50 Best Italian Restaurants near Short Hills

“This foursome found Enzzo's by luck. We were warmly welcomed and enjoyed delectable appetizers including antipasto, eggplant and meatballs. For certain, the next time we're in town, we'll stay longer and enjoy more of Enzzo's tantalizing menu!“

“I had a chance to visit Brooklyn Pizza in Short Hills today, and I really impressed! Im the Admin of Jersey Pizza Joints a public FB group, we know our Pizza and Jose and his team do it right. Highly Endorsed by Jersey Pizza Joints“

“As a known and admired brand, Eataly is first judged against itself and then other restaurants. At Eataly in Short Hills, the restaurant compares well, even if the size of the adjacent shopping area is a bit “short” relative to other locations, owing to its relatively smaller size.

The restaurant thankfully has plenty of space and space is what you need keep in your belly for a delectable Italian meal.

I’ve been to Italy many times and so that is my context, along from years of living in New York. That creates a high bar but I’m careful to give restaurants a fair shake.

To wit, I believe that Eataly provides the flavors and feels you want of an Italian restaurant. That is except for the bread, which you have to pay for – – probably the worst part of the experience for me.

I start with the Caesar salad, which is great except that it doesn’t taste like a Caesar salad. I can’t identify the ingredients all that much, but the leaves are soft and there is a dressing that is akin to a ceaser but not quite, and it has a crunch to it because of what seems to be breadcrumbs or something – – you think I’d know!

The pasta is fresh and seems to be al dente every time we visit. We enjoy the truffle pasta, but the truffle looks like tiny dots compared to the completely intact shavings thar ww get in Italy for half the price. Nevertheless, it’s delicious save for the excessive amount of butter. Just not necessary! Yet I’d get it again.

The sage Ravioli is as you would expect it to be and a delight. Also a tad too much butter, but still great.

You’ll want to try the Cannolo — It’s not a cannoli unless there’s more than one as Italian speakers would know. It is hearty and unusually flavored.

The staff is pleasant and attentive.

All in all in comparison to others in the chain, it may not be at the top, but still a delightful experience of Italian fare where you could then walk outside and pick up plenty of things straight from Italy Or is it Eataly?!“

“Can I please give it 6 stars? I recently went there with a group of five family members while visiting New Jersey and we had a truly extraordinary night! As an investor in restaurants I'm very critical when visiting any restaurant and not often impressed even with well known critically acclaimed restaurants. It's very rare when a place has truly incredible food with every appetizer and entree as well as first class VIP vibes for service. You could literally taste the passion and care put into every plate with beautifully prepared flavorful abundant meals. In fact, it was the first time in almost a decade I brought home leftovers as the meal was delicious and easily sufficient for two people. Our entire table raved about their meals and the attentive but not obtrusive service was always there to refill our wine and assist without any of us having to look up for service. The food alone would have made for a great night but what truly made it memorable besides the great waitstaff was the manager, Eli. When was the last time a manager, GM or owner greated you at your table to share a polite, interesting and passionate conversation about the food and why they love sharing this experience with their valued customers? He made our entire table feel like VIPs and made perfect recommendations for wine and dessert. It felt more like we were in someone's home as we were there for close to 3-1/2 hours talking, eating, drinking and laughing. The ambiance is warm and unpretentious and the memories of a great experience will certainly bring us back again.“

“I love food. I love to eat it. I love to cook it. But food to me has always been more than just something to eat. I like to study process. Fun to me is to be able to be in a restaurant kitchen and talk to the chef while he’s making a dish. I want to be able to see what he’s doing and ask about it. Why are you taking the dish off the fire so quickly? Why are you using canned peeled tomatoes rather than fresh? I want to know everything. To me, process can be just as exciting as being presented with the beautiful and delicious final product. This evening, I stopped at an unusual pasta restaurant - All' Assassina. https://www.allassassina.com/ They call themselves the killer pasta project. It’s different. It has an open kitchen. The small dining room is colorful – eye catching. You go up to the front and order your pasta. You decide what will be added in – mushrooms, capers, tomatoes, chicken, olives and more. And then the chef makes it right in front of you. The owner told me that not everybody watches. They’re missing out. This restaurant is offering dinner and a show. And the cooking here is a performance. You get to see what goes into your food and how it is made. It gives you an additional appreciation for what you are about to savor. All the senses go on alert. You could see it. You could hear it in the pan and you could smell it. If you are anywhere near Union, New Jersey, check out All' Assassina. But do not just order and walk away. Look. Listen. And learn. Not everybody likes to cook. But everyone should like to learn. The more you know about what’s in your food and how it is prepared, the more you’ll appreciate good food. The tastes, the textures. Wow. There was an avalanche of different flavors hitting my mouth all at once. It’s worth a trip. Go for the meal. Stay for the show.“

“We recently hosted an event at Jimmy's Family Kitchen, and we couldn't be happier with the experience. The owners and staff were so welcoming and attentive from start to finish! The food was incredible - fresh and beautifully presented. Our guests are still raving about it! Highly recommend!“

“Highly recommend supporting our local dinning. In fact, a party of seven was just booked after sharing a night of Fundraising at Giorgio's.“

“The atmosphere and food is always 5 ⭐️. Met Mario the chef fantastic !“

“If I could give it six stars I would. I judge all others based on this restaurant. It’s a well oiled machine that never disappoints. Only bring your best clients here, and those that you truly love.“

“Wonderful food. Nice attentive service!“

“Overall a WONDERFUL experience...They never disappoint. Whether it's with their friendly, attentive service or specials which are culinary delights, they hit the mark! The staff is almost psychic in their attention. The chef makes this a local gem. Over time, I've become a 'regular'. I HIGHLY recommend. Frankly, the best in Union county..“

“Just delicious and the service for our large group was fantastic“

“Excellent food, excellent service and reasonably priced!“

“I have known Adolfo for a long time and not only He’s a great Person but an outstanding Chef and in his latest endeavor nothing has changed . Great quality food with plenty of care and dedication to his craft and unbelievable ambience inside the Restaurant with fun and friendly Staff all around . I highly recommend it to give it a try …“

“Oh man… where to start. The service was phenomenal, great recommendations, great atmosphere, the owner, Ms. Dana greeted us with a smile, Nikki the manager was great to deal with. Now the food… I had the special, “The Gobbler” and it was unbelievably tasty. The crunch from the toasted bread, the flavors all together were a symphony on my taste palette. My gf got the “Toni Ann” and she couldn’t talk while we were eating together because she wouldn’t stop stuffing her face. After she said the chicken cutlet was cooked perfect, mozzarella was fresh, peppers were exquisite. Overall experience was just mind-blowing. I’d recommend Ferraro’s to any person, local or travelers, you NEED to stop and eat here.“

“The best pizza in NJ“

“very attentive service without being intrusive. Our meals were absolutely delicious, so fresh and hot. Dessert was heavenly. Thank you for making our wedding anniversary perfect“

“Loved everything about this place. The pizzas are so good. My favorite is the Funghi sooo delicious. We also tried the Bucatini Amatriciana and the roasted octopus from the menu and they were really good. Loved liked the casual atmosphere and the overall vibe of this pace. Highly recommend.“

“Very fun social vibe, special Birthday ritual, food was excellent, I practically licked my plate, service was attentive and the manager very active.“

“New ownership and some of the BEST pizza in NJ you have to come try this place“

“I have used catering from Mazzella's several times now and never disappoints! Food is always fresh and abundant. Guests always ask where I got the food. 👍👍“

“Seasonal dishes fresh and beautifully presented! Friendly and helpful team with excellent dish recommendations :)“

“We are Never disappointed eating at La Campagnola~ the Food is Amazing ~ the Service is always impeccable ~ love the Ambiance ! We Wish you were in Monmouth County ~ but the distance won’t stop us from returning again ~ We’ll be back Brian 🍝🍷👍☺️“

“Arugula salad special was outstanding“

“My Step Dad Recently had went for his birthday dinner, with my mom and my step family and wanted to share they recommend this place(they don’t have social media). They had a big party of like 20 people. Food was delicious, servers and service were amazing. Everyone got their food at the same time. They were extremely happy with the restaurant.“

“Excellent food and service always an enjoyable evening at Michael Angelo’s in Fairfield“

“One of the best Italian dinners I've ever enjoyed! Silvio is a great owner, host, chef. The food, including the appetizers were spot-on delicious. The bread was spectacular. We celebrated our daughter's engagement and my 74th birthday and it was excellent. Silvio, Mateo will definitely be back! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“Had a great dinner! Always great service too!“

“Hosted my 30th high school class reunion and it was a blast! Great food & staff. Many thanks to Sal for accommodating all our needs.“

“Delicious pizza! Needs a little more crunch though.“

“Had a company holiday dinner ! Matt our server was great ! The dinner was family style . Matt took the time to make everyone leftovers ! Will definitely be back.“

“Anticipation was that I am going to an old school Italian restaurant with 90 years tradition. And that was exactly what I encountered. Simplified old look, polite and hospitable workers, and good food. Portions are ridiculously large. One of the times I went was during their September Wednesday deals when you can order a pasta and get another one for 1$, and I expected due to promotion that servings might be slightly smaller. Since I ate one and brought the other one home, I measured it and it was 3.2 Lbs portion!!!

Oh yeah, it's BYOB, so bring some wine to complement your food“

“We had our daughters 18th Birthday Bash here at the Appian Way on: February 5th, 2022. We dealt with Bob throughout the whole process. And he was just great! Alot is included in the price you receive. And many other venues don't compare when it comes to price. Helping to save you some money along the way. The rooms are beautiful and my guest were amazed. The workers were accommodating and helped get our room together way before time. This helped us tremendously with getting most of the setup being done the night before. The lighting is awesome. The food was absolutely delicious. My guests are still raving about the food. It really was better than I expected. I will definitely be back to celebrate more gatherings. Thank you Bob and your staff for your get service.“

“I had dinner here and it's the best ITALIAN FOOD I've had in a long time,SERVICE was great as well.“

“Food is awesome, along with service .“

“We enjoyed a gorgeous dinner at La Rocca Osteria, on the corner of Midland Avenue and Portland Place (a block south-east of Valley Road and a block north-east of Bloomfield Avenue), this week. The food was brilliant - fresh, flavorful and great portion sizes. I was thrilled with my choices of the buratta salad, crabmeat-stuffed lobster tail with mashed potatoes and a chocolate mousse cake. My fella demolished the mussels and clams in a white wine and garlic sauce, lasagne (he thought it was so delicious that he even bought a second portion to give to his dad) and cheesecake. I almost wish I’d taken photographs, but I was more interested in the experience than documenting it. The service was fantastic as well - friendly, calm, organized and reliable. Parking nearby wasn’t difficult either. It’s the second time we’ve eaten there; the first was on our first date. It was just as lovely then too.“

“ALWAYS.. fantastic Italian food. The very best!! Been going there every Saturday night since they opened. Unbelievable Italian cuisine, great service & Frankie and Jen are concerned & attentive to their customers.“

“Divina’s Restaurant hits the “bullseye” I. A wide variety of categories.
Great food, amazing attentive service, and the chef/owner is really Italian.
Price wise is another bull’s eye.
The management/owner Mario has an astute sense of knowing what the clients want, resulting in the restaurant being always packed.
Kudos to Mario, the waiter, and kitchen staff!!“

“I highly recommend this restaurant. Service and food are excellent.“

“Back in October, we had a surprise 30th birthday dinner for my daughter with a party of 22 people. The waitress was spectacular. The staff and owners were veryaccommodating and the food was delicious. They allowed us to come ahead of time to decorate. The event turned out wonderful!!!“

“Best food ever 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 love coming here with our family Tammy and Sal the owners are so nice very special people and so are their waiters and waitresses we love Palo Thanks to our Father for introducing us to Dimaios“

“Our family celebrated my son’s and future daughter’s engagement party here and it was amazing. The food was great and staff took care of us very well. You have got to get there for dinner yourself.“

“The hot dog & hot sausage combo with the works is the best!“

“Fantastic!! So glad we came, by far the best Italian we’ve had….ever! Service from the outset was 1st class, very attentive team, could not do enough for you. Food quality was outstanding. Definitely worth the price tag.“

“In a business that pushes cheaper food for faster table turnover, Primavera holds onto a phenomenal tradition of quality and service. The service is knowledgeable, the dishes traditional and the atmosphere primed for conversation. The restaurant never forgets that the experience of the food and your company comes first. The pride in their name is tasted in every plate. Best Italian food in the area.“

“Excellent food & service!“

“Such a great place, from the food to the staff there is no where else I go to enjoy quality time with friends and family. love it here and thank you Ilpanino for always going above and beyond.“

“Delicious food and great service!“

“Wow! Took us years to get here… but so glad we did! I’m an Italian originally from Queens who doesn’t much care to eat an Italian restaurant when I can get it home cooked. My better half, however, is a boy from Brooklyn, who is Italian by osmosis & loves to eat it out of the home. For his birthday we wanted to go somewhere special. We did! LuNello ranks up there as one of our favorite Italian Restaurants EVER… From the valet staff, to the maitre D, hostesses & waitstaff, to the ambiance… and the FOOD. There are basic dishes on the menu but so many interesting & varied plates that I was blown away! Everything we ate, from appys, to main courses, and dessert (famous bread pudding) were the best!“

“Tino's is the only pizza restaurant that we know of that is organically sourced and where the staff is knowledgeable regarding what brands are used for ingredients and the contents of the labels for the ingredients used in cooking. We very much appreciate their understanding and transparency and how accommodating they are to dietary concerns. We highly recommend them and for the delicious and healthy crust options they offer. The brick oven keeps the pizzas thin and crispy! Salads are fresh and delicious as well. Thank you to the entire staff, highlighting and commending Eduardo and Khaya's kindness and professionalism!“