50 Best Italian Restaurants near Lakewood

“Loved the food and the atmosphere here. A beautiful place to bring your family for a nice meal. The staff was so nice and took care of all of our needs. Highly recommended!!!!“

“Delicious Pizza, calzones and everything. Large seating area and great prices. Staff is extraordinarily friendly and fast, especially Levi, who rocks !! And Hemy greets everyone with a smile. Also, new Simcha room upstairs !! Perfect for ur Bris, Sheva Brochos or whatever !!“

“I have got take out twice from this restaurant when passing by due to work. I cannot explain how flavoursome the food is. Both times it’s been fantastic and hoping we can eat in one day soon. The garlic bread today was the best garlic bread I have ever eaten. Great portion sizes and lovely friendly service.“

“Love the gf pizza!

Dietary restrictions: I've had their gf pizza a couple times, and it's one of the better kinds I've found. Plus I've never gotten sick from it, so they must be careful about cross contamination over there.“

“Very affordable, music was good and plenty of seating. I’d recommend getting the garlic knot chicken parm with vodka sauce, it was amazing. One of the best vodka sauce sandwiches I’ve had in awhile with an original concept using the garlic knots. 10/10 would come again.

Edit: also tried the tiramisu because i saw it was good. The other reviews didn’t disappoint, this was actually the best tiramisu I’ve ever had. Another 10/10!“

“Never had a meal or pizza that wasn't excellent! Would definitely recommend. Had my husband's 60th birthday party here and his Italian family raved over the food.

Kid-friendliness: Kids are welcome to be kids here!

Wheelchair accessibility: Fully wheelchair ♿ accessible including restrooms.“

“Wow The best Italian restaurant at the jersey shore if you go Friday or Saturday you better get a reservation I would suggest you get one during the week also to be safe. Byob food and atmosphere are outstanding and the hostess waitresses and owner are so nice they make you feel like you were invited to their home for Sunday dinner with the family.“

“Eaten here a number of times and pizza is just outstanding!! Delicious and fresh! Nice thin crust but done to perfection. Highly recommend!“

“First time to visit and did not disappoint! We have found our new favorite place right in our backyard. How did we not visit in the last 20 years?? Fantastic food from appetizers to dessert!!“

“We celebrated my sister's bachelorette dinner here and it was fantastic! Tracey took care of us for the evening and was so friendly and fun! The food was delicious and the portions were huge! The only issue we had was not knowing that it was BYOB. It didn't stop us from taking an Uber to grab some wine while apps and dinner were ordered. It all came together and we had a fantastic time! Thank you Tracey for making it a memorable evening!“

“Great Experience !!! Must go !!“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️’s all around! Chicken and veal parmigiana was amazing! Can’t believe it’s only the first time I’ve ever been there! Highly recommend for great Italian food and atmosphere!“

“Went there for the first time ever. Had to bring our phone to be fixed in the same plaza. So we stopped in for a bite to eat. Nick had a meatball empanada which was absolutely delicious. I had “the tower” two pieces of fried eggplant with layered fresh mozzarella and roasted red peppers topped with a balsamic reduction glaze. OMG it was so very light and refreshing. After the phone was fixed several hours later we went back and got more to have for dinner.“

“Great food, casual atmosphere, excellent service!“

“What a great time! I'm not sure why some reviews say ride staff. I didn't see that at all. Tables are a little toght but not that bad. Service was exceptional and they have a TON of gluten free food. Save room for dessert. Only thing is go early or you'll be waiting even though you have reservations and BYOB. Can't wait to go back!“

“I have been back to Breakin' Bread On The Boulevard in Seaside Heights countless times because of the always amazing new specials. Yes, there is a standard menu, but you will likely never order from it because of the new and incredible dishes they always seem to have to offer. Prepare to be wowed again and again with every evening you spend there. If you're looking for a culinary evening that rivals anything you've seen on TV and surely dwarfs the places you've been before, this is it. I wouldn't go for the same old dish you love. I would go for the brand new dish you will quickly come to love every time they prepare it for you. Portion sizes are very big so you'll be grateful to have leftovers the next day, which i believe is a staple for this family run restaurant that honors the family meals they so enjoyed sharing at home, where leftovers are always a treasure. Plating is beautiful. Layers of flavors in every dish. Clearly a lot of attention on cooking everything just right. Absolutely perfect ambiance for dinner with your wife or dear friends that will surely invite you back again and again. Your experience is a top priority. This place is an on it's way gem that will absolutely give you a meal worth driving for. I can't think of a restaurant in red bank, asbury, or anywhere else that you'll be happier to have spent a special evening on the jersey shore.“

“This restaurant was delicious!!! Everything was wonderful from the waiters to the food that was amazing. The owner Ken went around to all tables and made us feel like family. thank You Saltimbocca I will absolutely be back.“

“Always accommodating! Very close to work and convenient.“

“Yesterday we had a Luau/Pool party at our new Toll RegencyFreehold Community .. we explained to Frank we had a very bad experience with a previous caterer and he promised us we would be pleased and not to worry. Well, we weren’t just pleased, we were excited and we all felt DAngelos far exceeded our expectations. The compliments kept flowing during the party… the service, setup and food was AMAZING!! Thank you Frank for an awesome job! We can’t wait to call you for our next event!!“

“This is our favorite place for dinner, the food & service is always amazing. Lino is the blueprint for how a business owner should be. He helped me today set up a catering order for my daughters birthday, he is beyond generous and so helpful. More businesses and owners should take notes from Lino.“

“Had a family celebration with 25 people. Food and service was excellent. Thank you Emelio’s and Erin!“

“Food is exceptional!! My favorite restaurant!“

“Another great meal at Seasons! The food never disappoints! Staff is friendly and welcoming. HIGHLY recommend!“

“This is our favorite place for dinner, the food & service is always amazing. Lino is the blueprint for how a business owner should be. He helped me today set up a catering order for my daughters birthday, he is beyond generous and so helpful. More businesses and owners should take notes from Lino.“

“Ordered for pick up and when I received the order two of the items I got had barely any sauce in them. I felt bad calling to complain but I did and the manager Scotty was very helpful and understanding and replaced the items with extra sauce on the side and gave 2 free deserts. The staff was also very friendly and welcoming, best experience I’ve had with a restaurant.“

“We have never been disappointed with a meal at IL Giardinello's. Always excellent food & excellent service.“

“Wonderful staff. Great atmosphere and DELICIOUS FOOD!“

“We have been going to Italys Best for 10 years now and the food,service, atmosphere has always been great. The wait staff make you feel like family.“

“Nice selection of Italian food nice atmosphere very nice stuff food was amazing“

“First time at this restaurant on a Thursday evening and have to say it was the best experience. Upon arriving we were greeted right away. The staff was super attentive and the atmosphere cozy and fun. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. The broccoli rabe appetizer was very good and you weren't overwhelmed with garlic. I ordered the stuffed shells, the best ive ever had. My boyfriend ordered the bolognese and really enjoyed it. Prices were more than reasonable. The whole experience made us feel like we were family. Definitely the new 'go-to' restaurant. Can't wait to go back.“

“Thank you to Ellen and her associates for making our vow renewal amazing. Food was amazing and wonderful to work with!“

“Great food and excellent service!“

“Skipped Breakfast this morning so that we could visit a new to us Pizza Joint. Once again sampling another Big Mac Pizza!!! As the Medium Big Mac Pie was made and baked, we tried a Plain and a Grandma slice. Both Kit and I enjoyed those slices. The Big Mac came out and looked delicious, this one had the sesame seed sprinkled on top of the pizza, not baked in the crust like John's Crackle Barrel in Neptune, NJ. The chop meat on this pie appeared to have been crumbled cooked beef patties, the lettuce, onions, American cheese, chopped pickles and the special sauce once again replicated the taste of a Big Mac. Here they also had added a little mozzarella cheese in the blend. This overall added to the taste and was a delight!!!“

“Music was great, George Markey was awesome“

“Johnny G’s just catered our sons birthday party and it was AMAZING. Definitely recommend to anyone. Mike was awesome and very helpful. 11 out of 10 for sure!!!“

“I have to give a huge thank you to Brooklyn Bistro for the amazing job they did for my daughters graduation dinner last night. Everything was wonderful. The food was cooked perfectly, the service was absolutely amazing. Thank you Brooklyn Bistro <3“

“i was treated to a great Birthday dinner on Saturday evening. Our waitress was amazing and never stopped running. Very crowded. the shrimp scampi was delicious.“

“This place is amazing. great food- very friendly staff! Some of the best Italian food in NJ“

“Food is phenomenal!! The staff is very friendly and kind. Prices are definitely good. Great atmosphere.“

“Tonight was my second time doing happy hour at JoeBellas. The Fig and Pear martini is straight up divine. The happy hour menu is fun. I had no problem eating Parmesan Truffle Fries for dinner LOL so so yummy. My husband and I brought his cousins last Saturday for a beautiful sit down dinner and as we were being seated we saw our neighbor's from two houses over! Bought them a round of course. Everyone was very happy with their meal. What a fun local restaurant. You'll wait in the summer time of course, totally worth the wait but now that we locals have it back I'll be frequenting more often. I happen to bring a friend tonight who is now a loyal fan. #lovejoebellas“

“I ordered a large catering order and when I went to go pay for it, sitting by the register was spinach Stromboli's... It looked so good, I had to order one for lunch. Well, it had to be the BEST Stromboli I have ever had. If you have never tried Della Cucina, you need to because you do not know what you are missing. A BIG 5 star for this establishment and also very clean and friendly service.“

“This is our go to place when down the shore! I’ve tried so many dishes here but my favorite meal by far is the Chicken Marcello. Chicken strips with Vinegar Peppers & Potatoes. Outstanding! My wife got the Eggplant Rollatini, but like me has tried numerous others! Kudos to the kitchen staff! The staff is always so friendly. Highly recommend to all.“

“Aside from the individual pizzas which are delicious. The steak salad is very good. Might be a little pricey but when you want quality great tasting food Nino's is a hit!“

“Delicious pizza, crisp salad, great service, and friendly staff--all we expect. The restaurant was bustling on a Saturday night, but the vibe was lively and friendly. Warnings: 1) The two of us ordered a "small" pizza; it was huge and could easily have fed six people. 2) It was very noisy so conversation was difficult.“

“Ordered door dash pizza EXCELLENT mozzarella sticks also very good ..thank you to your whole team and I now found a new pizza place. Even though you are a little travel from Lakewood,WELL worth the weekend travel with the kids. See you soon“

“There are a few good pizzerias around the Freehold area. But this is our favorite place! Great tasting pizza and subs. They always get my order done quickly and correctly. Very good selection of food. They are professional and it is always perfect!“

“Delicious delicious delicious!!!! Just want to thank you for fantastic buffet that we all enjoyed so very much. As always ,, you are the best. Love the Cerbone family“

“My sister and brother-in-law were visiting NJ and staying in Tom’s River. I suggested we meet at Sugo for lunch. We were greeted warmly when we entered and were seated immediately. Service was professional and attentive. We ordered two falafel platters, a quinoa salad and a bowl of ziti for the table. The food was delicious and we all finished our meals. Interestingly, the falafel platter didn’t come with pita. This isn’t a complaint, just an observation. Since the portion was so big, I didn’t miss the pita. The restaurant is tastefully decorated and comfortable. The owner of Sugo’s also owns Giddy’s in Highland Park. The food there is equally as good.“

“Out meal was more expensive than it should have been. When we reserved, we were told there was a $45 per adult minimum. We had 7 adults and 5 kids 12 and under who ordered pizza fries and pasta. The adults ordered some starters, salads and about half ordered fish. After starters and main dishes and sides were finished, the waiter informed one of the adults in the party (not the host) that people needed to order dessert because we were under the minimum, so the kids and a cpuple of adults ordered dessert although we were full, hadnt planned on it and left much of it on the table. When the bill came it was $707.00. Even taking away the 20% obligatory large party service fee, the $590 or $84 per adult is way above the $45 per adult minimum and the dessert cannot account for that, so the waiter misinformed the party and jacked up the bill. Even $45 per person for all.12 people is $540 which is $50 less than we were charged before the 20% service. If you have a large party, beware of this upsell and the mandatory 20% service fee. Great food, good service. The decor in the back room where they put us because of the kids is plain, not like the front of the restautant which is elegant, festive and lovely. If not for the jacking up the price experience, I would rate the restaurant 5 stars. The food was great and one can order a very healthy meal.as well as an indulgent one. Plenty of kid friendly food and options too. The service was also excellent as it should be for 20%.“

“Always good! Always fast.“