Top Boulder Chef Opening Italian American Eatery

There’s been a wave of new Italian joints in Denver, including Johnny Bechamel’s, Florence Supper Club and Dear Emilia. Now,that wave is about to reach Boulder with the addition of Morso, an Italian American concept from a familiar name on the local scene.

Chef Hosea Rosenberg’s first Boulder eatery, Blackbelly, has been a hit for over a decade. Santo, Rosenberg’s ode to his home state of New Mexico, made its debut in 2017, and in 2024, the growing Little Piggy Hospitality group added Blackbelly Market on Tennyson Street in the Berkeley neighborhood, the team’s first foray into the Denver market.

This spring/summer, it will add another concept in Boulder when Morso opens its doors at 627 A South Broadway in the Table Mesa Shopping Center; the address formerly housed Under the Sun.

“At its core, Morso is rooted in respect for simple, humble, exceptional ingredients, and that’s what excites me most,” Rosenberg says in a press release announcing the news. “Whether it’s the precision and discipline of our pizza dough or the San Marzano tomatoes we bring in for our sauce, we’re focused on bringing that simplicity to its fullest potential.”

The name means “bite” in Italian, and the concept is “inspired by its team’s East Coast family origins,” the announcement notes.

Guests can expect a menu of Italian-American classics amped up with modern creativity. Think wood-fired pizzas, housemade pastas, salads, red-sauce favorites, fresh-baked bread and more, including Morso’s take on the giant mozzarella stick trend, the ever-popular rigatoni alla vodka, mafaldine bolognese, and baked manicottini with broken meatball ragù. There will also be a variety of Parmigianas to choose from, including chicken, shrimp and eggplant.

For dessert, the lineup includes classic tiramisu, soft-serve ice cream with olive oil and pistachio, salted caramel budino and affogato. On the beverage side, regional Italian wines, cocktails and an amaro list will star.

The team envisions the restaurant as a welcoming space for all occasions, from date nights to family outings.

With Little Piggy’s award-winning track record of thoughtful concepts that have proven longevity, Morso is poised to be another hit for this talented team.

Morso will be located at 627 A South Broadway in Boulder. For more information, visit morsoboulder.com.