50 Best Italian Restaurants near Lavallette

“I have never been disappointed on the food quality or quantity no skimping.“

“Me and my daughter started a new tradition a few years ago and Little Mia’s has become part of our week vacation in Seaside!!! We make it our last dinner of the trip, but this year snuck it in twice! The food is amazing and staff are pleasant.“

“My husband and I came to Lavalette for a long weekend. We were staying at the hotel across the street and figured we can walk across the street to grab some lunch. My husband had the garlic butter fries I had mozzarella sticks and we also got personal pizzas. Needless to say we had leftover pizza. Food was good. Small place with a nice ambiance. The owner was pleasant and gave us some recommendations of places to go to in the area.“

“Our friend highly recommended Spanos Restutant , our first time, Was absolutely outstanding, The nicest customer service was the owner introduced himself to us with three special appetizers he made and greeted us with a Bon appétit Everything is made special to order,go go go and order there homemade bread pudding with chocolate in middle & there vanilla ice cream Thank you Mr Spano , for a special evening ??“

“I haven't left a review in while. I have been to F&R for many different occasions. My Brother in law and my wife's mile stone birthday. My own birthday 🎂 and every chance we can stop by. Love the family owned restaurant and all the people running it, front and back. Thanks to Michelle and Danielle Tonight was amazing the Tuna appetizer was tremendous and our favorite dinners were spot on. ( Chicken Papa) And filet mignon. If you have never been there it's a Must. Upscale Italian restaurant. Byo. Love it and Thank you ladies“

“Thank you Breakin Bread Eatery for the most delicious Easter meal! The stuffed artichokes were amazing! We can't wait to order again!!“

“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.“

“Another fabulous meal! Food is prepared expertly and the portions are very generous. The staff is attentive and friendly. Atmosphere is calming and inviting. Pasta is always cooked to perfection imagine Al dente pasta in a restaurant! Chicken francese was delightful. Steak giambotta was tender and huge! Perfect family destination“

“Generous, kind family owned businesses. Fabulous food. Imbedded within our community, year after year. To which, you will feel part of OUR COMMUNITY…. Most of all their family love..“

“I took my friend out to dinner for her birthday. We had the most amazing experience at Tardis! The food was absolutely incredible and the service was wonderful! This is most definitely a 5 star restaurant in every way! Highly recommended!“

“From the minute that we got there until we left very friendly.Great service!! It was our first time there.They gave us this beautiful salad on the house! Our food was delicious! GOOD bread,Eggplant parmesan,lasagna, cavitelli and broccoli rob. The meatballs are possibly the best i've ever had out, not even kidding. The red sauce was delicious, teeny bit salty for me but by far better than what I have experienced in the recent times I have been out to eat. Can't wait to go back. Very friendly atmosphere!“

“Had an amazing dinner with my family for my brother birthday everyone enjoyed their dinner and service was amazing. It’s great to have such a great restaurant close by and not have to travel far…“

“Our family had dinner there this evening. our waiter Austin was absolutely phenomenal and the food was delicious“

“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!!!!“

“Wife and I went tonight for the first time. the food and service were both amazing. we highly recommend and we will be back“

“Awesome food and service by Justin! Thank you!“

“Hard to beat these Eats Beautiful restaurant“

“Amazing! From the decor to the apps, the dinner and dessert! 10/10!!!!“

“Della Cucina in Toms River is an amazing restaurant. Not only is the food amazing, the bread fresh, and the staff kind - the entire organization is supportive of the community. Della Cucina donated to my nonprofit event, and everyone loved the food. We are so grateful for community supports like Della Cucina. Thank you for your generosity and kindness!“

“Everything in the store that’s offered“

“The food was delicious and our server was excellent. We will be going back. Plus a byob is always nice.“

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

“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“

“The best restaurant in the area the guys go every Tuesday nite u won't be disappointed. 5 stars.“

“THANK YOU CASTERANOS 🤩🤩🤩 We had our 4th of July outdoor party catered. Food was phenomenal!!! I want to thank Casteranos for making our gathering extra special. I’m sure everyone would agree that food is a very important part of a party. Also, we had a strawberry shortcake made special for a 70th surprise birthday on the same day. Delicious, one of the best I’ve ever tasted. We received nothing but compliments from all of our guests. Will definitely recommend and be returning for future events👌👏👌.“

“Had an amazing dinner with my family for my brother birthday everyone enjoyed their dinner and service was amazing. It’s great to have such a great restaurant close by and not have to travel far…“

“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.“

“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“

“Seeking an impromptu dinner option, we decided to visit the main street area of Point Pleasant. Upon arriving early on a Saturday evening, it became apparent that nearby establishments required advance reservations, with limited availability remaining later in the evening. Consequently, we visited Cafe D’Angelo. Upon entering, we were met at a black velvet rope barrier by an individual wearing a cooking apron, who informed us that the establishment operates without reservations. He inquired regarding our dining intent, remarking, “Do you really want to eat here and if you're not sure arrivederci” Upon completing this initial exchange, he escorted us to a table and introduced himself as the dishwasher. Through subsequent conversations during the evening, we learned that his name was Michael Angelo, and that he serves as the owner, chef, and baker. Mr. Angelo explained that after a long career operating restaurants throughout New Jersey, he emerged from retirement to open a smaller venue without a web presence or reservation system, intending to offer high-quality cuisine at reasonable prices.
The dining room is intimate, accommodating approximately 40 guests, with simple yet refined decor. Interacting with the staff and Mr. Angelo quickly establishes a welcoming and memorable dining experience

Service: Attentive and personal.
Food: Appetizer, entree and dessert exhibited a home-cooked quality, being both plentiful and delicious.
Punctuality: Seated promptly

Comments
The cuisine was exceptional, with every dish clearly prepared to order.
The Mussels Marinara were pleasantly spicy and uniquely suited for bread dipping. For our entrees, we selected the Rigatoni in meat sauce and the stuffed flounder; both portions were generous, and the stuffed flounder was accompanied by an abundance of side vegetables. We concluded our meal with freshly baked blueberry-topped cheesecake and espresso. Each course was thoroughly enjoyable, and we look forward to returning frequently, having formed a warm relationship with Michael Angelo.“

“Love SS House great ambiance great drinks perfect hang in the spring and summer“

“service food treated like family!AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA+++++++++++“

“Today was Our first time at Pondrelli’s … honestly from the second we walked in Luigi was so warm and welcoming he even went over every slice and sandwich with my daughter and I. Which was amazing because I didn’t feel forced to choose something quickly like you do at most places. While we waited Luigi and Anthony both hung out and talked to my daughter and I. (We frequent pizzerias often and NO ONE does that.) They are very down to earth and nice people. Lol Even as we walked out my 10 year old was like that was super cool of them. Another plus all of the food we order was amazing!! We will definitely be back and recommending!“

“Pies Place is the best!!! My friends and I just discovered this place about two weeks ago. We have been at least 6 times & they have always been great to us! My friend just moved to Bayville and they were so welcoming. They wrote welcome to Bayville on the pizza box and also gave us extra desserts! They truly are so kind there and I would recommend them to everyone I know! Not only are they great people but the food is so so good. I have been struggling to find a good pizza spot in the area and now this will be my go-to every time. Delish foods and desserts. Amazing staff!!“

“Exceptionally good food and service“

“It has been a minute since visiting Olive Garden. This Tomsriver NJ resturant was right on point. A lot of really nice people engaged with customers. A quality budget friendly dinner out. Jared was our server. He was very attentive, and professional. The salad was super fresh. I enjoyed the Pasta e fagioli and gnocchi chicken soup. I appreciated the smaller bowl size on soup, to be able to try more than one. My wife had create you own Pasta, that was a hearty Rigatoni with meat sauce. Great rich flavor. The second bowl of salad was larger than the first. Would have preffered a smaller second serving, as not to waste. The customer could always ask for more. The olives were good! This is a keynote, as every resturant I have visited in years past, had a poor variety metalic tasting black olive. Not the case this time😁 Every ingredient in the salad was fresh!! Food was hot and delicious. Probably the best Olive Garden visit I have ever experienced. Thank you!!“

“Food and service were outstanding. Will definitely be going back often.“

“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!!!“

“Great food and excellent service!“

“We stopped in here after our last evening of training at OCBJJ and the staff was super friendly. The owner made our pizza and was very hospitable. I would rank the pizza we had in my top 5 pizzas of my life. Was huge, and very delicious. If local or visiting you need to do yourself a favor and stop in for the best pizza in Jersey!“

“We had Kate & Ally’s cater a party at our local community center for 100 people. Everything from securing the date, choosing the menu, the food, and the service was top notch! I am so happy we were able to provide such high quality and creative food, but also, to have had the opportunity to just enjoy the party while the Kate and Ally staff handled it all from set up to clean up! Huge thank yous to Dianne, Lindsay, Janet, and Rich for all their hard work to help make my event special!“

“Always good! Always fast.“

“excellent service and value.“

“We heard great things about this new place. Not only did it not disappoint.. it went above and beyond. The pizza was perfectly cooked and delicious…the cheesesteak was heavenly. So excited to order again! Welcome to the neighborhood!“

“The food is amazing and Chris and his staff are attentive and friendly. This is our go to place for delivery!!“

“Great thin crust pie & amazing cheese calzone. I asked for extra mozzarella in calzone & it was perfect! Sauce very good. Our first time & will now try their famous Grandma Pie. Definitely our new go to! Thanks guys!“

“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!“

“We had our graduation dinner catered from Claudios on 6/16/23. IT WAS PHENOMINAL! Penne Vodka, Orichetti w broccoli rabe and sausage, chicken francaise, chicken parmesan, meatballs, stuffed eggplant,eggplant parm, roasted potatoes and meat lasagna were all fantastic. I was asked so many times where we got the food from so be prepared for a whole lot more business! You are now oficially my go to for catering!!! Also, the prices were very reasonable. You knocked our party out of the park with your food! THANK YOU!“

“We were a party of 9, celebrating a birthday, called ahead to ask about bringing a cake, they said yes, cake was handed off to our server, she very graciously accepted, when dinner was over, she brought out with lit candles. Our server was excellent! I’m sorry I didn’t hear her name, young woman, long dark hair.“

“Best restaurant ever love the food. Everyone is friendly very popular. I love this place.“