Newly Opened Rosie’s Pizza & Restaurant Brings A Long Family Legacy To Wellington
By Fiona Slusarev
Pizza and classic Italian food are more than a business model for Anthony Vultaggio and Catherine “Cat” Vultaggio. The brother and sister duo, along with Anthony’s wife Lily, came together to build on their family legacy by opening Rosie’s Pizza & Restaurant in Wellington’s Courtyard Shops.
Named after Anthony and Lily’s 12-month-old daughter, Rosie’s is writing a new chapter in the family history book. This legacy began in the 1970s when Anthony and Cat’s parents immigrated to the United States from Sicily. They opened Augy’s Restaurant and Pizza in 1977, which became a beloved institution in Boca Raton. Anthony and Cat grew up at Augy’s.
“My mom and dad brought me to the restaurant when I was like a week old, and they put me on the table and worked,” Anthony said. “When I was a kid, we used to sleep on pizza boxes — all my cousins, that’s how we all grew up.”
The Vultaggio family sold Augy’s in 2006, with Anthony and Cat purchasing it back in 2009. In 2017, the siblings sold Augy’s again so Anthony could pursue a career in law. Soon realizing that he missed the restaurant industry, Anthony partnered with Cat to buy Mamma Mia’s on the Beach in Lake Worth Beach, which won best pizza in Palm Beach County in 2025.
“The truth is, I missed [the industry] a lot,” Anthony recalled.
Anthony and Cat aren’t the only ones bringing their Augy’s history to Rosie’s. The two head chefs used to work at Augy’s too, cooking with the Vultaggio family for more than 20 years. Every day, they make the drive up from Boca Raton to serve the customers at Rosie’s.
Walking into Rosie’s, patrons are enveloped into a light and airy space with the comforting scents of melted cheese and tomato sauce in the air. The green and beige palette creates an approachable atmosphere that is refreshing and relaxing. A family photo collage wall harkens back to the Augy’s days. Choice of outdoor and indoor seating provides ample space for a quick lunch bite or a leisurely dinner.
“Our atmosphere here is, we’re not fine dining, but we want to be elevated. If you come in, you can bring the kids, but you can also just do a great date night here,” Anthony explained.
One thing that sets Rosie’s apart from other Italian restaurants is the dough fermentation process that creates the light, yet crunchy crust. They use a pre-ferment, followed by a 72-hour cold ferment to achieve a classic New York-style crust.
Anthony prides himself on only getting the freshest, premium ingredients for Rosie’s. Only the best cheeses and oils are used, and each dish’s flavor profile is thoughtfully constructed. However, they don’t want customers to break the bank to get quality food.
“We want to be the convenient spot, but we don’t want you to come here just out of convenience,” he said. “We want you to come here because you like it.”
Best selling items include the Rigatoni Vodka Pasta and the Truffle Pasta. The Margarita Pizza is a favorite as well. Rosie’s also offers a wide variety of seafood options, with fresh fish each day. The pizza is great for takeout anytime, and Anthony recommends opting for a fish dish if you have time to dine in. His personal favorite is the Snapper Francese.
After years in the restaurant industry, Anthony has developed his own philosophy for perfecting recipes.
“When I’m developing my own recipes and we curate things, we work with the end in mind,” he explained. “Everything we do, we say, ‘This is what we want to accomplish on this recipe. How do we get there?’”
So far, business has been booming at Rosie’s. Since the restaurant’s Feb. 14 opening, it has been all-hands-on-deck to serve the Wellington community. Patrons have been very welcoming, and all the staff members at Rosie’s are extremely grateful.
“We love Wellington. We’re so lucky. We love the people,” Anthony said.
Working with family might not be easy for some, but for Anthony and Cat, it’s natural. There aren’t arguments because they share the same goal for Rosie’s and understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Anthony focuses on recipes and menu selections, while Cat focuses on administration and organization of the business.
“When you work with family — some people say it’s hard — but it’s easy because we share the same vision, and we know when to give and when not to give,” Anthony said.
The Vultaggios’ goal for Rosie’s is simple: for people to leave satisfied.
“I want them to feel that it was worth it, and that they enjoyed it,” Anthony said.
With fresh ingredients, chefs with more than two decades of experience and a rich family history of creating delicious Italian dishes, it’s easy to see how they are already achieving this ambition.
Rosie’s Pizza & Restaurant is located in the Courtyard Shops at 13860 Wellington Trace, Suite 41, in Wellington. For more information, call (561) 888-6223 or visit www.rosiespizzafl.com.
