Rustica Cucina Italiana — Restaurant in Rockland

I took my daughter here the night before we were both running a half-marathon to carbo-load. First and foremost, the food was excellent and reasonably priced. It is simply great, traditional Italian food as good as any you would find in the North End. I had the baked penne which was perfectly prepared and arrived piping hot. For dessert we shared the chocolate cake which was almost like a lava cake with a runny chocolate core topped with ice cream. The service was also excellent - we never waited long for anything, and we were happy to get in and out of there reasonably quickly so we could get some needed rest.

I would also like to share what happened afterwards. My daughter discovered she had left her airpods in the restaurant - long after it had closed. We were dismayed to find out it would not open again until Tuesday - long after we would be making the 4-hour drive back to Boston. The next week I called to see if they had found them. They reported they had not, but would contact me if they did. To my surprise I received a call the next day from one of the staff reporting they had been found. At that point I made what I had to admit was an unusual request to ask if they might mail them to us at our home and I could repay them via venmo or something. They said they would have to ask the manager and would again get back to us. Shortly thereafter I received a call from the manager asking to confirm my name and address. He refused to accept any payment, and happily we received them within a few days. It is nice to know that it is not just a good restaurant but that it is run by good people. I will definitely be visiting again when I return to...

My favorite restaurant in Maine. I have tried everything on their menu and nothing disappoints. Some meals are obviously better than others however the quality of these meals are through the roof. The prices are medium to high however! Every dish you will get will be a great portion. So that being said, you are paying for a large portion that is quality. They tend to be pretty fast too with getting your meals out however do take note; they are in a smaller building which will limit the amount of people in the building at once, so when this place is full, it does take a longer time to get the meal but it is still reasonably fast. The servers are all very experience and know the dishes very well. They are very friendly and can be very helpful in choosing a dish for you. The menu is two sides but has a good amount of items on it. Honestly, nothing disappointing here for food. The bar has a large variety of wines and mix drinks and has a small selection of beer on draft. If you are planning a trip to Rockland Maine, this is a must. It sometimes can get pretty loud because of how busy it can get and the tables are somewhat close to each other but it really makes for a great dinner. This is the type of place that if they have a 20 or so minute wait, you should wait that long to eat here. They don't take reservations for parties 4 or under but if you call ahead you can make a reservation with a pretty decent size party if you are interested. Just come here and pick anything and you will be happy. Out of all the Italian restaurants I have been to in my life, this has been...

Food service in the time of Covid is not easy, and yet Rustica wildly exceeded our expectations in our first visit there last night. We were greeted quickly and made to feel welcome immediately. My Caesar salad was the best I've ever had - Rustica's dressing is flavorful without being overpowering, and its use of crouton slivers instead of huge hunks of dried bread was incredible. Both of our entrees were outstanding takes on classics - the shrimp picatta was flavorful but not heavy - and the pasta was to die for. The saltimbocca was pure heaven - and it did not rely on pure cream richness for its flavor - it was rich alright, but it was somehow lighter than other saltimboccas we've had. A welcome change. But what made the evening particularly great was David, our server, at the bar where we ate. He was engaging, friendly, funny, and upbeat. The service was spot-on and second-to-none. And the price was more than reasonable. Rustica keeps it down to earth - no pretense and no snobbishness - while also providing outstanding quality ambiance, service and food. Covid may have hurt Rustica, but if it has, they've done a damned good job of keeping the pain hidden, and they're still cranking out amazing food and smiling while they...