Third restaurant in Horseshoe Casino Cleveland food court to serve up Italian by Chef Rocco Whalen

CLEVELAND - The third restaurant that will be housed in the Horseshoe Casino Cleveland will offer Italian-style food from a northeast Ohio chef.

Casino officials told NewsChannel5 Chef Rocco Walen will open a quick service Italian restaurant called "Rosie & Rocco's" in the food court that will feature pizzas, a meatball bar, selections of antipasti and hand-made pasta dishes.

The restaurant is named in honor of Whalen's late mother and is inspired by his family's Italian roots.

“Since I was eight years old, my mother has been the inspiration for my cooking and has positively influenced me throughout my life,” Whalen said.

The new restaurant will employ up to 30 people and use ingredients from local growers and purveyors.

Whalen is the owner of Fahrenheit in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood, and recently opened Rocco’s Taco inside Quicken Loans Arena.

The other two previously-announced restaurants in the downtown casino are Corky & Lenny’s deli and Michael Symon’s B Spot burgers.

The casino, located in the Higbee Building connected to Tower City, is scheduled to open May 14.