Rosa’s at The Lawns has made it through a tough 18 months and has entered a new chapter in time for spring. Photo: Rosa’s.
Rosa’s at The Lawns is entering a new era, and there couldn’t be a better season for a fresh start than spring, with its pavilion-style dining spilling out onto one of Canberra’s best terraces, making it one of the capital’s premier all-day dining destinations.
The fresh outlook comes with the reopening of the National Rose Gardens that sit on Rosa’s doorstep. In a case of spectacularly bad timing, the rose gardens have been under lengthy construction behind a 2.2 metre-tall perimeter fence, overshadowing Rosa’s garden outlook.
With the 18-month project finally complete, director of operations Amber Maddigan can look back on the difficult period with the clarity of hindsight and feels a full closure may have been a better direction for the business, with the fencing deterring clientele, many of whom thought they were closed.
“It should have been the year we built on everything we’d learnt in our first, but instead we found ourselves operating at a significant loss just to keep our team employed, while still being there for our regulars,” Amber says.
“We thought maintaining momentum would see us come out the other end firing, but in hindsight, with the delays, we would have been better off if we had closed.”
Rosa’s sits on the edge of the refurbished National Rose Gardens with its pavilion-style dining spilling into the terrace. Photo: Rosa’s.
With spring officially hitting the region with the opening of Floriade, Amber and her team have refocused on what Rosa’s can become in its iconic location.
“Our vision has always been bigger than simply operating a hospitality venue. We want this to be a place where locals and visitors come together to gather, celebrate and enjoy this incredibly special part of the National Capital,” Amber tells Region.
“In many ways, it’s about bringing the precinct back to what it was created to be when it was first built in 1968: a place for people. It’s a special part of the capital, and we feel a huge sense of responsibility to deliver on that.”
Rosa’s heads into spring with a breakfast menu that’s available from Wednesday until Sunday. Photo: Rosa’s.
Best remembered as the Lobby Restaurant, the renowned building has found new life as Rosa’s. Her postmodernist aesthetic suits a space designed to open to the elements, letting diners feel part of the rose gardens bordering its expansive windows and terrace.
It feels like a step into a new future and a nod to the past all at once, and the enthusiasm among the returning patrons is palpable.
“This spring and summer feels like a new chapter for us. The gardens are back in view and better than ever, the precinct is opening up again, and we can finally have a proper go at delivering that vision,” Amber says.
“We’re excited to see people back on the lawns and this iconic part of the National Triangle full of life again.”
Not to let the stunning gardens outdo the menu, Rosa’s has launched a breakfast menu from Wednesdays until Sundays from 7 am. Healthy options such as smashed avocado on toasted sourdough with stracciatella and heirloom tomatoes sit alongside indulgences including brioche French toast with whipped ricotta and pistachio cream.
Rosa’s is well known for its wood-fired pizza menu. Photo: Rosa’s.
Breakfast seamlessly rolls into lunchtime, where Canberra’s glorious weather meets antipasto, pizzas and cocktails, and from 7 October, dinner will also be available 5 nights a week from Wednesday until Sunday.
While families enjoying the park-like gardens are understandably drawn to the wood-fired pizzas, it’s the grazing dishes that bring a leisurely afternoon at Rosa’s to life.
Wood-fired puffed bread served with olive oil and aged balsamic provides the ideal anchor for sharing dishes like the smoky baba ganoush, a wonderfully savoury smoked pork terrine sharpened by tart pickled accompaniments, and plump, succulent lamb meatballs nestled on soft polenta.
The grazing plates are joined by more substantial dishes, including pillowy ricotta gnocchi in a creamy vodka sauce, topped with a crunchy pangratatta. For something heartier, there’s sirloin steak or salmon en papillote with capers, olives, fennel, zucchini and pomodoro.
Mains can and should be followed by dessert, with the tiramisu proving particularly delightful.
The drinks list is thoughtfully designed to move with diners through the day. Breakfast cocktails offer a cheeky start, while local and interstate wines sit alongside Canberra favourites BentSpoke and Capital Brewing Co on tap.
With loads of outdoor space, the whole family will love Rosa’s. Photo: Rosa’s.
With all-day dining now in full swing and the gardens looking better than ever, diners who are taken with Rosa’s, as they likely will be, can now book the space for weddings and private events, rounding out the offering at this landmark venue that has a bright future.
“There’s a real sense of momentum returning. Christmas party bookings are up, we’ve got a great line-up of events, promotions and live music planned, and over the coming months I think people are going to see the precinct really come to life.”
Rosa’s is located at 7 King George Terrace, Parkes. From 7 October until 3 April, Rosa’s will operate extended summer hours, opening from 7 am to 8 pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, and until late on Fridays and Saturdays.
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