Experiencing Italy in Plovdiv may sound unattainable but as it turns out it is quite possible and it is so thanks to food. At Osteria Rosmarino, in the heart of the city of the seven hills, Maestro Giuseppe Lomuscio will prepare Italian, regional and original dishes for you and will make you believe that "love passes through the stomach." We all know that Italians cook with much love and genuine passion, especially in Puglia, Southern Italy, where Giuseppe is from. He himself discovered his affection for cooking as a small child and the main "culprit" for this is his grandmother, who made with much love the most delicious Italian specialties for her grandchildren.

Today, Giuseppe has chosen Plovdiv as his home where he makes us fall in love with Italian cuisine and culture after having spent 15 years in his own restaurant in Germany.

In the past, the Osteria has played an important role in the social life of the Apennines and has been perceived as a place where one can get a simple homemade meal of real products and relax in a pleasant atmosphere. Most often, the owners themselves served the clients and at the center of the experience was the idea of communicating, feeling at home and enjoying the food as a genuine Italian would have prepared it if you were his guest.

Such is the concept of Giuseppe. He is always in the restaurant to follow the whole process of preparing and serving, to respond to anyone who wants a recommendation of the daily specials or simply to talk about the merits of Italian food. In Giuseppe's Osteria it is cooked absolutely authentically. All products that are typical of Italian cuisine are imported directly from the country of the Apennine peninsula. The mozzarella, the main ingredient in most of his homemade recipes, is supplied fresh each week by the factory, which has been part of the family business for more than 100 years. Its production is limited because it is based on quality and even in Italy it is not supplied everywhere. And we in Plovdiv are definitely lucky!

Pizza and pasta are the main things we associate Italian restaurants with. Here, when you try them, you literally feel the taste of Italy at the top of your palate. What is important in their preparation is not so much the variety of products, but their proper taste combinations in order to maximally enjoy all the spices and aromas of the dish served. Mediterranean food can’t go without the gifts of the sea so you can choose from the freshly prepared fish or their combination in a delicious dish with risotto or linguini. And when all this is complemented with the right wine, an irresistible combination is produced. The wines here are for the most part of Italian producers so that they can complement the taste sensations of the food. All of the staff have undergone special training to advise you on the most suitable drink to match your chosen meal.

Desserts are the perfect finish for the rich feast you can have at Osteria Rosmarino. The tastes are balanced, the vision is impressive, and we at Lost in Plovdiv are convinced that you will not be satisfied with just one - homemade ice cream, then the mandatory tiramisu and at the end - a chocolate cake with a fluffy cream.

In the Rosmarino Osteria, eating has been turned into a whole ritual. When you put in a soul and good feelings even in cooking, people feel it with every bite!

Photo credit: Desislava Tsvyatkova