50 Best Italian Restaurants near South Orange

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

“Best pizza in town. Nope, it is not wood fired but they have their own style that is quite good - and it is not a NYC style . The staff is very friendly and the ambiance is, what I would like to think, very old time Jersey. This could be a place where Tony Soprano would grab his pie .
Also, if you are there for a sit-down dinner it is byob.“

“great food. friendly atmosphere“

“Great service and fresh delicious food at a good price. 5 stars“

“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.“

“The food is great! So are the reviews Design your own pasta dish -- sauce, pasta, protein, vegetable Home made ingredients, well-flavored, excellent chef from Naples. Very nice deserts too Don't be fooled by strip mall location. Just go!“

“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“

“We recently took my wife to celebrate her birthday here. We absolutely loved the environment, the staff, the food, the drinks, etc. They make my favorite Carbonara out of any other restaurant in this area. The owners and the GM are all wonderful people. I’d recommend it!!!“

“In town for a Driscoll Food Show. As restaurant owners ourselves we take notice of so many attributes. The ambiance, attention to detail, service and especially the food. Our meals were absolutely delicious. I had the Butternut Squash Soup and King Salmon with Beurre Blanc with Sundried Tomatoes and my husband had the Scallops with Angel Hair. Nice experience and highly recommend!“

“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.“

“The BEST mozzarella around. I now compare every mozzarella to Vinnie Mootz! Their pizza is to die for. They sandwiches are delectable! He does mozzarella making classes that are not just informative but fun. Vinnie has a great spirit and sense of humor along with the passion he has for making the best product he can. I recommend Vinnie Mootz for all your party needs, and just stop in and pick up some Mozzarella, you will not be disappointed. Love You Vinnie's Mootz! From: The Bike Girl“

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

“Another great meal at da Benito's. Always great food, attentive service and friendly atmosphere. We have been going to da Benito's for over 30 years and never been disappointed. Whether itis family gatherings, birthday surprises, Mother's day etc. you know you will always come away knowing you had a great meal and over the top service.“

“We love this place and have eaten several times for lunch. Food is consistently good and inventive.

My only warning is - if you come for dinner, especially on a weekend, be ready to wait. It's free seating so there's lots of groups standing around waiting for a table to open up. The real bottleneck seems to be their pizza oven. We got our meal almost immediately except for the pizza - had to awkwardly wait for 20 additional minutes as people eyed our table.“

“excellent, outstanding food and very nice atmosphere.“

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

“Always A+++! Best Vodka sauce! Best staff!“

“The best pizza in NJ“

“I can't say enough about Jimmy's Family Kitchen! Since they opened, we've hosted multiple family events here—a bridal shower, a rehearsal dinner, and two family repasts—and every single time, they have delivered above and beyond our expectations. Brian and his team consistently hit it out of the park with their outstanding food and top-notch service. They are incredibly accommodating, taking the time to understand our needs, including navigating food allergies and diverse preferences.

For each event, they worked with us to create special, unique menus that impressed all of our guests. Even when we requested custom dishes and cocktails that weren’t on the menu, they went out of their way to make it happen. They provided ample time for us to set up and personalize each event, and the staff was always helpful, ensuring that every detail was just right. Jimmy’s has become our go-to place for family gatherings, and we enthusiastically recommend them to anyone looking for a fantastic local spot with food and service that’s second to none. 10/10!

Dietary restrictions: They are well versed in catering to gluten-free diets.

Kid-friendliness: They were sure to provide plenty of chicken tenders and fries for our younger guests!“

“Amazing food and the service is top notch the best around 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“We always goes here with muchi to celebrate our wins“

“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.“

“Mike & Gary are the best to work with - so kind, personal and accommodating! Finally after a few times postponed, I was able to have my engagement party and the food was amazing! Everyone loved it! Thank you Mazzella’s!!!“

“The BEST Italian food I have ever had. Truly indescribable“

“Our family had the special cajun shrimp last night and found them to be excellant. our meals were the skillet steak, spinach salad with steak, nicholas anthony pasta and shrimp scampi. all of them were excellent. we will be back again!“

“Our organization hosted 2 networking events at this location and it was great. The staff was friendly and service was A1. Our guests also, commented on the atmosphere and the service. We highly recommend everyone to visit this restaurant.“

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

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

“Excellent food, excellent service and reasonably priced!“

“Todo excelente, lo recomiendo“

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

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

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

“The food is fantastic and the staff is warm and welcoming. It is our favorite for a cozy lunch or dinner. From the bread to dessert you will not be disappointed.“

“Good cuisine, excellent service. Very attentive and helpful.“

“Food is excellent along with service Highly recommend.“

“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.“

“Delicious food. Great birthday celebration.“

“I work locally and went to Tino's for the first time and I know it will not be my last time. The Balsamico sandwich was delicious. Bread was crispy and perfect and the roasted peppers were amazing. Kaya who took my order was friendly and welcoming. A wonderful experience as you walk in. I hope Tino's becomes a Montclair staple for the community. Kevin Lester. ?“

“The traditional double sausage!“

“Recently hosted dinner for 17 people here. It was a wonderful experience.The service and dinner were outstanding.as well as the ambiance. Kudos to Donna and chef Anthony. Our waitress, Marissa and the staff went out of their way to prepare our table and take care of us on a busy evening. Our guests raved about their dinner selections. The Or’dourve choices are creative and scrumptious.
Lois & Woody Sonnabend, Livingston, NJ“

“Food is awesome, along with service .“

“Highly recommend. Food was great! So close to Prudential center. Food and a show, win win!“

“family environment, friendly staff, good food“

“Il posto giusto per gli Italiani che vogliono sentirsi a casa e per gli Americani che vogliono gustare i veri sapori dell’Italia. Personale gentile e i proprietari Pasquale e Mirella sono delle persone stupende, gentili, disponibili, professionali e professionisti. Ottima pizza e qualità dei prodotti eccellente. Consiglio vivamente questo ristorante, senza ombra di dubbio è una perla nella conchiglia Americana. The right place for Italians who want to feel at home and for Americans who want to taste the true flavors of Italy. Nice staff and the owners Pasquale and Mirella are wonderful people, kind, helpful, professional and professionals. Excellent pizza and excellent quality products. I highly recommend this restaurant, without a doubt it is a pearl in the Americana shell.“

“We had my daughter's graduation party here, and plan on having my Son's party this year. Very reasonable prices. The atmosphere is great, staff very professional and the food is delicious! Could not have asked for anything better.“

“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.“

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

“Chef Caye has a hidden gem, and a great experience in fine dining. Our reservations were for 5PM, despite the restaurant not opening until 5:30. The interior is tastefully decorated, and the table set with elegance.
This is a BYOB restaurant, and if I am eating good Italian food, I am drinking a good Chianti Classico.
We had a delightful young lady who was an efficient server.
I had to start with Clams Oreganato, which I do not see in New Orleans. Here, oysters are plentiful and the dish is usually a casserole. Chef Caye makes his version in the same manner we make Oysters Rockefeller or Bienville. Not only was this dish novel and creative, but it was a dish to be savored.
A friend got a perfectly cooked steak, another got the Veal Parmesan, another the Chicken Marsala.
Recently, a local restaurant near my home changed owners, and the cut the best dish on the menu, the Frutti di Mare. I HAD to try Chef Caye’s version, and was not disappointed. This dish is brilliant, mussels, clams, calamari, and shrimp over linguine.
Dinner was nicely paced, and we had plenty of time to make our next appointment.
Thank you Chef Caye for an outstanding dining experience.
See you next year!“

“Delicious food and great service!“