Business Spotlight: Stella of Roseland
Mayor James Spango (JS) recently sat down with the owners of Stella, a fairly new Italian restaurant here in the Borough, to talk about their business, why they came to Roseland, and what residents should consider trying if they go to their eatery. The below is an interview the Mayor conducted with the owners of Stella Giovanni Esposito and Thomas Kourgelis (Stella) that has been lightly edited for publication.
JS: How long have you been in Roseland?
Stella: We opened up on April 17 of 2023, so just about 7 months here in Roseland.
JS: What made you come to Roseland? 
Stella: We were blown away by the location when we first saw it - the area, the people in this area, the Italian atmosphere, it all seemed to point to an area where we could open a successful restaurant.
JS: Everyone I talk to that comes to loves the food. The word of mouth has been amazing. I haven't heard a bad thing about Stella, to be perfectly honest. If you had to recommend newcomers try one pizza and one entree, what would that be? I know my favorites, but what would you choose?
Stella: I personally love our signature Roseland-Roni - it has cup and charred pepperoni, tomato sauce from our grandma's pie, fresh mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. Thin crust, well-done, crispy, and the complexity is just outstanding. You also gotta try our lasagna. We roll it up fresh every day, make our own bolognese sauce, and we serve it right in the vessel its cooked in.
JS: My favorite, probably because I'm an 80s kid, is the Abe Froman. Maybe its because of the movie, but the pizza is really good. My kids love the fried mozzarella and my wife loves the Shrimp Fra Diavolo. Those are the go-tos and the House-Made Cavatelli.
JS: So I know you guys are doing great because you are packed every time I come in here, but is there anything special you are doing to give back to the community?
Stella: We take pride in our product and we're hands on with what we do. Roseland has spread the word and created positivity around our restaurant. You've all had open arms and for a tight knit community like Roseland, we've really been welcomed.
JS: You have also been great in giving back to the community, from donating towards several Borough events, you'll be in next year's calendar, and more. So its very impressive and extremely appreciated that you've jumped right in to getting involved here in Roseland.
JS: I also remember seeing that Stella has some promotions going on, can you tell us about those?
Stella: Monday through Sunday we have 2 plain pies for $30, 10% off any catering order, and $10 off for $100 spent.
JS: Anything specifically you want to say to our Roseland residents before we conclude?
Stella: We appreciate the hospitality, we appreciate Roseland and all of the support we've received the 6-7 months we've been open and we look forward to seeing you around town, and of course, in our restaurant.
Interview was conducted on Friday, November 10, 2023. Any businesses interested in being featured in a future Business Spotlight should email both Mayor James Spango (jspango@roselandnj.org) and Public Information Officer Ryan Schwertfeger (rschwertfeger@roselandnj.org).