Best Italian Restaurants in NJ

[mcbethr 42]

I wanted to post this last night, but I had just finished a Calzone the size of a sofa and was essentially out of commission for the next eight hours.

 

I went to Tarentella's in Medford, NJ for dinner last night.  I've been going there for he past 15 years and I quite honestly think it's the best Italian Restaurant in NJ. 

 

What say you all?  Where is the best place in the Garden State to get an Italian meal?

[usnmars 136]

Ah man it's a toughie, I am corrupted/spoiled considering I lived in Italy for several years.....................

[reduck 0]

@ home!

 

Locally, we love this place: Ninuzzo Trattori in Cream Ridge

[Bully 749]

For my money...

 

Café Bello in Bayonne.  Love the food and atmosphere.  I used to go there so much they actually knew my name.  I miss that place.

 

C

[blksheep 466]

@ home!

 

Locally, we love this place: Ninuzzo Trattori in Cream Ridge

Very good. Have been there a few times.

[Tango Charlie 0]

Cafe Bello is great but so is Mona Lisa. They have a great atmosphere in their restaurant and the food is top quality. That's only one of two places we'll go to in Bayonne.

[lunker 274]

I am predicting that one or more ex-New Yorker forum members will tell us we can't get good Italian food in New Jersey.

Additional guess - they will be from Brooklyn.

 

With the shortage of Italians we have in this state, they must be right.

[anutile 0]

         You are correct, the food there is the best. I take the family there for Christmas Eve dinner, it's a ride from north Jersey, but worth the trip.

[mikelets456 78]

I'm Italian and picky...I've eaten at numerous Italian restaurants. and the best I've found was "Zepolis" in Collingswood,NJ.

[Nick T 4]

Not NJ but right over the border in Morrisville, PA Cafe Antonio's

[triton200 0]

^{DiPaulo's in Pennsville}

[mikelets456 78]

Not NJ but right over the border in Morrisville, PA Cafe Antonio's

Is that the one at the Calhoun ST bridge? If so, I live 5-6 minutes from there and never tried it and may have to...

[checko 180]

I'll tell you if I have any good Italian in NJ.  I'm sure they're out there, just not by me. 

[DSD1026 48]

Main Street Trattoria in Metuchen isnt bad..  (but havent been there in probably 10 years)..

 

Spano's in Point Pleasant Beach is pretty good as well..

 

a place called Casanova's in Jackson wasnt bad, but they've been taken over by new management and havent been there since then..

[jrfly3006 42]

Sola Bella in Jackson pretty good.. Was told owner from Red Hook Brooklyn

[DSD1026 48]

Luchento's on Route 33 in MIllstone (or Englishtown) used to be fantastic, but i also havent been there in probably 10 years.. 

[jrfly3006 42]

Luchento's on Route 33 in MIllstone (or Englishtown) used to be fantastic, but i also havent been there in probably 10 years..

 

still pretty good...completely renovated the whole place 2-3 years ago

[Kingsoverqueens 10]

Here's the thing about Italian food...what most American's consider to be Italian food most Italians wouldn't feed to their pets. 

 

At the same time, Italian food is specific to a region....Northern, Southern...Coastal.

 

With all that said the only really good Italian restaurant that I personally know of is La Cippolina in Freehold.  A "cippolina" translated means small onion.  I haven't been there since forever but recall them being true to the heritage of Italian cuisine and offering regional diversity.

 

Mangia!

[Nick T 4]

Is that the one at the Calhoun ST bridge? If so, I live 5-6 minutes from there and never tried it and may have to...

Yup that's the one Antonio is a friend of the family he's from Italy as well as a renowned chef

[Duppie 73]

Old School Italian American....Laico's in Jersey City

but I've grown fond of Due Mari Pesce e Vinotecca in New Brunswick.

[jrfly3006 42]

hmmmmmmmmm  I'm gonna have a hard time swallowing that one......  Red Hook back in the day ( i hate that phrase but) was a shite hole......I lives about a 1/2 mile away along the lower harbor by the piers...all longshoremen working class neighborhood and dive bars.... Red hook was a run down mess.......it was an area you NEVER went alone if at all.....

 

Now it is a cruise port..........  go figure...  I never heard of Red hook EVER being known for good chefs back then

Doesn't mean he's not a good cook..could be he just lived there but learned back in the old country....try it..you wont be disappointed...

[222 3]

Paisanos in Rutherford, for ginger calamari.

Tutta Pasta in Hoboken, for ink pasta, now apparently closed. 

[jm1827 284]

Luchento's on Route 33 in MIllstone (or Englishtown) used to be fantastic, but i also havent been there in probably 10 years.. 

Still pretty good, we eat there on occasion.

[Smokin .50 1,907]

I was just gonna type Tutta Pasta in Hoboken!  When did they close?

[s8n 14]

Ristorante Venezia on Main st. in Woodbridge. about three doors up from Bullseye Tactical...

[Shawnmoore81 623]

^{DiPaulo's in Pennsville}

They are in pennsgrove. But they are very good.

[Mr E.B. Slugworth 0]

I went to Tarentella's in Medford, NJ for dinner last night.  I've been going there for he past 15 years and I quite honestly think it's the best Italian Restaurant in NJ.

 

They have the best vodka sauce ever.

[RUTGERS95 890]

Augustinos in Hoboken

[BD104X 1]

Sola Bella in Jackson pretty good.. Was told owner from Red Hook Brooklyn

+1 on Sola Bella - very good, was just there last night!

[Tack Tickle 0]

Bona Sera in Red Bank is pretty dang good!

 

Teressa's in Westfield is excellent as well!!!

 

Antonio's Trattoria in Wall township is a fairly new restaurant and have not had a bad meal there!