Rosati's Pizza — Restaurant in Apex

Originally, I had posted a review of this location calling out the other user(s) who posted 5-star reviews for this store, two whole years before they even opened their doors. The problems the business owners might have getting permits, people, training, and supplies were not my point. It was the fake reviews of a place that had not opened. Two years later, the owners invited me to finally try their product since they finally launched the business. So, here is an update. The doors finally opened after a couple of years of delay. I was invited to come in and give the place a try. It’s carry-out (or delivery) only, which was perfect for what I needed. We ordered a 14” chicago style deep dish with Italian Sausage. A staple of chicago style pizza and one of the choices in their on-line menu (which I found doesn’t quite match the other local stores or the restaurants in the Chicago area). The order process was pretty straight forward and my pizza was ready exactly when the website said it would be. When I got the pizza home, my family was anxiously awaiting the results. This is a deep-dish Chicago-style pizza. However, there were pieces of Italian sausage sprinkled on top, not the traditional layer of sausage I have come to expect on a Chicago Deep Dish pizza. The sauce was not the chunky style I expect in a Chicago-style deep dish, but a thicker paste version, with more substance than most pizzas available in the area. The cheese was also not quite right. The layer of cheese was ok, but not the ample think and almost creamy cheese I expected in a chicago style deep dish. The cheese did not have that “stretchiness” I expect from a chicago style pizza. The crust was good, and not soggy from too much cheese soaking it with water baked out of the cheese. It’s a traditional dough and not the cornbread version many will attribute to a couple of the other famous deep dish pizza places in Chicago. I felt ours was slightly over-cooked, which is a personal preference and not really a reflection on how the Apex Rosati’s cooked it. And Kudos to the Apex Rosati’s for the mesh layer of packing to keep the crust from gushing together into the cardboard pf the pizza box the pizza comes in. You might want to blame some of the comments on a carry-out order, but I used the same insulated pizza delivery bag I have used for bringing home pizzas from the Rosati’s in Morrisville (which they claim is in Cary, for some reason), Acme in Holly Springs, and so many other places around the area. The pizza wasn’t horrible. It was good. It just doesn’t measure up to other Rosati’s in the area, yet. It isn’t as good as Acme in Holly Springs, but it is a good local supply for transplanted Chicagoans in the area. The people in the store are great. Very pleasant, and as a storefront pizza place, they even have a great waiting area with a couch and some chairs to sit and relax if you underestimate the time it takes to bake a Chicago-style deep dish pizza. If you truly miss Chicago Deep Dish pizza, this is much better than the crap in the freezer section of your grocery store, and almost measures up to the dry ice shipments from Chicago food suppliers. The Apex in Rosati’s might feel they got it and I am crazy, or they might tweak the ingredients on their own over time to really capture a Rosati’s pizza which equals the ones available in the stores in the Chicago area (which also vary somewhat from store to store, and I have been to a few in my day…). This is a good substitute for waiting days for a delivery from Chicago or making a pilgrimage home for a slice at a pizza place we all remember from our youth. It isn’t perfect, yet....

This was one of the worst experiences I have had at a pizza shop since moving to North Carolina. All of the reviews about taking an hour plus to complete simple orders are on point and should not be criticized as others have for doing so “when they hadn’t even fully opened yet”. They have been open for 2 months and should have the process down but they do not. We ordered 1 simple 1 topping pizza and a calzone IN PERSON and was told it would be 20-30 mins. I left and returned 30 mins later and was told both it would be another 15 minutes and also that they had not even started the pizza yet. When I expressed frustration at this situation (it was not busy at least in the actual restaurant) the manager came out and asked me if it was my first time visiting there. It was not. She then explained that online orders usually warn the customer it may take an hour or more on a Friday night but there is no sign in Rosati’s that says this. I then explained to the manager I ordered in person and was told 20-30 mins and she just said “ I’m not sure why they told you that”. No offer to take half off or anything. She then told me that because she was talking to me that the kitchen was getting behind because she wasn’t back there helping. What? Why would you tell me that? I came back 30 mins later and the food was ready and hot. However they absolutely put way too much cheese on both items and the dough could not handle it so both items just fell apart. There was no flavor but massive amounts of cheese and sauce. The meatballs in the calzone were barely there and also had no flavor. Whoever has reviewed this restaurant in Apex and gave high scores to the taste, must have had a different chef that day. All employees except for 1 red haired woman seemed pissed off and incompetent and like they had never worked in food service. This experience was so bad, we will never return. Which is unfortunate as we had been looking forward to this place opening as we live in the townhomes right by Rosatis. To the Owners - how could you take so long to open this location, spend all the money you spent, and have such a terrible product and staff? You need to send in your friends as secret shoppers on a Friday night to get a true understanding of what your customers are going through. I really wanted to like this place but again, you have given Apex the worst pizza option in the city. You only have a few months to fix this before the reputation is solidified and the restaurant fails. You will have lost all that money because you did not pay attention to quality or hiring a good staff. I feel...

2.5 stars. Good food, service needs improvement.

Ordered food online at 5:55. Was told 30 minutes. Traffic getting there so walked in the door at 6:30. Immediately had a bad feeling when I saw five people waiting and looking impatient. Did not appear to be any manager or anyone in charge of running the place. Gave the girl at counter my name. She definitely had not seen that name on an order and asked again after a few minutes. Lots of waiting. More people continued to come in. At one point there were at least 10 people waiting for food. One gentleman said he had ordered online at 5:15 and it was getting close to 7:00. Tried to remain patient and keep my comments to myself since I know they have not been open that long and it looked like it was mainly teenagers working and (maybe) trying their best. Finally got my food at 7:13. Almost gave it to the guy who ordered at 5:15, but there were hungry people waiting at home.

Pizza was very good. We got a thin crust and a Chicago style to sample both. Thin crust may have been slightly undercooked in the middle, but good and crisp around the edges. Chicago style had great flavor.

They were busy but not that busy. If they had given an hour as the wait time, I might have walked away feeling differently. We’ll give them a few weeks or months to get their act together and then go back. Or maybe try again on...