50 Best Italian Restaurants near Highlands

“Best meal ever, the duck was unbelievable as well as the carbonara. Our server Rob was the absolute best. Porcini has easily become one of my favorite restaurants!“

“Super delicious Italian cuisine, excellent dessert menu, super ambiance, free parking and to top it all off; you can stroll the boardwalk to enjoy the cool sea breeze of the Atlantic Ocean.“

“This restaurant has amazing food and the waiters are very kind“

“Fun atmosphere, delicious food. Our waitress Staci was great! We will be back.“

“Amazinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn💯❤️“

“Amazing food amazing service“

“This was my first time here. I'm visiting from Pennsylvania. It won't be my last. We ordered dinner to go. We had Chicken La Nonna, and Housemade Rigatoni. Everything was light fresh and delicious. The portions were large enough to have some for lunch tomorrow. Fresh bread was excellent. Now let me tell you about the Creme Brule cheesecake. I can't. It was so good that even I am speechless. I may have to go back tomorrow for another piece. Absolutely delicious. The staff was very friendly and the service was great.“

“Absolutely love this place! Our waiter was amazing and very knowledgeable on everything on the menu. Yes EVERYTHING!! I personally don’t like beets but everyone I was with said they were to die for. Meatballs were amazing. The tomato sauce was so yummy. Mushrooms I would label as vegetarian steak. Beautifully charred. The sausage and peppers pasta dish is my favorite thing on the menu. I love everything about it. Pasta is always perfectly cooked. I can’t say enough good things about this place!“

“had an outstanding dining experience! The ambience was warm and elegant, the food was absolutely delicious, and the service was attentive and thoughtful. The beef carpaccio was perfect, and I also enjoyed my favorite fried calamari with a beautiful sauce, wonderfully prepared soft-shell crab, and an outstanding filet mignon. The wine selection curated by Chef Brian was truly spectacular and paired perfectly with the meal. Every dish was memorable, and the whole evening was exceptional—I highly recommend this restaurant!“

“We have been getting food from here for years and it never disappoints. From the friendly delivery (our dog invites Bob in every time for pets) to the amazing pizza—you can’t beat it! Last weekend our son graduated college and we used Slices of Hope to cater our family party. Three of us, myself included, have to be gluten free which always makes getting catered food a challenge. I’ve always loved the gluten free penne with vodka here, so I went in and met with Eddie figuring I’d just get the three us the pasta and everyone else could enjoy the rest. I was so surprised when Eddie told us that he could make us everything I ordered for the rest of the party gluten free and would even keep it separate to avoid cross contamination! My mom (who has celiac) hadn’t had eggplant rollatini in 10 years and said it was the best ever! We had food for the entire weekend and I can’t thank you enough ❤️ Katy Kokolus“

“Undici Taverna rustica is literally AMAZING. It expresses the passion and the food&wine knowledge of Vic. it has been unbelievable have a dinner there, 16 hrs of flying to enjoy one of the best pizza I have ever had, even better than a lot of pizza in Italy.“

“Great food amazing service and wonderful warm hospitality“

“Wonderful evening, food was amazing,service was excellent“

“Amazing food with wonderful service“

“I hosted a family event at Via Sposito. Everyone was very pleased with our server, Jessica and the dining experience. The food was amazing and plentiful. We have dined there a few times prior to this and were always pleased with food. At our event everything was family style and there was a variety of food. The pizza and zeppoles were also great. They worked within our budget and offered a lot of choices.“

“A great local BYOB restaurant! Service was great and food is excellent! Give it a try!“

“We’ve been going to Illiano’s nearly 36 years. It’s been great since day 1. We usually do takeout and find the pizza, subs and garlic knots to be the best in Monmouth County. When we moved out of town about 3 years ago we tried to find something that was comparable and closer, but that didn’t work out so make the trip back just about every Friday night. We highly recommend them!“

“My favorite! Love their mushroom pizza! Always fresh! They use quality ingredients !“

“Dined last night at Little Buca for the first time and will absolutely be back very soon. The service was fantastic, the atmosphere was sexy/cozy, and the food was to die for. A must try Italian spot in Monmouth County that ranks as one of my favorites now.“

“Great food and service. Our waiter Tony was great“

“Great food and nice place to be“

“Stopped by the newly opened Gigi’s in Long Branch on my way to the beach. First off, loved that they have a parking lot which didn’t stress me about finding a spot cause I was going to have that adventure when I headed to the beach. I ordered the grandma’s pie and garlic knots! The grandma’s pie had pesto on it and I am a s***** for pesto!! Love the crust style being crispy. Hands down the best garlic knots I ever had! Don’t sleep on this place. It’s 3 blocks from the beach, easy parking and they deliver. I look forward to some pasta dishes on my next visit! Other key likes of mine was the aesthetic, it’s beautiful Inside but decorated to make you feel outside. I was very impressed with the kid friendly atmosphere of the chalkboard wall, beanbag seats and they even have juice boxes on hand for the kiddos. They also accommodate our tweens and teens with a pizza wing mural for their insta! They really thought of everything. The whole staff were so accommodating and genuine. Thank you Tommy and Faye for a great experience.“

“Absolutely outstanding!! Great atmosphere, great service, and fantastic food from appetizers to entrees to desserts! Have been to the original in Brooklyn many times over the years but this was our first time at Gargiulo’s in Tinton Falls and it did not disappoint. Spoke to Theresa at the end of the night and she was very welcoming and sweet. We will DEFINITELY be back! Not one negative thing to say about the entire experience.“

“The food and the service was excellent very reasonably priced and a very nice atmosphere“

“Food was good, service was great (Alex) . They charge you if you use your credit card and in my case my debit card. My biggest complaint is that the oysters were the size of my thumb nail, so skip the oysters.“

“Love everything about your restaurant. The atmosphere, your staff is a delight , the food is absolutely delicious!! Love , Love Love ❤️ See you very soon again !!!“

“Award-winning food with a side of award-winning service. Cheers to you Jimmy and thank you as always!!“

“Highly recommended! This place is great!“

“Beautiful outdoor dining.“

“We had a marriage celebration luncheon at Blu Grotto this September and it was fantastic. Our guests could not say enough about how delicious the food was, how pretty the venue was, and what a great time they had. Guila made the day really special and it was a pure delight to work with her. The servers were professional and fun and everything was done to perfection. If I had to do it all over again, I would still pick Blu Grotto!! Thank you Guila, Chef James, and the delightful servers and bartenders.“

“The service was amazing. Our server Tyler was so attentive and personable and the social media manager Tomas also made sure we were well taken care of. We ordered: apps: -Italian egg rolls -Burrata with arugula and balsamic glaze -arancini Mains: -thin crust pizza with goat cheese, baby arugula, fig jam and balsamic reduction -stuffed gnocchi with mushrooms in a cream sauce -7th heaven brunch plate Desserts: -Italian layer cake -mini cannolis -cappuccino -chai latte cappuccino -espresso We will definitely return to try more!“

“This is a small restaurant with the most incredibly fresh, homemade Italian food in Monmouth County and it’s BYOB! I have been several times and never disappointed everything has always been so delicious but it is hard to get a reservation sometimes!“

“Haven't had pizza in ages, so I went into this place. Wow! Excellent place. The pizza is fairly priced and delicious. I only wanted the slices warmed, and the gentleman heated them perfectly. I will be going back again. I suggest you do too.“

“We recently have had Pastosa and Uncle Giuseppe’s open in our area and they are excellent but Nino Jr will always be my favorite. The employees are friendly and will go above and beyond to make me what I’m looking for, even if it is not in the case. Just a wonderful local business.“

“I've been going to Brother's Pizza for YEARS! Best pizza around!!“

“What a find! This local Pizzeria is a gem. The quaint personalized interior is a combination of the owner's personality as well as a throwback to the 1950's when it first opened. The food is outstanding - Garlic bread - to die for!!! Verde Pie was unique and flavorful; and the naked meatballs taste like home. Our servers were attentive and friendly. Meeting the owner Christopher was the icing on the cake. He is a delightful young man that is bringing his own unique twist to the menu without sacrificing the status quo. I highly recommend and will be back soon..... Bravo“

“Great food! Lunch portion had me stuffed! I'll be back again!“

“Really enjoyed the pizza. Highly recommend the food, friendly service & great atmosphere!“

“I'm originally from New York so I am very judgy when it comes to pizza. This place brings me right back to home, great atmosphere, great people and delicious food. The owner Lewis is an awesome guy. Great place, great food, great people.“

“i was there yesterday with my son and his girlfriend ( 5-10-2025 ) we had a very nice time waitress was great also the food ,is was my mothers day treat ( they came down from pa ) they have never been there i have i live in middletown nj thank you again“

“Loved it! Best subs around. I'll be back for sure! Can't wait to try the pizza.“

“I got the steak hero, was quite good, my wife got the salad with grilled chicken..another visit I tried the pizza too,, was excellent everything is fresh and big portions.“

“Good food - great service.“

“Had the Tour of Italy. Chicken Parm was a 10/10. Fettuccine Alfredo was a 9/10. Meat Lasagna 9/10. Pasta Fajoli Soup 8/10. Could have had more fettuccine alfredo, the serving size was a bit small for that, which I was surprised because it's only pasta. However, everything was hot and very fresh. Soup or salad is unlimited, as well as breadsticks, with the regular dinner entree. Drinks are unlimited refills. Pay right at the table with your card on the tablet and get a printed receipt. Great, attentive service. Would highly recommend. It was $49.00 with tax for 2 Lemonades ($3.65 each), spaghetti and meatballs ($17 approx.), Tour of Italy ($22 approx.) + Tip. Definitely worth it. However as a tip, I would say skip the more expensive Tour of Italy and just get one large entree.“

“Best pizza in Jersey. Fact!“

“Great food, even take out! Sauce was spicy on two seafood pasta dishes, but other than that it was spot on. Meatballs are out of this world!“

“My first time here. Loved it. The food was delicious! Felt like I immediately was in a neighborhood restaurant. And the prices weren’t over the top. Very reasonable.“

“I recommend the roast beef kitchen club sandwich. And the rice ball filled with meat is the best in town. Yum!“

“Amazing food will go back“

“Had a Stromboli that was great ! Great service & the staff was great ! Looking forward to going to there new place in eatontown next to earth treasures !“