Rustica Cucina Italiana

I just like Rustica. What can I say. It is a rare event to find good Italian in Maine. And Rustica makes a great effort! The atmosphere is cozy, classy, and comfortable. Great wines. Pasta dishes are done really well. I can go there by myself and I am completely relaxed. It is a very social place and I see people having festive conversations. You can always peek at other people’s meals to see what looks good and they lean back so you can see and tell you how it is! It’s just that warm! I only give it 4 stars because I’m spoiled by NY and Boston Italian. But for Maine it is 5 star!

One of my favorite spots in Midcoast Maine, fresh homemade pastas, great Italian menu. Live the marsala, the bistro steak, or just feasting on a bunch of apps tapas style! I love going here for my birthday!

Rustica justly deserves its four stars and even has its five-​star moments. What I like about Rustica is not only its excellent, imaginative Italian dishes but its friendliness and lack of pretension. It is also a versatile restaurant that offers a range of choices that can please just about anyone.
My wife and I just love their pizza – really a round flat-​bread with toppings. But what toppings? How about blue cheese and bacon or the traditional margarita. Coupled with their fabulous fried artichoke salad, you’ve got a splendid, reasonably-​priced dinner and have all the major food groups covered.
Rustica also introduced me to an Italian Zinfandel which is one of their house wines. It’s an exhilarating break from the usual run of merlots and cabs and has become my own house wine.
Rockland is full of good restaurants but Rustica, in its own unassuming way is probably the best.

This place was excellent! Walked in without reservation, was seated immediately by nice hostess (it’s a Tuesday evening, an hour before close).
Atmosphere was very cozy and clean. Looks like a restaurant you could dress up to, but everyone was casual.
The waitress was prompt in serving us our drinks, food, and bill. She was present without lingering. Was very professional!
I ordered the mussels ($ 10) from anti-​pasta menu. My husband ordered the chicken Parmesan ($ 18). The portions were huge! The mussels are perfect for sharing with two or as a meal for one. They were incredibly flavorful, with garlic, white wine, bacon bits, and pesto. It was quite salty, but I am a fan of salty food.
My husband wasn’t such a fan of the chicken parm, since it was less chicken and mostly tomatoes.
They brought complimentary bread, and there was really good EVOO on the table.
I ordered a glass of Cabernet, while hubby drank a beer.
Hostess would fill waters, and I appreciate how they work as a team here. There were two sides for seating, but it wasn’t crammed, and it’s a wonderful place to socialize and relax.

Excellent find in Rockland. We had risotto balls, caprese salad, house sale, chicken parm and their home made sausage and fried eggplant dish. All were impressive and delicious. Cool old store fronts converted for this casual yet elegant restaurant. Friendly service and great food made our night!

Very large portions and helpful service! A great menu with nightly specials. Full bar and tasty drinks. We’ve tried many dishes, salads, cocktails and desserts and are always pleased.

My Goodness is this place worth a visit!!! My wife and I started with the Calamari, which had a really light and flavorful batter. and was cooked perfectly. My wife order the Eggplant Parmesan, which was both delicious and large (as in HUGE). I opted for a Risotto Special with Shitake Mushrooms, Fuji Apples, Spinach and Smoked Cheese. Very, Very Good, Ended the meal with the Tiramisu. Without a doubt, BEST I’VE HAD IN AGES!!! Oh my… that was a wonderful Meal!!!

WOW! I am up in Rockland Maine for work and I am from Boston. I am a frequent eater in Boston’s North End and I can guarantee that the food here could EASILY make it on Hanover street in the North End! Good portions, Great food, Decent Prices, Overall GREAT experience, I WILL go back!

Food was fantastic. Our group of just over a dozen ordered various plates. All were excellent, with incredibly good flavor.
I’ll recommend the Mussels for an appetizer. As a bonus, the large bowl with broth was great for bread-​dipping!
It’s a white-​tablecloth restaurant. If you’re from away, it may not be up to the standards of NYC’s finest, but a great local restaurant nonetheless.

We had a phenomenal meal here while visiting Rockland –given how packed it was at 6:30, looks like others like this place as well.
Very good wine list (including a lovely prosecco).
For a starter we had the calamari fritti, which was fantastic. The breading on the calamari was very light, and I thought the addition of the banana peppers was spot on– I can remember the vinegary burst of flavor I had biting into them!
We all had the Grilled Bistro Steak, another home run. Each steak was perfectly cooked as ordered, the matchstick potatoes were phenomenal, and the stacked tomatoes were out of this world. Portion wise it was huge — and all three of us finished ours and had very clean plates afterwards.
Dessert I had the gelato — big portion, it was ok nothing earth shattering.
I intend to eat here the next time I am anywhere near Rockland!

First trip to Rockland and this is hands down the the best Italian I have had North of Boston. Ate on Saturday night, it was busy but the service was excellent and it was a great atmosphere. Chicken parm was awesome. Cavatelli is freshly made on premise and is highly recommended.

Our 4^th year stopping here. Walked in at 6pm and hit one of the last open tables. We ordered the mussels, which if you get nothing else, would be enough to impress upon you the skill in this kitchen. Fried artichoke salad was refreshing and tangy. Chix marshals since they were out of veal was a hit. I ordered the spaghetti marinara and added shrimp. Great red gravy, really great. Last entrée was shrimp and lobster gnocchi. Absolutely one of the best gnocchi we have ever had. Definitely the fluffiest. Quick attentive service. Water glasses always topped off. $ 125.befire tip. with One glass of wine.

A very pleasant surprise. We had an ice storm at our home, lost power so we headed south and stayed in Rockland. Around the corner from our hotel was this small but intimate Italian Restaurant. The service was outstanding and the ambiance very nice. Slightly pricey for what they had, but the food was authentic Italian. Veal Marsala, $ 24.00 with a side dish of Penne Bolognese very good. House made meatballs, house made gnocchi. Next time there I’ll try the Pork & Green Chile Stew $ 20.00 sounds interesting. We will go back.

You like mussels? Rustica’s are some of the best I’ve ever eaten. The rest of their food is just as good. My wife and I moved here from New Jersey a few months ago. Every town in NJ has at least two Italian restaurants. So we’ve got quite a bit of experience and criteria when it comes to good Italian food. Rustica meets the challenge. The staff is pleasant and indulgent. If you’re in the area you owe yourself a visit to this etablishment.

Great meal! I had the margarita pizza and my friend had pasta with Bolognese sauce — each were terrific! Our meal started with warm bread and olive oil from Fiore (located down the street; we stopped in before we left Maine and picked up several bottles). Good wine list, and for dessert, I had an Affogato with salted caramel ice cream (instead of vanilla) — the perfect finish to a wonderful evening. This place fills up early, so be sure to make a reservation.

Truly one of the best pasta dishes I’ve ever had (the one with the fried egg-​plant).
Great ambiance, excellent staff, tall genoursly poured drinks… really cannot say anything bad about this place.
Being from LA, I didn’t know what to expect out of these type of small town East-​Coast restaurants. I wasn’t dissapointed :-)

We came here after having a RUDE hostess at Café Miranda turn us off.
The service here was incredibly attentive. The food was wonderful. The only think that is worth a bit of a complaint is the pricing. I think all of the meals are $ 4 – 5 more than they need to be. Also, as much as they are charging they could at least include a small side salad with meals.

Nice atmosphere and had a very good server. The spaghetti and meatballs was quite tasty, however there was way too much sauce on the pasta. Prices were quite steep for a spaghetti and meatball dinner $ 19.00 and $ 7.00 for a very small Caesar Salad. Hey, this is Rockland not the north end of Boston where even there their menu pricing would be on the high side.

Late lunch today. Nice farfalle pasta With grilled chicken and broccoli in olive oil, hot pepper flakes garlic and sun dried tomatoes. Nice size chunks of moist chicken and fresh broccoli with appropriate amounts of pepper and garlic. The dish would be better with no sun dried tomatoes.
Seasonal amber ale was tasty.
Surprisingly little use of local seafood incorporated into the menu.

Busy Italian restaurant with candlelit tables and dark décor. We came in on a late Saturday night without a reservation and were seated in about 20 minutes.
Food wasn’t spectacular but it was good and homey. The spaghetti and homemade meatballs was the standout dish. A little pricey but not too bad.