Michelin Starred Embarrassment – Started with Perfection, Ended with an Epic Failure
Restaurant: Rocca – Tampa, FL
Having traveled to 68 countries on 6 continents and 38 states in the US, I have had the opportunity to eat at some of the finest establishments around the globe. I have also had the great pleasure of eating at 27 Michelin-starred restaurants, including dining with 8 Michelin-starred chefs. For any restaurant, obtaining a Michelin Star is often a soft-after dream that never comes true. For restaurants that get a Michelin Star, it's truly about living up to the level of what it means to have the star.
The beginning of our dining experience was absolutely exceptional. We started with the Mozzarella Cart, presented by a skilled mozzarella server tableside with a cart full of fresh ingredients, including cheese curds, basil, tomatoes, and a 10-year-old balsamic. He displayed the process of pouring hot water on the curds and kneading them into a ball of mozzarella, which he sliced and curated the plate with the remaining ingredients.
Second Course: Pasta. Our tabled order 4 of the 7 Pasta dishes, which brought different types of pasta (Taglioni, Angolotti, Gnocchi and Spaghetti al Limone) freshly made every day and some of the finest fresh ingredients. The finished product was some of the best homemade pasta that I have had the pleasure of eating in the US.
Last Course (Epic Failure): Protein/Meat. This is where the restaurant completely misstepped, causing the entire party of guests to walk away completely dissatisfied. We ordered two of the Bistecca – 16-ounce 35-day aged Akoushi Wagyu beef strips. At $125 a piece ($250 total), the expectations for a restaurant at this level would be extremely high.
When the Wagyu was brought to the table, it appeared to be a well-crafted dish with a strong appearance and presentation, highlighting the perfection of the temperature and showing the overall quality of the meat. However, once we started eating at the Wagyu, everyone noticed the same thing. SALT. Not just a LITTLE bit of SALT. A LOT OF SALT. So much salt that after drinking 3 glasses of water and walking away from dinner, I still tasted salt in my mouth. When I notified the manager of an issue with the meat, he took the meat back to the kitchen to ask the Sous Chef to taste the product. He came back out to tell us that it was cooked and seasoned exactly as it should have been.
Here's a little tip – Fire the sous chef. Any Michelin-starred chef knows that a dry-aged steak will always have a naturally rich, concentrated flavor that sometimes people would describe as SLIGHTLY salty. In fact, any competent chef knows that when a steak has been aged for so many days, it's oftentimes better to go much lighter on the seasoning so the consumer can taste the natural umami and nutty notes of the steak. The level of expectations from a restaurant selling such an expensive cut of meat, you would think they would pay careful attention to how they prepare the product.
The other issue is how the manager handled the situation. You don't come back to the table and tell the guests who are absolutely unsatisfied with the product that it was cooked perfectly. I don't care if the chef thinks it's perfect. The customer is always right, even when you think they are wrong. In addition, his lack of interest in rectifying the issue, even offering to take the $49 overpriced mozzarella cart off the bill, would have been a great solution had he offered it. He offered nothing.
I have had the pleasure of working with people out of Michelin for years and have already contacted Florent Menegaux and Gwendal Poullennec at the Michelin Group to consider re-evaluating the Michelin Star awarded to this restaurant.
If you are looking for an amazing appetizer and pasta experience – I would absolutely recommend the restaurant. However, do NOT spend the money on the proteins. It’s NOT a good culinary experience.
Dalton Houde
Agnolotti was incredible, and the pistachio Gelato was a perfect dessert.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Tagliolini Al Ragu, Carne Cruda Grass Fed Steak Tartare, Bread and Butter with Olive Oil and Lemon
Lori N
Disappointed. Made a dinner reservation for 2/25 to check this place out. We had heard great things. The atmosphere is cute. Very quaint inside and nicely decorated. But they make you feel rushed. We sat down, ordered and had drinks all within one hour. The waiter said that they like to take your entire dinner order at once. So we ordered our appetizer, dinner and drinks. Literally within less than 5 minutes our appetizer arrived. Even before our drinks. Then within about 15 minutes our dinner was on the table. We personally like a little bit of time in between courses to enjoy our drinks and conversation. They made you feel like they were rushing you out of there. Which, by how hard it is to get a reservation, I’m sure they try to turn tables as quickly as possible. We both felt the food was ok. I got the beef ragu which tasted very, very salty. My husband got the pasta with blue crab and the spice in there was very overpowering. So we were sadly disappointed. People love this place because it was packed but maybe others don’t mind being rushed through their meal. Probably won’t go back.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
David Nardolillo
Food and service outstanding table side mozzarella out standing, wonderful wine list can’t wait to go back.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mozzarella Cart Caprese
Brett Crabtree
Absolute perfection, definitely earned that Michellin star.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nasasha Harvey
Worth the experience but definitely not a place that needs to be visited multiple times. The food was good but not mind blowing. The Mozzarella Cart was by far the best food all night. I also appreciated the birthday dessert as well.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mozzarella Cart Caprese, Bread and Butter with Olive Oil and Lemon
Mitchell Barnes
Amazing dining experience from start to finish. Our Waiter was incredibly pleasant and was avidly passionate about the dishes as well as our overall enjoyment. He answered all of our questions and really elevated the dinner for us. Rocca excelled all expectations for our night and we’re excited to come back again soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mozzarella Cart Caprese, Bread and Butter with Olive Oil and Lemon, Custard, Fresh Mozzarella, Beef and Mushrooms Carpaccio
Laurie Sierra
It’s a very nice restaurant but, like every new restaurant in town, it has no acoustics and is so loud you have to strain to hear the server as well as the people at your table.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Krystal Ansley
A Memorable Experience at Rocca – Worth Every Bite!
After several attempts to snag a reservation at Rocca (it books up fast for a reason!), we opted to sit at the bar—and honestly, we couldn’t have asked for a better experience. The bartenders were phenomenal, taking the time to walk us through the menu with mouthwatering recommendations and expertly curated wine pairings.
The food? Absolutely spectacular. We kicked things off with the famous mozzarella cart, prepared tableside with precision and care—fresh, creamy, and a perfect way to start the meal. For our mains, we went with an off-menu pasta (always a great choice) and the dry-aged duck, which was rich, flavorful, and beautifully cooked. To finish, the burnt cheesecake was an absolute must-try, perfectly balanced between creamy and caramelized. A cappuccino was the perfect final touch to an unforgettable meal.
Whether you’re lucky enough to score a reservation or find a spot at the bar, Rocca delivers an exceptional dining experience. Incredible service, impeccable food, and an atmosphere that makes every visit special. Highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Stephanie Martin
We've been several times, beautiful restaurant but still maintains a relaxed atmosphere.
Staff is wonderful, they're very helpful and friendly.
The mozzarella cart is fun and delicious!
We are big fans of the dry aged duck and dry aged ribeye. It's a generous size and you could definitely split it among several. The duck with it's glaze and polenta is so good you have to try it once
I didn't have the pasta but I think about the duck regularly, one of the best steaks from all the major spots in the area.
For cocktails they make a really good spicy margarita.
Excellent food, informative staff, I will be back to try more!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spaghetti Al Limone
Ana G
Everything was fantastic. From the warm welcome, to the service from Laurel and the whole team, to wine selections, and the most important aspect, the food. Every dish was scrumptious, the Hokkaido scallop crudo was delectable, their famous mozzarella cart is a must-try - so fresh and the example of simple ingredients coming together equals magic, the Tortello all'uovo was heavenly, and the ragu was also delicious. If you like wine, they have an incredible wine list with some rare varietals to try. Danny, the sommelier, will suggest the best pairing with the food and elevate your dining experience. I look forward to returning soon to try the other options for both food and wine.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Stu Schulman
One of the best meals I have had. Fresh pasta and bread and the fresh Mozzarella made tableside was perfect. Tortello all Uovo was simply fantastic and the ragu was just the same. Service was fantastic as well.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Heather Rodriguez
Not overly loud, not sitting on top of the next person. Tried things I wouldn't typically order like the blue crab spaghetti and it was delicious. Mozzarella cart is a must. The salami amazing. The service impeccable! My drink was never empty. Definitely would go back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Erika Blue
Wow! This was such a great experience. We got the bread, a salad, two pastas (the agnolotti was the best pasta I’ve ever had) some cocktails and a dessert. EVERYTHING was delicious. Our server, I believe he was Justin, was SO attentive and personable in the best way. We really appreciate him and his recommendations. We had a great time. Best meal we ever!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bread and Butter with Olive Oil and Lemon, Little Gem Salad
Michelin Starred Embarrassment – Started with Perfection, Ended with an Epic Failure Restaurant: Rocca – Tampa, FL Having traveled to 68 countries on 6 continents and 38 states in the US, I have had the opportunity to eat at some of the finest establishments around the globe. I have also had the great pleasure of eating at 27 Michelin-starred restaurants, including dining with 8 Michelin-starred chefs. For any restaurant, obtaining a Michelin Star is often a soft-after dream that never comes true. For restaurants that get a Michelin Star, it's truly about living up to the level of what it means to have the star. The beginning of our dining experience was absolutely exceptional. We started with the Mozzarella Cart, presented by a skilled mozzarella server tableside with a cart full of fresh ingredients, including cheese curds, basil, tomatoes, and a 10-year-old balsamic. He displayed the process of pouring hot water on the curds and kneading them into a ball of mozzarella, which he sliced and curated the plate with the remaining ingredients. Second Course: Pasta. Our tabled order 4 of the 7 Pasta dishes, which brought different types of pasta (Taglioni, Angolotti, Gnocchi and Spaghetti al Limone) freshly made every day and some of the finest fresh ingredients. The finished product was some of the best homemade pasta that I have had the pleasure of eating in the US. Last Course (Epic Failure): Protein/Meat. This is where the restaurant completely misstepped, causing the entire party of guests to walk away completely dissatisfied. We ordered two of the Bistecca – 16-ounce 35-day aged Akoushi Wagyu beef strips. At $125 a piece ($250 total), the expectations for a restaurant at this level would be extremely high. When the Wagyu was brought to the table, it appeared to be a well-crafted dish with a strong appearance and presentation, highlighting the perfection of the temperature and showing the overall quality of the meat. However, once we started eating at the Wagyu, everyone noticed the same thing. SALT. Not just a LITTLE bit of SALT. A LOT OF SALT. So much salt that after drinking 3 glasses of water and walking away from dinner, I still tasted salt in my mouth. When I notified the manager of an issue with the meat, he took the meat back to the kitchen to ask the Sous Chef to taste the product. He came back out to tell us that it was cooked and seasoned exactly as it should have been. Here's a little tip – Fire the sous chef. Any Michelin-starred chef knows that a dry-aged steak will always have a naturally rich, concentrated flavor that sometimes people would describe as SLIGHTLY salty. In fact, any competent chef knows that when a steak has been aged for so many days, it's oftentimes better to go much lighter on the seasoning so the consumer can taste the natural umami and nutty notes of the steak. The level of expectations from a restaurant selling such an expensive cut of meat, you would think they would pay careful attention to how they prepare the product. The other issue is how the manager handled the situation. You don't come back to the table and tell the guests who are absolutely unsatisfied with the product that it was cooked perfectly. I don't care if the chef thinks it's perfect. The customer is always right, even when you think they are wrong. In addition, his lack of interest in rectifying the issue, even offering to take the $49 overpriced mozzarella cart off the bill, would have been a great solution had he offered it. He offered nothing. I have had the pleasure of working with people out of Michelin for years and have already contacted Florent Menegaux and Gwendal Poullennec at the Michelin Group to consider re-evaluating the Michelin Star awarded to this restaurant. If you are looking for an amazing appetizer and pasta experience – I would absolutely recommend the restaurant. However, do NOT spend the money on the proteins. It’s NOT a good culinary experience.
Agnolotti was incredible, and the pistachio Gelato was a perfect dessert.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Tagliolini Al Ragu, Carne Cruda Grass Fed Steak Tartare, Bread and Butter with Olive Oil and Lemon
Disappointed. Made a dinner reservation for 2/25 to check this place out. We had heard great things. The atmosphere is cute. Very quaint inside and nicely decorated. But they make you feel rushed. We sat down, ordered and had drinks all within one hour. The waiter said that they like to take your entire dinner order at once. So we ordered our appetizer, dinner and drinks. Literally within less than 5 minutes our appetizer arrived. Even before our drinks. Then within about 15 minutes our dinner was on the table. We personally like a little bit of time in between courses to enjoy our drinks and conversation. They made you feel like they were rushing you out of there. Which, by how hard it is to get a reservation, I’m sure they try to turn tables as quickly as possible. We both felt the food was ok. I got the beef ragu which tasted very, very salty. My husband got the pasta with blue crab and the spice in there was very overpowering. So we were sadly disappointed. People love this place because it was packed but maybe others don’t mind being rushed through their meal. Probably won’t go back.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Food and service outstanding table side mozzarella out standing, wonderful wine list can’t wait to go back.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mozzarella Cart Caprese
Absolute perfection, definitely earned that Michellin star.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Worth the experience but definitely not a place that needs to be visited multiple times. The food was good but not mind blowing. The Mozzarella Cart was by far the best food all night. I also appreciated the birthday dessert as well.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mozzarella Cart Caprese, Bread and Butter with Olive Oil and Lemon
Amazing dining experience from start to finish. Our Waiter was incredibly pleasant and was avidly passionate about the dishes as well as our overall enjoyment. He answered all of our questions and really elevated the dinner for us.
Rocca excelled all expectations for our night and we’re excited to come back again soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mozzarella Cart Caprese, Bread and Butter with Olive Oil and Lemon, Custard, Fresh Mozzarella, Beef and Mushrooms Carpaccio
It’s a very nice restaurant but, like every new restaurant in town, it has no acoustics and is so loud you have to strain to hear the server as well as the people at your table.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
A Memorable Experience at Rocca – Worth Every Bite!
After several attempts to snag a reservation at Rocca (it books up fast for a reason!), we opted to sit at the bar—and honestly, we couldn’t have asked for a better experience. The bartenders were phenomenal, taking the time to walk us through the menu with mouthwatering recommendations and expertly curated wine pairings.
The food? Absolutely spectacular. We kicked things off with the famous mozzarella cart, prepared tableside with precision and care—fresh, creamy, and a perfect way to start the meal. For our mains, we went with an off-menu pasta (always a great choice) and the dry-aged duck, which was rich, flavorful, and beautifully cooked. To finish, the burnt cheesecake was an absolute must-try, perfectly balanced between creamy and caramelized. A cappuccino was the perfect final touch to an unforgettable meal.
Whether you’re lucky enough to score a reservation or find a spot at the bar, Rocca delivers an exceptional dining experience. Incredible service, impeccable food, and an atmosphere that makes every visit special.
Highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We've been several times, beautiful restaurant but still maintains a relaxed atmosphere.
Staff is wonderful, they're very helpful and friendly.
The mozzarella cart is fun and delicious!
We are big fans of the dry aged duck and dry aged ribeye.
It's a generous size and you could definitely split it among several. The duck with it's glaze and polenta is so good you have to try it once
I didn't have the pasta but I think about the duck regularly, one of the best steaks from all the major spots in the area.
For cocktails they make a really good spicy margarita.
The burnt cheesecake was our favorite dessert.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Excellent food, informative staff, I will be back to try more!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spaghetti Al Limone
Everything was fantastic. From the warm welcome, to the service from Laurel and the whole team, to wine selections, and the most important aspect, the food. Every dish was scrumptious, the Hokkaido scallop crudo was delectable, their famous mozzarella cart is a must-try - so fresh and the example of simple ingredients coming together equals magic, the Tortello all'uovo was heavenly, and the ragu was also delicious.
If you like wine, they have an incredible wine list with some rare varietals to try. Danny, the sommelier, will suggest the best pairing with the food and elevate your dining experience.
I look forward to returning soon to try the other options for both food and wine.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of the best meals I have had. Fresh pasta and bread and the fresh Mozzarella made tableside was perfect. Tortello all Uovo was simply fantastic and the ragu was just the same. Service was fantastic as well.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Not overly loud, not sitting on top of the next person. Tried things I wouldn't typically order like the blue crab spaghetti and it was delicious. Mozzarella cart is a must. The salami amazing. The service impeccable! My drink was never empty. Definitely would go back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wow! This was such a great experience. We got the bread, a salad, two pastas (the agnolotti was the best pasta I’ve ever had) some cocktails and a dessert. EVERYTHING was delicious. Our server, I believe he was Justin, was SO attentive and personable in the best way. We really appreciate him and his recommendations. We had a great time. Best meal we ever!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bread and Butter with Olive Oil and Lemon, Little Gem Salad
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