We've tried most of the better Italian restaurants in Morris/Somerset County and honestly, Ristorante il Monello is our favorite, time and again. The food is fresh, gorgeously prepared and presented, and absolutely ? delicious! Pastas are always al dente, sauces are richly flavored, and the variety of choices is exceptional. Try their fall off the bone Osso Bucco which never disappoints. If you love fish, you really should order their signature Turbot. It's the only place you can get this moist and delicate dish, prepared with a gorgeous lemon caper sauce. We also love the extra touches, like complimentary starters and house-made after-dinner limoncello. For those seeking old world ambiance, enthusiastic service and elevated Italian cuisine, please treat yourself to this gem in Peapack Gladstone. Martino and his gracious staff always make you feel special! (Byob:-)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Paola Jaclyn
Excellent Italian restaurant with lots of gluten free options. Everyone very friendly. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Emmaline Di Pace
My family held a surprise birthday party for my father at Il Monello and it was the best decision we could have made. The owner and staff were so easy to work with to plan the party and were very accommodating of our 24-person group. On the day, the food and service were superb - I heard from a few family members that it was the best Italian meal they’d had in a while. This was our first visit to Il Monello, and we will definitely be coming back to dine in the future.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mary Ann La Fountain
Seven of us had a ladies lunch at the IL Monello yesterday and we thoroughly enjoyed it from the beginning to the end. The food, staff, and environment were superb. They really rolled out the carpet for us. If you are in the area and or want to experience a memorable meal, I highly recommend it. PS I like spreading good news and the IL Monello experience was wonderful!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
N K
We attempted to place an order for catering for 20+ people. Called and spoke with Martino 5 times, after every phone call, I gave him the benefit of the doubt. Every time I talked to Martino, he was always too busy to take the order or provide any pricing, and kept insisting that the website prices are 6 years old. Each time he told me that he will call me back in 2 minutes, and no call, so I called back the next day to follow up. Long story short, after calling back for 4 days, I decided to go with another restaurant because enough time was wasted with this gentleman and it seemed that he's not interested in our business. We have been to his restaurant and had a private event for 20 people in the past, but definitely won't be coming back. Good luck to you sir, but you have lost us as patrons.
Service: 1
Emily Ciervo
My boyfriend and I just went for a Valentine’s Day dinner and it was a phenomenal experience. We never are inclined to leave review, but we were so impressed and happy with the evening, we had to. We were greeted warmly by the chef and staff. The servers were so attentive, professional and personable. The food was delicious. We’re absolutely coming back. Plus, at the end of the meal you get a little after dinner night cap which was such a cute addition. If you live in the area or not, please go there! We live 40 minutes away and it was beyond worth it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Scarpariello, Fried Calamari, Chicken and Sausage
Giovanni Antonuccio
One of my favorite spots since moving to Hunterdon County. The chef/owner is always around. Not only does he take your order, he is very honest when you ask him the old "What's good today" question. All of the staff is quite friendly and accommodating. Your glass is never empty and used plates never stack up. All pasta dishes are lights out, and I always get a special.If I had to make any suggestions at all which I believe is honest criticism, I would spread the people out more when possible. I have been there with my lady before and all couple were in one section while rest of the place was pretty open. Again, if not booked spread people out. Not always looking to hear my neighbors conversation :)
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi Napoletani, Cavatelli with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe, Radicchio, Ravioli, Pappardelle Bolognese, Veal Parmigiana, Fried Calamari
Matthew Ising
Amazing experience. Tried for the first time and it was fantastic. Complimentary bread, cheese, meat, and mushroom spread. Followed by our order being taken directly from one of the chefs who was very accommodating, kind, and charismatic. Deserts were also amazing - we tried the tiramisu and sorbetto. Thank you for the wonderful hospitality we will definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kumpal Patel
The chef was very engaging and recommended some amazing options. We enjoyed our pappardelle & truffle ravioli, so delicious. Definitely will be coming back to try more.
I had the best dining experience in my life at IL Monello last night - and I've worked at a fine dining restaurant and eaten the food.Everything from the complimentary antipasto through to the homemade sambuca was superb. I ordered their black spaghetti, which contained the most succulently cooked seafood variety over homemade pasta and my partner had the Pollo Caruso which was also excellent. We had minestrone soup and a tricolor salad before the meal. Portions of everything are generous. All with our own BYOB bottle of Chianti.The atmosphere was perfect for our second date. There were families as well, so cozy. The service staff was awesomely accommodating. I've never been to Italy but if it's like this I want to go! Either way I definitely want to visit IL Monello again - highly recommend it!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
VincentL
The chef comes out to greet you and he took our order. He gave us some recommendations for our dinner. He made us feel like we were his house guests and not at a restaurant. It was a very nice time and would highly recommend it for your next dinning choice.
MichaelK
The food was outstanding, the staff was very attentive and open to doing menu adjustments to meet our needs. This is a small place and filled up quickly and could quickly make it difficult to hear. Still it was not enough to distract or detract from the wonderful homemade super fresh incredibly prepared Italian entrees and appetizers .
JoybyRobin
The food is excellent! When we sat down, we were given a delicious zucchini tapenade, salami, Pecorino Romano cheese, and bread. The main courses and appetizers were superb! We had the veal with mushrooms and the tuna. This is a BYOB restaurant. Excellent atmosphere, chef, servers ... Thank you for an amazing meal, Martino!
Brianna Ho
I went there for my birthday dinner with a bunch of friends and we experienced the best service ever. The chef came out to talk to us various times, gave us an appetizer on the house, and sang happy birthday with the crew.The food was amazing as well! We got free slices of parmigiano reggiano and bread before food came. The lobster ravioli tasted great, with a lot of flavors inside. Same as the truffle ravioli. All the pastas were cooked to the T. Would definitely go again and recommend to anyone looking for a good time!!Kid-friendliness: I can as a group of teen girls and they were extremely friendly and patient with us!
We've tried most of the better Italian restaurants in Morris/Somerset County and honestly, Ristorante il Monello is our favorite, time and again. The food is fresh, gorgeously prepared and presented, and absolutely ? delicious! Pastas are always al dente, sauces are richly flavored, and the variety of choices is exceptional. Try their fall off the bone Osso Bucco which never disappoints. If you love fish, you really should order their signature Turbot. It's the only place you can get this moist and delicate dish, prepared with a gorgeous lemon caper sauce. We also love the extra touches, like complimentary starters and house-made after-dinner limoncello. For those seeking old world ambiance, enthusiastic service and elevated Italian cuisine, please treat yourself to this gem in Peapack Gladstone. Martino and his gracious staff always make you feel special! (Byob:-)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent Italian restaurant with lots of gluten free options. Everyone very friendly. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My family held a surprise birthday party for my father at Il Monello and it was the best decision we could have made. The owner and staff were so easy to work with to plan the party and were very accommodating of our 24-person group. On the day, the food and service were superb - I heard from a few family members that it was the best Italian meal they’d had in a while. This was our first visit to Il Monello, and we will definitely be coming back to dine in the future.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Seven of us had a ladies lunch at the IL Monello yesterday and we thoroughly enjoyed it from the beginning to the end. The food, staff, and environment were superb. They really rolled out the carpet for us. If you are in the area and or want to experience a memorable meal, I highly recommend it. PS I like spreading good news and the IL Monello experience was wonderful!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We attempted to place an order for catering for 20+ people. Called and spoke with Martino 5 times, after every phone call, I gave him the benefit of the doubt. Every time I talked to Martino, he was always too busy to take the order or provide any pricing, and kept insisting that the website prices are 6 years old. Each time he told me that he will call me back in 2 minutes, and no call, so I called back the next day to follow up. Long story short, after calling back for 4 days, I decided to go with another restaurant because enough time was wasted with this gentleman and it seemed that he's not interested in our business. We have been to his restaurant and had a private event for 20 people in the past, but definitely won't be coming back. Good luck to you sir, but you have lost us as patrons.
Service: 1
My boyfriend and I just went for a Valentine’s Day dinner and it was a phenomenal experience. We never are inclined to leave review, but we were so impressed and happy with the evening, we had to. We were greeted warmly by the chef and staff. The servers were so attentive, professional and personable. The food was delicious. We’re absolutely coming back. Plus, at the end of the meal you get a little after dinner night cap which was such a cute addition. If you live in the area or not, please go there! We live 40 minutes away and it was beyond worth it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Scarpariello, Fried Calamari, Chicken and Sausage
One of my favorite spots since moving to Hunterdon County. The chef/owner is always around. Not only does he take your order, he is very honest when you ask him the old "What's good today" question. All of the staff is quite friendly and accommodating. Your glass is never empty and used plates never stack up. All pasta dishes are lights out, and I always get a special.If I had to make any suggestions at all which I believe is honest criticism, I would spread the people out more when possible. I have been there with my lady before and all couple were in one section while rest of the place was pretty open. Again, if not booked spread people out. Not always looking to hear my neighbors conversation :)
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi Napoletani, Cavatelli with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe, Radicchio, Ravioli, Pappardelle Bolognese, Veal Parmigiana, Fried Calamari
Amazing experience. Tried for the first time and it was fantastic. Complimentary bread, cheese, meat, and mushroom spread. Followed by our order being taken directly from one of the chefs who was very accommodating, kind, and charismatic. Deserts were also amazing - we tried the tiramisu and sorbetto. Thank you for the wonderful hospitality we will definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The chef was very engaging and recommended some amazing options. We enjoyed our pappardelle & truffle ravioli, so delicious. Definitely will be coming back to try more.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Unbelievable food and atmosphere. The best! ♡
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
I had the best dining experience in my life at IL Monello last night - and I've worked at a fine dining restaurant and eaten the food.Everything from the complimentary antipasto through to the homemade sambuca was superb. I ordered their black spaghetti, which contained the most succulently cooked seafood variety over homemade pasta and my partner had the Pollo Caruso which was also excellent. We had minestrone soup and a tricolor salad before the meal. Portions of everything are generous. All with our own BYOB bottle of Chianti.The atmosphere was perfect for our second date. There were families as well, so cozy. The service staff was awesomely accommodating. I've never been to Italy but if it's like this I want to go! Either way I definitely want to visit IL Monello again - highly recommend it!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The chef comes out to greet you and he took our order. He gave us some recommendations for our dinner. He made us feel like we were his house guests and not at a restaurant. It was a very nice time and would highly recommend it for your next dinning choice.
The food was outstanding, the staff was very attentive and open to doing menu adjustments to meet our needs. This is a small place and filled up quickly and could quickly make it difficult to hear. Still it was not enough to distract or detract from the wonderful homemade super fresh incredibly prepared Italian entrees and appetizers .
The food is excellent! When we sat down, we were given a delicious zucchini tapenade, salami, Pecorino Romano cheese, and bread. The main courses and appetizers were superb! We had the veal with mushrooms and the tuna. This is a BYOB restaurant. Excellent atmosphere, chef, servers ... Thank you for an amazing meal, Martino!
I went there for my birthday dinner with a bunch of friends and we experienced the best service ever. The chef came out to talk to us various times, gave us an appetizer on the house, and sang happy birthday with the crew.The food was amazing as well! We got free slices of parmigiano reggiano and bread before food came. The lobster ravioli tasted great, with a lot of flavors inside. Same as the truffle ravioli. All the pastas were cooked to the T. Would definitely go again and recommend to anyone looking for a good time!!Kid-friendliness: I can as a group of teen girls and they were extremely friendly and patient with us!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ravioli with Seafood, Ravioli