all signs of vegetation from the plate, but thoroughly enjoyed the wing meat which after minor pleading and being given a small sample I deemed as some "darn good wings" there are a variety of pizzas gracing the menu, but I and another of our party went for the D.O.C. pizzas, each a variation of the basic sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil. D.O.C.? What's that? Well, in a nutshell of what I learned from the waitress and the menu, D.O.C. is the Italian government certification of authentically prepared pizza with approved ingredients, method, and oven (a wood-fire one that reaches 900 degrees in the fahrenheit region) the method effectively melts the cheese to a bubbly consistency and marries its flavor with that of basil, crust and sauce (I highly recommend the 'plus' option for the D.O.C. pizza, as it includes cherry tomatoes that add a depth of juiciness and fresh tomato flavor, a good contrast of the cooked ones in the sauce) The waitress also mentioned at least one of the chefs traveled to Italy for research with the owners while creating the restaurant (pretty awesome in my opinion) also consumed upon wood that evening was house made lasagna, shrimp scampi, and crab-stuffed ravioli (that night's special) All received good reviews, and judging by they were finished before I could sample, they were as good as the rest of the food. We did not have desert that evening, as we were happily stuffed. I did see gelato on the menu, so I'm sure if you choose to stay post-pizza you will remain in good hands. Well, that covers all I know of the restaurant, no quips, no nothing. No cons as apposed to pro's from me.A solid restaurant for local and tourist alike, sound classic concept with fantastic delivery (I'm not sure if they deliver but to enjoy this place, come in and enjoy the ambiance) As noted by my 5-star certification to this great establishment, I highly recommend Roostica and both anxiously and excitedly await my return.
(5)
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
Address :5620 MacDonald Ave
Stock Island, FL, 33040
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
David C.
We'd heard a lot of buzz around town about this new pizza place in Stock Island. I then was working with a client when one of his co-workers brought in left over pizza from Roostica for anyone to grab. I tried a slice and you better believe we were there two days later. I can honestly say they have some of the most amazing pizzas I've ever tried. If you're a fan of white pizza, try the mushroom and truffle pizza. I ordered the Margarita pizza, but now want to go back to try their Special Margarita Pizza (don't ask me the difference). The atmosphere is nice and thank God they don't pipe endless Frank Sinatra music into the restaurant. The staff were very pleasant and we can't wait to go back.
(5)Joe W.
This place MUST be going through some growing pains in its beginning. Stopped in and seen a full restaurant with only seating at the bar. This place has a great atmosphere, (warning it's loud) and the prices are defintely aimed at the Key Haven crowd, and not the Stock Island crowd where this restaurant is located. I grabbed a Draft Beer ($4 each) and "John's Pizza" ($16). The pizza is roughly the size of a medium pizza from Domino's (which you can get for $5.99 carryout). The taste of this $16 pizza was very dissapointing. The pizza came out and had mushrooms on it, which wasn't listed on the menu. I notified the bartender, and she contacted the "expediter" (the guy that stands at the hot lamp table and takes the food from the lamps to the waitress/bartender) he got in an argument with her that it supposed to come with mushrooms, so she had to correct him and show him what the menu says. All this is happening in front of us, then we watch him take the pizza to the cooks. The cooks then proceed to use their hands and pick the mushrooms off the pizza as much as they could find. They then put some arugula on the pizza and gave it back to the expediter. The bartender was sitting there watching along with us, then she came out from behind the bar, and told them to make an entire new pizza. If they would increase the portion size, and the amount of toppings added to the pizza it would taste better. The taste ended up being on the bland side, and I feel it was due to lack of sauce and toppings, that the taste of the dough just overpowered everything. The pizza is thin to where it can't handle what little toppings are on the pizza, and becomes SOGGY very very quickly. Good luck on Parking here as more than likely you are going to have to park across the street in a lot that says "no parking". There are only 2-3 parking spots in front of the restaurant. It was pretty dissapointing to see the owners truck parked right next to the handicap parking, which makes 1 less spot for customers. So now for the scoring scale 1-5. Value = 1 Customer Service (bartender) 5 Food Quality = 3 No, I can't recommend anyone eating here, until they atleast get the things that I mentioned above FIXED! I would be willing to go back and try them out again, and giving an update on my review here, however I won't be paying to go there again.
(2)Stephanie F.
Best pizza I've ever had in Key West. The brick oven pizzas are delicious. Unfortunately, I haven't tried anything else here. That being said the pizzas were great and the service was very good. It's also in a non-touristy part of town which is nice. I'd definitely recommend checking this place out.
(4)Bob S.
NIce alternative to historic Key West area. Great food, specialty pizzas, attentive and friendly staff. Full bar with TVs.
(4)Jordan V.
Went to the grand opening today! The owners are the owners of the iconic Hogfish Bar & Grill, and Geiger Key Marina, and they have brought great food to the historic Stock Island for years! So, we were very excited when we heard they were taking on an authentic Italian restaurant. The pizza, which is wood fired, is GOOD! Not the best, not memorable but delicious! The toppings are very light, and they don't put them far out to the edges. This is not your down and dirty pizza that you would expect to order for the big game, or I'm not even sure if it would feed 2 very hungry people. But it is delicious, but with the freshness, and because the fancy place, you can expect to pay $10-$15 for a pizza. The lasagna, let me tell you...Fresh pasta, fresh meatballs, great taste! Not much cheese, which really showed the flavors through this amazing dish! $13 for it, but it feeds 2 and comes with Foccacia bread. I sat at the bar to get my food to go, and the hostess was great about escorting me to the right place to get my order. Some of the employees were sitting around, have side conversations, and even wearing their headphones around their necks like they were DJ's. Surprising because the owners were there enjoying the grand opening, and I had a hard time understanding why the unprofessionalism was being tolerated on such an important night. I heard conversations about how the place was dead, and the grand opening was not what they had expected FROM THE EMPLOYEES! What a shame. As I was leaving, no one said anything, just more side conversations from the once attentive hostess, who was now busy showing a waitress a menu. Roostica does what SOME people enjoy, wood fired pizza with fancy sounding ingredients. Good food, great place, sub-par service. If you want to have a fancy restaurant, you have to get away from the laid back service we have come to expect from the Key West mindset.
(3)Noe N.
One of the best places to eat in Key West! My husband and I went here after sampling their meatball slider from a Taste of Key West event. The meat and marinara in this slider was so gosh darn good that we knew we'd make a visit to the restaurant soon. When we arrived to Roostica, I was delighted by the charming atmosphere. My husband and I ordered a couple of beers and 2 pizzas. The fig and pig pizza is excellent! The combination of salty and sweet without any one flavor overpowering the other was divine. The Roostica pizza (sans mushrooms since my husband can't eat mushrooms) was another winner! This place made my tummy and wallet really happy with great food at reasonable prices. Service is friendly, place is beautiful, food is delicious and the price is just right. That equals 5 stars in my book!
(5)Boisty M.
Favorite restaurant in Key West. Great happy hour and brunch. Delicious muddle drinks. I'm goin' back.
(5)Ben O.
The food here is actually pretty good. They have a decent wine and beer list too. The 1 star is for the consistently poor/ rude service at the bar. Yes its that bad. My wife and I are those people that prefer to sit at the bar. Every time we have been there the bartender was rude, inattentive and really made my wife and I feel unwelcome. It is too bad because we really like the food. Either order take out or sit at a table ( although I cant vouch for the table service.)
(1)Danielle N.
Really love the Margherita pizza here. Not so much on the Fried Saffron Risotto Balls (kinda bland) and the Eggplant Stack (the pale, tasteless tomatoes were the dealbreaker on that one). The restaurant is nice and clean inside and service was really good. Tiramisu was pretty good. Will be back to try more pizza!
(4)Ian W.
This is my 2 year old daughters favorite restaurant. She walks in and places her own order for bread. The staff all greet her and make us feel very welcome. The food is phenomenal. They have the best brick oven pizza I have ever eaten.
(5)Matt C.
This place is a great alternative to Key West as its only 5 minutes away and the prices are half of what you'd pay close to Duval Street. The staff are uber friendly, the Wood-Fired Pizza is amazing and the wings are some of the best I've ever had (and come with stellar wood fired onions and peppers). The portions surely arn't lacking for the minimal price. I'd 100% recommend this place!
(4)April A.
We were driving back from a week in the Keys and needed to stop for lunch. By this point, I was sooooo over conch chowder and hogfish (key lime pie, anyone?) that Italian was a welcome escape. We came in on a Sunday and just barely missed the Sunday Brunch (till 2pm). We sat on their covered patio and ordered a margherita pizza and an Italian chopped salad. The salad was great, a bit too much dressing, but good. The margherita pizza was delicious! Cherry tomatoes were sweet and the crust was perfect. Thin and tasty. They also have sub sandwiches, happy hour, and lots of beers on draft!
(5)Hunter M.
Smallish new-age Italian place with a matching atmosphere. The food was great. I had the baked tortellini special and some others at my table had a seafood pizza.. Good variety on the menu with some unique items. Their wood-fired pizzas seemed to be the house specialties but no reason to assume everything else they serve isn't delicious. Cool bar area with a decent wine list and plenty of craft beers. Very nice outdoor seating area if you can stand the heat. My only complaint was our server was useless.. She was prettymuch absentee, and when I asked for a cold glass to pour my beer in she brought me a scalding hot pilsner glass right out of the dishwasher still dripping with soap residue. I asked (jokingly) if she was serious and it became obvious she wasn't intentionally bad but just an idiot. I think she was the anomaly though because every table not in her section seemed to be getting good service.. Still had a good time though and I'd definitely go back.
(4)Amiel B.
Nice atmosphere, and pleasant wait staff. Pizza was top notch. You can tell they know DOC pizza, and the fit the standard. Good wine selection. Best pizza in Key west so far that we have found
(4)Clark L.
Six of us went to Roostica,all of us for the first time. Place looked great.As others have said,it was loud.Hate to eat there on Saturday night or during Spring Break! Service was just awful.Awful.Screwed up our order.Ended up giving us the extra pizza they brought.Manager came over to apologize..... Beer selection was mostly "Italian" beers on draft,plus Bud,Bud Light,etc,etc,etc.Poor options. BUT the pizza was great.Some of our party had salad and they reported that it was good.It looked good! The waitress said that the pizza was only big enough for one hungry person,so my wife and I ordered two.One would have been plenty for both of us. Two pizzas,one Yuengling(ugh) ,plus the free pizza we brought home-$29. We won't eat at Roosticas every week,but we'll go back.Hopefully the waitress we had will be on vacation. Three of us returned again on Sunday.Much improved service.Great pizza and very good meatballs and spaghetti .
(4)Erin S.
I love this place. We go here at least once a week. I have never had a bad meal here. We usually sit at the bar. The happy hour specials are a great deal. I love the daily specials idea. We go for Sunday Gravy with friends quite a bit. The sandwiches for lunch are awesome. The pizza is great. I usually stay simple with the pizzas. I love the Margarita. I have had a couple of the fancy ones that were too busy. The meatballs with polenta appetizer is my favorite. They only have beer and wine.
(5)Mihir M.
The food was good, but not the best Napolitan pizza - not like Una Pizza Napoletano in San Francisco, but good nevertheless. We had their margherita pizza, marinara pizza, & iced tea. The service was also good. This place is on Stock Island, just next to Key West & just off the main highway.
(4)Karen F.
I'm not really a pizza fanatic, but we were planning on stopping at our favorite restaurant on our way home from Key West last night. They were closed until August. I went to my phone and looked for pizza in and around Key West. Roostica caught my eye. I read a few reviews. We decided to try it. We had The Ledo (veggie) pizza. It was so so so so GOOD. The atmosphere was really nice, the waitstaff, outstanding but that pizza!!! My mouth waters just thinking about it. Our server was Kim D. She was great! I Can't wait to go back to try more menu items. The menu looks wonderful. I hope Roostica is around for a long long time.
(5)Rich P.
Great thin crust pizza. The pizzas are about 12" so if you're hungry, you can eat a whole one. We ate at the bar, and Sarah was very nice. They don't have pepperoni, but their version which is Italian Salami, the pizza is called " Diavola ". It was killer. We also had a white pizza with mushrooms and caramelized onions. If you like white pizza, it was very good. Two import beers, an iced tea, sausage and peppers appetizer, two pizza's and tiramisu. $55. Very reasonable and we brought food home. We live here and this place will see our faces a lot.
(5)Parks C.
I am kind of amazed at the serial novel length of complaint by one user here. ..clearly some people are just whiney ! To set the record straight this is a wonerful place, so much that I take myself family and clients here frequently... that pretty much says it all.
(5)Andrew M.
Stopped for a Lunch to sample the wood fired thin crust pizza before we start taking our guests here when they vist the Keys. First I started to whine about the parking our front till I saw the sign, Parking In Back, my bad. Greeted and seated promptly and drink orders taken. Saw a couple of the lunch sandwiches go by and was tempted to order one, but pizza was our quest. Ordered Brooklyn Boy Pizza which came quickly with tasty toppings, and was large enough to feed two of us. We had hoped for a thin cracker crust pie but that was not the case, it was similar to NY style. Some where in my years in the cooking equipment field I recall that if the cooking hearth gets too heated you'll begin to scorch (burn) the crust before getting a more of the moisture out of it and therefore no cracker crust but also an extra charring of the bottom. Needless to say cooking with a brick oven (wood fired?) is a lot harder than sticking a pie on a conveyor oven belt where timing is to the second and temperature variations are small so my hats off the the chef. Yes, it's loud, prices are Key West, but it's nice to have another alternative for Pizza in the Keys.
(3)Joe Y.
Great food, good atmosphere but very large portions .
(5)Jane H.
Great addition to Stock Island! Very good food, great bar and bartenders and happy hour offerings are wonderful. Such a variety of fabulous pizza choices, could go there every night for a month and try something new. Everyone comments about the parking but there is a large parking lot in the back of the restaurant so there's plenty of places to park. Must try if you haven't been there!
(5)Josh S.
A nice quaint little pizza place on Stock Island, minutes from Key West.Excellent pizza at an excellent price! Service was very friendly. They even offered gluten free pizza which made my wife with celiacs very happy! Would highly recommend if you're looking to get away from the touristy crowds and enjoy some legit wood fired pizza!
(4)Mark M.
Stopped in to try the wood fire pizza. Pizza was fantastic. It is the closest to Italy that I have had in the States. Just like in Italy, the pizza comes in one size and comes on a traditional pizza plate. Unlike Italy, they are courteous to slice it, versus cutting with fork and knife. They have traditional Italian beers on tap. If you don't care for Italian beers, they have a nice selection of bottle beers and a large selection of wines. The atmosphere and service was very nice. The restaurant was surprisingly bigger than I expected. I met the owners and was pleased to learn at how thoroughly they thought out the restaurant, from the ovens, to the plates, to the wine glasses, but especially the fresh ingredients. Their flour is imported and mozzarella is from Wisconsin. I have sampled some of the most famous pizzerias (Pepe's of New Haven, Rosatti's of Chicago, Well's Bros of Racine, Two Brothers of Red Bank, NJ, American Flatbread Co of Burlington VT, Pizza Nova of San Diego, Brandi's of Naples) and Roostica's pizza is a delicious wood fired traditional Italian pie.
(5)Gary G.
Great wood fire pizza and Italian food on Stock Island! Our waitress Peggy was superb. She took great care of us and is definitely an asset to Roostica. The wood fire pizza especially the Margherita pizza is spot on authentic and delicious. The recipe is credited as being the same recipe as the world's first pizzas. It's considered a "D.O.C." pizza. Check my photos for a description of what it means to be D.O.C. The fried saffron risotto balls were interesting but I probably skip them next time only because they didn't live up to the flavors of the rest of our dishes. The Caesar salad was fantastic, the roasted beet salad was excellent and the bruschetta was delicious. But really, the standout is the pizza, definitely come for the pizza! Our group was lucky enough to grab some gluten-free dough before they ran out that evening. Both traditional and gluten-free dough were great. We sat outside but recommend grabbing a table inside as it is Florida and the insects also like the outdoors. The kids got a few bug bites while sitting at the table. Overall, we had a fantastic experience at this restaurant and recommend it highly. Enjoy!
(5)Joseph E.
I was recently in key west and was staying across the street from Roostica. Needless to say that I ate there 3 of the 5 days I was in town. The pizza's are excellent and the pasta dishes are no slouches either. Our server Holly Ann was the best and made the experience all the better. I'll definitely be back.
(5)Oksana G.
Zero points! A huge swim meet accross the street! No parking, closed for dinners because there is a 'filming'?! Who cares! Those are the customers you were destined for and you blow it! Never ever we will be there again! So sad! Plus, 'roost'ica that is a totally different story! Horrible first and last try!
(1)Chris E.
I'm beyond happy to give Roostica a 5 star review. I came here on a slow September evening. It's conveniently located on Stock Island, the first Key north of Key West. Parking is available in front and across the street. The menu is is very pizza focused, but with their 900 degree oven, it's all great. I had the Fig and Pig pizza. My husband had John's Pizza. The size of the pizzas are about 12" and very hearty. I'm a big guy and I didn't finish mine. A smaller couple (or less hungry) could share one pizza. The wine list is surprisingly well priced and does not rely on the cheap stuff you see everywhere. For 2 pizzas, 2 glasses of wine, a small app and dessert to share, we spent $63~ Our server was named Susan. She was friendly and attentive. She kept our waters full and made sure we had everything we needed without hovering. Excellent service, excellent experience.
(5)Alyce T.
Loved it. We chose the Brooklyn Boy pizza and it was wonderful. Had meatball sliders for an appetizer and loved them as well.
(5)Cory P.
Garlic bread good nothing to wrote home about. Meatballs and polenta, parmigiana chicken. Service Fantastic. Definitely a new favorite
(4)Dave O.
I love it when a lot of the reviews posted are from the locals, we got this recommendation from a local bartender and what a find it was. It's not likely you'll just stumble upon this place, located on Stock Island it's about fifteen minutes from the hotels on Duval Street. The neighborhood at night looks a little iffy the area is not well lit but I think the owners here have an agreement so I wouldn't expect any issues. Once you get through the door after turning the knob to the right and pulling very hard its like a touch of Italy, from the decor and a clientele perspective. Everyone was extremely outgoing a real family atmosphere, a few long family style tables in the front half, a few high tops in the back across from the bar, theres also a kitchen bar over looking the two wood fired ovens. Our server was very nice and attentive she made some great recommendations. We ordered a 12" six slice thin crust pizza with pepperoni (spicy salami), ham (prosciutto) and cheese (real mozzarella) all of this on top of a perfectly wood fired crust with the perfect amount of sauce that would rival any I've every eaten state side. It's very causal but it was so typical of what you would find at any authentic Italian restaurant a few tables filled with older gentlemen dressed in retro sport coats having espresso a few of the long tables with three or four generations of family members eating spaghetti and garlic knots with marinara and lots of wine. The pizza was exceptional as I would expect everything that is served here to be. The service was great and everyone was treated like family and you felt appreciated for stopping in to eat at their establishment. I definitely recommend you give them a try.
(4)David B.
Had to pick up daughter at airport in Key West and her flight was delayed 40 min, so I asked who had the best pizza around and everyone said Roostica . I had the Roostica signature pizza. They are all 12 in , all fresh ingredients , the house made mozzarella to the sun dried tomatoes . The best I ever had.
(5)Amanda B.
Incredible food! The shrimp pesto pizza was absolutely incredible. Staff was very friendly and the restaurant was decorated well. Highly recommended.
(5)Andy S.
Welcoming, clearly a popular location amongst locals. Pizza is an obvious focus with more than half a menu dedicated to it and more than half a kitchen (open to watch) focusing on it. The pizzas that the 3 of us ordered were fresh, tasty, slightly crispy base done to perfection. Wait staff (Amanda) perfect, no complaints only praise for being attentive and helpful.
(5)Tim D.
So we're sitting and talking on the beach in Key West, and the people sitting next to us say - Hey, if you're looking for good pizza, go to Roostica. They were so right. Classy place, a block or two off of Rt 1 outside Key West. Great lunch spot. Good wines, and good beers. (Try the Funky Buddha IPA.) As good as the coal-oven pizza was - and it was really good - the wings that soaked overnight in limoncello (spelling?) were even better. Friendly staff. A gem. Beats Duval Street by a mile. Enjoy.
(5)Kristin G.
My firefighter friend recommended this place because it was across the street from his station. Since my husband and I were down in Key West for the Ragner race, we figured this was a great place to get fueled up and celebrate his accomplishment. It was a Saturday night and we didn't have a reservation for 4, but were seated pretty quickly considering how packed it was. Took a minute for the waitress to make her way over to us, but when she did, we put in our drink order and chatted away while we looked at our menu. It had been a while we were chatting before the waitress came back, bc at one point I had to stop the conversation to say "wait, we haven't placed our appetizer order in yet" (we were pretty tired after the Ragnar race, and wanted to get to bed) So she finally shows up, and we decide to order the cheese and meat platter for the table for all of us to share. Came out fairly quickly, and it was fantastic! Everything seem fresh, even the buffalo mozzarella. Shortly after we placed our order and I had the lasagna and our friends had the wood fire pizza. The order took a while to come out. Not sure if it was the fact that they inly had two wooden grills to make the pizza, or they were just very busy. Nonetheless, we get out food, and of course in true Italian fashion, the portions are HUGE! I'm usually ok with that bc I have a big appetite. I gobbled up my food, but not because it was tasty bc I was hungry. It actually wasn't all that great. Felt like it was a bit burnt at the top (perhaps over cooked?) everyone else enjoyed their food but did admit that they have had better. Being that the prices aren't cheap, I expected a bit more from their service and food. Overall, the food was ok. Service, so so.
(3)Tom A.
Forget the endless conch fritters and land here. The pizza is fantastic! My family and I went nuts here. Loved the pie! Hip high end interior is relaxing and fun. Wood fired pizza has a great crust, great sausage and fabulous olives. Not out of a can, Kalamata olives. Yum!
(5)Samantha M.
Great place to go if you want real fresh pizza! Staff was nice. Clean restaurant. The one thing I was not impressed with was.... When I asked for a bottled water... I got a glass bottle that obviously can be opened and refilled... I again asked for a sealed bottle (not previously opened) but the server said that they did not offer any flat water other then the one she provided. She continued to let me Know that they do offer a sealed sparking water.... Unfortunately I'm not a fan of carbonated water :(
(4)T R.
Completely overpriced crap! Service was sub par and pizza was just ok... Tourist trap!
(1)Joe M.
Thanks to Roostica for being one of the great places to eat in Key West. Rick does a wonderful job slinging pizza pies its "Amore"!
(5)Ted L.
As I've written before, this really is one of my favorite places in Key West. The other day started out like one of those Key West days where nothing was going right. I started out with a meeting a Federal office that is only open two days a week (and this wasn't one of them). Then, I had to argue with the US Postal Service because their mail carrier had arbitrarily decided that everyone at my address had moved and cancelled our mail as I had been out of town for two weeks. Then, in the middle of mid-town, my (then) scooter broke down. I called the Scooter Repair guys (that will be a separate review) and they came and got me and the POS bike. When deciding where to go, I was talking to the driver and he says "Well if you go to Roostica you don't have to spend $20 on a cab, you can just walk over and pick up the scooter." I had just had dinner there the night before and didn't really feel like it for lunch, but my new GF has been instilling the "go where it takes you" attitude in me so I said sure. That's when things got better. I noticed the special on the board: Rigatoni in red sauce, with spinach, mushrooms and sausage. It was absolutely sublime. It was a very light sauce, with the sausage, spinach and mushroom in perfect proportions, so that every bite was nearly perfect. I mentioned to them that they should put it on the menu as a regular item and that it was my favorite thing that I had eaten there since they opened. That was until a couple of nights later. My friend John and I had been reef fishing and caught 7 hog snapper (that's right, caught... on hook and line) and we decided to take it and have them make a piccata with it. Ironically, that was the special of the day. No problem! Sarah and the management accommodated us... cooked our catch and it was phenomenal... lightly panfried in flour, capers and buttery, velvety, lemony goodness. If its on the menu when you are there... try it! Also, try the garlic knots rather than just the regular bread. You'll be happy you did! Only real downside is wireless is spotty. But give it to Bobby and Michelle Mongelli and their staff. They have got it going on... right across the bridge on Stock Island.
(4)PaulSEGAL ..
Very good thin crust pizza brought out fast. Seat yourself, grab a menu(I did) Water served in old fashioned mason jars with handles. What more do you need?
(4)Sue L.
The Best Pizza in Town. Let me rephrase that The Best Pizza in Most Towns. Unless you are from Chicago or New York you will not find Pizza this Good. Soups very good, salad also good, calzone excellent. Service good. Decor Italian. What U need to know is it's not tourists food it's good food, so come on in.
(5)Stacie M.
Unethical place. Their sign out front says happy hour till 6:30 but when we arrived at 6:20 they said as of tonight happy hour ends at 6:00. I went to the manager to complain that their sign out front said 6:30 and he had an attitude. He said he knew the sign said 6:30 but the owner said as of today it is 6:00 and they weren't going to honor the sign posted out front. I thought it was the law to honor what you advertise????
(1)Marian T.
Nice meal, good wait staff,,liked my Beet salad with pistachios. My husband loved his sausage calzone.
(4)George N.
I ordered extra crispy, I gave this place 3 tries in 1 year and, well, three strikes you're out Roostica. Completely disregarded on my order everytime, the last order I was with a vegan and ordered a pickup veggie pie and got sausage and pepperoni, thanks for your utter complete lack of focus. Your pizza is disgustedly soggy throughout the dough and your overly spicy sauce should be in a salsa jar in a Mexican restaurant. I would decline a meal for my dog.
(1)Jim P.
Went here since we didn't want to deal with finding a parking space downtown. Good decision. Great family owned restaurant. Very family friendly. Antipasto was great, no lettuce just meats, cheese and veggies. Very good. The small fed both of us. Individual pizzas were also good especially the "devil"; very spicy which I liked. Other meals looked good but we wanted pizza.
(4)Tammy R.
Great pizza, great service and great atmosphere. We come for lunch and dinner every time we're in Key West. Workman's Lunch Special today for $11 includes small salad with delicious ranch dressing and small sausage pizza. Both are good sizes for lunch. Will be back!
(5)Gail N.
First time to eat here. We decided to get take out due to a long day of fishing and pool time. Garlic bread fantastic! The italian salad and the homemade dressing unbelievable! Margarita pizza and make your own pizza with salami and sweet sausage (homemade) made perfect. Our cousin has a wood fired pizza shop and hand in hand you guys rock. Definitely when we come back next year we are going to eat in!
(5)John D.
After looking downtown for a place to eat, we decided on Roostica's. It was the best choice. With a wood fired oven, the pizza and bread was delicious. I highly recommend the brunch menu, but honestly, all the food was great. With a complimentary mimosa or Bloody Mary during the Sunday brunch, you can't beat it. I will definitely be back.
(5)Aimee M.
This little hidden gem has amazing pizza. My hubby and I shared the Hell's Kitchen pizza. Chewy crust and spicy pepperoni. The muddled strawberry basil is a wonderfully refreshing drink as well.
(5)Rosé T.
Very nice atmosphere, lovely decor, quaint and traditional pizzas. The only reason I did not give a full star rating is because of the cocktails. I did not care for the watermelon jalapeño mojito and my mother had the sangria which tasted like box wine. Very basic. Must try the pig and fig pizza and the roostica. The Italian salad is lovely and filled with delicious olives (but I'm biased). Overall a place to be impressed by!
(4)Lindsay G.
We asked a local bar manager and friend of ours where we could get some good Italian food. We are so glad she referred us to Roostica on Stock Island! If you want great pizzas/salads, this is the place. Even the calzones are delicious and freshly baked in their oven. My friend ordered the spaghetti bolognese and it was soooo tasty. The staff was friendly, we didn't have to wait long, and each of the dishes our group ordered could've been shared by two people. Definitley a great place if you want non-touristy Italian food while you're in Key West!
(5)Kathryn A.
Great size servings for a decent price. Excellent food. Fresh food/veggies. Friendly atmosphere. I'm definitely coming here again!
(5)Karen T.
Convenient location to where we were staying. Nice comfortable, casual interior. Quality food ingredients. Overall a very nice experience.
(4)Danielle S.
This is a Stock Island diamond in the rough. The ambiance is cozy (when there isn't a couple making out uncomfortably close to you) and the service was fairly quick. The saffron risotto balls were good, but you're given too few. The marinara sauce they come with is underwhelming and makes them taste like meatballs. The fig and pig pizza was delicious. Not convinced it's worth the trip out of Key West, but it's good if you're in the area.
(3)Nathan R.
This is a hidden gem . The pizza, lasagna and eggplant stack were all phenomenal. This spot is away from the crowds and worth the drive if you are in Key West. Really nice atmosphere that is on par with any nice major city Italian restaurant. Have excellent kids meal selections which is always a plus!
(5)Zoe A.
Second time here in two weeks, first time on Sunday had family spaghetti dinner for 3... Had 6 big meatballs and 3 Italian sausages, salad and bread... With food left over for another dinner for two... All was delicious... This time with friends we all ordered various white and red pizzas , 6 piece each, shared and sampled, all great taste and salads big enough for two to share... All great tasting and service was friendly and prompt... We had dessert and that was delicious too! I would give it 5 stars if the noise level was somewhat "muffled" so that you can have enjoyable dinner conversation. The acoustics are awful! Everything else great.
(4)Dennis B.
Casual atmosphere, great food and service, and reasonable prices. Located on Stock Island just east of Key West. We're staying here for a week and Roostica became our go-to place for a drink or meal. Their Roostica Pizza was excellent. Several in our party ordered the lasagna and, from my sample, one of the best I've ever had.
(5)J C.
Ordered 2 Margarita pizzas to go. The worse I have ever tried. Barely any cheese cold and dry. Yet i pick it up 15 min after ordered
(1)Dawn H.
Food and service was excellent. Nice quiet off the beaten path place. Will definitely stop at again while in Key West
(5)Ryan K.
Busy! Very friendly staff as we enjoyed a great Margarita waiting on our take out. Caesar salad w/ traditional white anchovies, well portioned antipasto and the spicy Hell's Kitchen pizza were all excellent. Waiting at the pickup area I watched the prosciutto sliced fresh and enjoyed the atmosphere with thrifty locals and vacationers. However, seeing the food come from the window my regrets developed for not having tried the myriad pasta dishes or meatball sliders. Roostica will only disappoint if you must wait too long to be seated due to its popularity!
(5)George H.
A very busy place due to it's close proximity to Boyd's RV Camp I suggest either eating dinner early or late. A good selection of beer brands...I highly recommend one of the white pizzas...we had the roasted beet salad and the mushroom and truffle white pizza...wood pizza ovens add flavor...a little disappointed that the wood fired pork tenderloin special was sold out but otherwise a fine meal!
(3)Peter L.
We visited key west during fantasy fest and so one night we wanted to get away from the activity of Duvall street. We used yelp and found this place. What drew us here was the gluten free options and we were glad we made the 2 mile drive for it. Drinks- the key lime martini is good, has the tartness of key lime and isn't shy on the liquor Apps- we had the marinated olives which were very good and a nice starter. We also had the jerk oven fired wings which provided a nice Italian twist to wings Pizza- we had the shrimp and pesto. They can do any of their pizza on gluten free crust so we opted for that. It was a nice light pizza with good flavor, highly recommended If you want to get away from the activity of downtown key west and Duvall this is a great option for a nice dinner.
(4)Karl C.
We had high expectations, based on prior reviews. We ordered 1 pizza as take-out to take back to our condo (less than a mile away). I wish we would have dined in at the restaurant, though. When we got to the condo, the pizza crust was soggy - you couldn't even pick up a piece without the end flopping and the topping sliding off. We tried to crisp up a few pieces in the oven, but that didn't help. Perhaps their pizza is much better eaten (very) fresh at the restaurant, rather than as take-out...?
(2)Arrow S.
Have been to Roostica many times but tonight was the worst meal my wife and I have had. My wife had the wings and I had the Roostica pizza. The wings and peppers were cold and the pizza just wasn't right. I will go somewhere else from now on out. The witress was older and slow and very cold. The owner sit at the bar and wasn't paying much attention to the food coming out. Something was amiss tonight. Got stomach pains as well as my wife. I would give Roostica no stars if I could.
(1)Dawn B.
First off the menu posted is incorrect but don't let that bother you. The current menu and specials are wonderful. Had a apple Gorgonzola salad, Jamaican wings, egg plant stack. Wished I would have posted a pic of the stack. It was wonderful tasty and fresh. On a previous visit had pizzas that were full of flavor and hot. Service great. They even have a sense of humor. Left our credit card and when we called a couple days later the gal said she found the cutest shoes with matching purse that the card worked perfectly for. Card was safe in cash drawer and they found right away. Overall great experience and prices.
(5)Jenn K.
One of my favorite restaurants in Key West. I love love love wood oven pizzas, and these were wonderful with creative ingredients. We finished with a Nutella pizza..amazing!
(5)Louise Y.
Wood fired pizza is wonderful! We sat outside, very pleasant. We have eaten there quite a few times. You will not be disappointed.
(5)Kiersten F.
Everything was just OK. The younger hostess was really nice but then an older blonde woman (penny) came up and interrupted the other girl and made my friend and I feel realllly unwelcome. Like we were inconveniencing her for coming into the restaurant. The server was okay once she noticed us. A little weird when we asked about the happy hour kind of like "uh you should know." The rest of the meal she was nice enough just not around enough. The food left something to be desired. The bruschetta was pretty good but the bread was only toasted on one side. Weird. The "garlic" bread was Also only toasted on one side. This was even worse than the crostinis because they were thicker. It's like the cooks slathered the bottom in oil but forgot to toast it. It left the top nice and crunchy and the bottom soggy. Not appetizing. Also we tasted absolutely zero garlic, and I'm pretty sensitive to garlic. We had to ask for some powdered garlic. It tasted more like a slight bit of cheese had been toasted on it instead of garlic. Very bland. We also had the burrata and prosciutto witch was fine, although the bread was just the crostinis but not toasted. Just kind of flavorless and doughy. We thought it was weird they didn't just serve it with the crostinis. I'd give the service a B- and the food a C. The place is cute enough and I hear the pizzas are good. But sadly my first impression was a poor one. I don't think I'll be back.
(3)D J.
In the mood for pizza. Meat, margarita, and cheese were all good. The chianti was good value. The spaghetti and meat balls were also good.
(5)LB B.
What a pleasant surprise! Incredible food and great service, what more can you ask for. Don't let the surroundings fool you. These folks have an awesome wood fire oven and not only are the pizzas incredible but the bread is made in there as well. First time I ever wanted to steal part of my husbands Chicken Parmigiana sandwich!
(5)Tracy K.
First stop on our first key west experience-yummy Pizza and calzone! Great environment.
(5)Kimberly M.
So we saw all the reviews and we are staying close by. After a day of seafood0 we decided a couple of pizzas an some salad would be fabulous. Well...it might have been...somewhere else. I know we are from Jersey and have pretty high standards when it comes to pie. But...this was just bad. The sausage was just sliced stuff from the grocery store, the mushrooms were0 oh wait they forgot the mushrooms. And the worst was the crust. It was complete mush in the center. Ick! If you are thinking pizza- opt for Domino's over this place. Maybe some of their other stuff is better but we won't be risking it.
(1)james b.
This is around the corner from the RV park where we were camping, and how glad we were. Excellent pizza, decent wine and beer, very friendly service. We're picky about pizza, and this definitely worked for us.
(4)Chiki A.
"Pizza is Pizza" BUT some places do it better than others and so far this is one of my new favorites around here... & to be honest I thought we were going to pay a lot more...
(4)Dana C.
Great experience. Delicious Neapolitan-american style pizza, super-friendly, fast service.
(4)brittany m.
Best pizza in key west. The Jamaican wings are on point and their mixed green garden salad is amazing!
(5)Don C.
Had seafood pizza. It's so untraditional I was disappointed. I like cheese and sauce on my pizza whatever the kind and this pizza was severely lacking on both. Maybe servers should warn that it's not traditional pizza. I would not recommend unless you're on a non-dairy diet.
(2)Jennifer M.
We'll I have visited this place 3 times now. The pizza fantastic! Many different types to try. For a foodie, different kinds even the pepperoni is a spicy salami which is pretty spicy. The crust is fantastic. Had the lasagna and spaghetti and meatballs. The pasta was a let down. The meatballs had chicken meat and we had one meatball that was spare ribs which was their Saturday special. Just nothing compared to the pizza and not much flavor at all. Pretty plain and to the table very fast which makes me think it was pre made or from a big batch. I won't order the pasta again but the pizza was third best here in key west. Oh and your online menu doesn't have any if your pastas on it ;) also one IPA we requested they did not have.
(3)Patricia S.
Food was great. Pesto shrimp pizza and diablo musselsm yum! Service lacks on refills and follow up.
(3)Tara H.
We had the baked ziti with meat sauce and it was very good. The service was good too.
(4)Mary Beth P.
We've learned that when vacationing in key west, stay away from the restaurants in the "tourist" section, but rather hit up the food places out of town. Roostica's is a prime example. Excellent atmosphere, clean, and excellent food. Garlic bread appetizer...may sound simple, but it was so good!! Highly recommend!!
(5)Johnny G.
Well thank you Mr Pizza man Rick!! I Just got back from a 3 day 'pretend you're 22' party fest with my best buds of 30+ years Jimbo and Billy P. We went here only 2 times but it was really good. I had the marinara pizza both times. Rick (main pizza maker) couldn't of been nicer and more proud of his pizzas. He was more than willing to custom bake or cook ours 'a little longer' for that extra crispy goodness. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because we just didn't have time to explore the menu and try other things. We happened to go during Sunday brunch but I still got my pizza, thanks again Rick!! My buds got a few of the brunch specials (egg and sausage casserole) thing and devoured them both. This place is on Stock Island so its technically not in key west but its so close its worth the 10 mins away from Duval St drive. I sureto am Looking forward to going back in probably a year and try some other things on the menu.
(4)Jennifer J.
Pizza is decent. Quick arrival to our table once ordered. Server was not as quick. Had to ask busboy to get us refills twice.
(3)Amy V.
First time to Key West and this is the first place we ate once we arrived. The food was good, we all had pizza which is your typical wood fire oven pizza. The service however was horrible. Our waitress was rude, impatient and when we ask questions, she was short and snippy. Everyone at the table has a customer service background, we are shocked that Erica is still employed. I can't imagine she makes any money waiting tables with her attitude. Won't be returning ever.
(1)Harvey R.
After ordering the workman's lunch I went to the bathroom to wash my hands. Some guy is piddling in the toilet cubicle. While I'm drying my hands the guy finishes and goes straight out the door. No toilet flushing or hands washing for him, and I think, What a schmuck! As I head back to my table I see the "schmuck" behind the kitchen counter where the food is prepared, so I go to the customer desk where there are 2 manager-type women and the cute teenager who took my order. I point the "schmuck" out and ask if he has anything to do with food prep. Yes! I'm told, he's the # 2 guy and he handles everything. (they were so right!) I tell them what happened and ask to cancel my order. The cute teen looked a little queasy and very embarrassed. Do I get an apology from management, or am I told that they'll do anything? Nope! While all this is happening I see food orders going out and being served to people who have no idea what went on. Do either of these manager-types go to stop the "schmuck" quiz him on what went down, or tell him to wash his hands? Nope. Last time I go in to Roostica.
(1)Barbara S.
Brunch was wonderful! We had biscuits and gravy, a lox and cream cheese "sandwich" and a frittata, all were delicous and exceeded our expectations. Asia, behind the bar, poured our drinks, served our meals and..,, remembered us from previous visits:) Rick, chef extraordinaire, again prepared food that far exceeds "pizzeria" fare! We love this place!
(5)Jerricho M.
I am giving it 5 stars for the pizza. I had the Margherita pizza and it was outstanding! loved every bite. fresh, fresh, fresh! ingredients. Eating Chicago style pizza my whole life I have to say this is amazing. well worth it. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Ruth H.
Fabulous! We had the limoncello wings and the Sicilian pizza. So-o-o good! And the service and all the staff was wonderful. Nothing pretentious or touristy here, just top notch, very fresh food. Every item I saw being served made me say "I want to try that!!!" I'll be back many times.
(5)Tim S.
This place came recommended,we were disappointed. Mushy dough,small portions & No Taste @ all. Off my list for sure,70$ for 2 pizzas,salad & 3 beers.
(1)Saundra K.
Best pizza in town, had the fig & pig which is very unusual compliment of sweet and salt. We have eaten twice now and loved it both times, waitress was so busy so no real above and beyond attention, however, tips will reflect that. Only complaint, pizzas are a bit small so add a salad or get your own pizza! Atmosphere: very un-characteristic of Stock Island, out-door dining takes u away from Stock Island to an Italian pizzeria in Italy somewhere:-)
(4)Louis G.
I fondly remember my recent visit to Roostica, only a few nights ago. Brought here by the family we are visiting, they had talked about this place since it opened and finally decided to bring us here. It turned out even better than we had heard. Upon entrance, we were greeted by a warm, open restaurant painted in a welcoming shade of beige, set with dark wooden tables and chairs, adorned with maps and pictures of Italy, and overseen by the partially open kitchen (the wood-fire oven and pizza prep station) complete with passionate chefs working nonstop to craft what is quite delightful food. There are low tables, high tables, and even table outside. It being a nice warm evening and a larger party, we opted for the outdoor option. We had a kind, helpful, energetic, wonderful, and knowledgeable waitress (it's such a relief when your waitress understands the menu and can answer the most obscure questions constantly bombarded upon them regularly by our diverse party) Oh, and water. Rather than depending on a waitress to constantly fill, large pitchers were provided for us to serve ourselves, a good touch and complement to the ambiance and style of Roostica. After three paragraphs, you probably want to hear about the food, yeah? Ok, here's the scoop: Fantastic all-around. As far as appetizers go, it isn't apparent there is a specific shareable small-plate section. Instead, most dishes are large enough to fill one person if they choose to embark solo, or shared among a few as an appetizer before a solo course, or even several dishes could be ordered and enjoyed from family style. This flexibility I commend in great menu planning. Decided on ordering the half Butcher's Block Antispasto platter as appetizer (shared amongst the meat-eaters and grazed upon by the vegetarians) it featured a generous amount of cured meats, fresh crusty bread, quality cheese, two types of pickled peppers, and pickled cucumbers. A younger member of our party enjoyed the lemoncello chicken wings, smothered in onion and red pepper, with wedges of lemon. (she removed all signs of vegetation from the plate, but thoroughly enjoyed the wing meat which after minor pleading and being given a small sample I deemed as some "darn good wings" there are a variety of pizzas gracing the menu, but I and another of our party went for the D.O.C. pizzas, each a variation of the basic sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil. D.O.C.? What's that? Well, in a nutshell of what I learned from the waitress and the menu, D.O.C. is the Italian government certification of authentically prepared pizza with approved ingredients, method, and oven (a wood-fire one that reaches 900 degrees in the fahrenheit region) the method effectively melts the cheese to a bubbly consistency and marries its flavor with that of basil, crust and sauce (I highly recommend the 'plus' option for the D.O.C. pizza, as it includes cherry tomatoes that add a depth of juiciness and fresh tomato flavor, a good contrast of the cooked ones in the sauce) The waitress also mentioned at least one of the chefs traveled to Italy for research with the owners while creating the restaurant (pretty awesome in my opinion) also consumed upon wood that evening was house made lasagna, shrimp scampi, and crab-stuffed ravioli (that night's special) All received good reviews, and judging by they were finished before I could sample, they were as good as the rest of the food. We did not have desert that evening, as we were happily stuffed. I did see gelato on the menu, so I'm sure if you choose to stay post-pizza you will remain in good hands. Well, that covers all I know of the restaurant, no quips, no nothing. No cons as apposed to pro's from me.A solid restaurant for local and tourist alike, sound classic concept with fantastic delivery (I'm not sure if they deliver but to enjoy this place, come in and enjoy the ambiance) As noted by my 5-star certification to this great establishment, I highly recommend Roostica and both anxiously and excitedly await my return.
(5)