50 Best Italian Restaurants near Wood Ridge

“This was my first time at Justin’s. Food was great … from the appetizers to the entree. The only problem I had was the place was too tight. Walking sideways between tables. I had to get up every time some body had to go to the bathroom or greet other guests. But the service, and the food was amazing.“

“Best food ever !!!!

We come out of state for a game in MetLife stadium last year and the food was amazing we comeback again after one year and man !! Khalid the owner is amazing ! Please with a welcome smile ! Man the door is the same quality ! Best food ever! And great home made lemonade !“

“Great Italian food and a decent menu, not much choice but not too much. It's located next to Post Office 34 and is very trendy. The view and service are great, but it's noisy as there isn't much to absorb the sound. We ordered focaccia, roasted peppers and pasta. Everything is great and super fresh.“

“Absolutely the best food in NYC we finally got a bar seat this past Saturday was in the city for pride we have been trying for years everything was spot on crysathenn salad, the stuffed flatbread and lasagna and cocoa tiramisu“

“Put cement in your shoes bc this place will knock ur socks off. A little taste of italy in the heart of west village. My biggest regret is not having time or the group size to taste more things.

Pros:
- Piping hot pasta dishes, served al dente, bursting w flavor. If you are allergic to flavor you might have a heart attack
- fantastic cocktails and happy hour
- friendly service. My daughter was treated like royalty (swinging bench, shirley temple, smiles)
- clean bathroom. If your a kitchen confidential person, you know what this means
- affordable price. I don’t remember exactly what, but no mugging happened and that’s rare in NYC
- not that crowded (went weekday 5:30 though)

Ideas to consider
- if the red wines were slightly more chilled (not room temp), some people might like even more
- I can’t think of anything else. The best pesto pasta I’ve had in many years, if not ever“

“3z3d3d33d3ddezze3ez x🙂‍↔️🤪🤪🤔😗😶‍🌫️😉🙏🙏😘🙂‍↔️😘🙂‍↔️😶‍🌫️😃😘🙂‍↔️🤪🙏. d x3 32e3de 3“

“Great food - better service. Mason was absolutely wonderful. He helped walked us through the special dishes and his favorites, all of which we tried and were not disappointed. The shrimp parm is an absolute must - as well as the clam pasta. It’s quite different from any other clam pasta I’ve ever had but in a delectable way. The iceberg wedge salad was also delicious. Overall, great experience.“

“Excellent quality, service and ambiance!“

“Went for our anniversary!! Had an amazing meal!! Wonderful service and great atmosphere!! Highly recommend!!“

“Easily one of the best meals of my life! Crazy creative! Only 16 seats, very special in all ways.“

“Pleasant less formal atmosphere, but very efficient service. Delicious pastes. I highly recommend :)“

“Went to dinner here with my cousin after seeing a Broadway show & we had an amazing dining experience! Food was incredible, drinks were delicious, service was fast, and staff were incredibly kind and welcoming, especially Albert! Very much planning on going back.“

“I loved my dinner here and will be coming back again and again. The food and service are exceptional (the tomato salad is amazing and their grilled chicken outstanding) and it's one of those restaurants -- increasingly all too rare -- where you feel genuinely welcome and wanted from the minute you walk in the door. My friend broke her wine glass towards the end of our meal (we were both finished eating our main courses) and the maitre d' offered to give us two new main courses because there was food left on our plates and they were concerned about glass shards in our food. We declined but it was an incredibly thoughtful offer (and the accident was entirely our fault). Lovely atmosphere, top-notch cocktails and outstanding food. Go!“

“The wait staff and food were absolutely amazing.“

“It was our first time visiting New York and da Toscano came highly recommended, and it did not disappoint! One of the best meals we have had in a very long time, and the service was second to none! Thank you for a wonderful evening 😊“

“El personal es muy amable, atentos y deliciosa comida.“

“Atmosfera e cibo top! Consigliassimo“

“Cadre très sympa et pizza au top !“

“By far our favorite restaurant we visit in the city. Have been here over 500x and the tagliatelle with sheep’s cheese cabbage and shrimp will never get old ! Carmine runs a beautiful establishment on the UWS“

“Burrata e verdure was amazing for appetizer. Tonnarelli was nice, too. But Rigatina (the chopped steak) was too salty. We had Berries with cream as dessert, and it was great!

The portion of the food was unlike other restaurants in New York. I think it’s bit overpriced because they weren’t big. Three dishes were just enough for 2 people.“

“repas poisson excellent et canolli extra“

“This is a great restaurant, last year (2023) we came twice and Ram was great, his service and attitude was fantastic, and this year (2024) we came back again just to see him (and of course to have some drinks and great food).“

“Amazing food, service, and atmosphere! Made a special celebration that much more momentous. Do not skip the prosciutto with ricotta or octopus apps-delicious!“

“An amazing time! Atmosphere was very warm and the food was incredible!“

“Too bad there aren’t more stars to click on. As a Sicilian/Italian every time I go to an Italian restaurant I have to always settle for the close enough. Not this time at Piccola Cucina Estiatorio, 71 Thompson Street NYC. After seeing their extremely authentic Sicilian menu online I knew that it had to be the real thing. After easily reserving a table online we showed up with yes our hopes being very high. For the first time the food was everything I had hoped for. 1. Arancini: nicely crunchy and flavored. Not oily or old at all. 2. Grilled veggies: although simply presented they were really tasty and fresh. 3. Involtini: out of this world. Exactly made like in my town in Sicily. A Moist, tender, flavored with some really tasty mozzarella cheese, served on a nice bed of caponata. 4. Maccheroni alla Norma: finally my very favorite dish. I almost cried. Besides a fantastic pasta, rigorously cooked al dente, there was a more than generous amount of diced eggplant, obviously, with basil leaves, olive oil and everything the Mediterranean has so generously given to Sicily for thousands of years. It’s worth mentioning the more than welcome grated “ricotta salata” as a testimony to the high attention to detail of Chef Gioele. That was a dinner I will not easily forget. The last thing I want to say is that, according to the highly professional and attentive staff, almost every single ingredient in this restaurant is flown directly from Sicily including the very tasty cannoli filled with ricotta cheese. (The cheese flies frozen during shipping). Sorry for the long review. I only wanted to show my super happiness with this restaurant. ANGELO.“

“This place is truly a hole in the wall! In the best way! My son recommended us this Italian wine bar with real candles, lighting the entire restaurant and with a very romantic ambience upstairs! The food was phenomenal, our waiter was friendly and the wait staff was quick! I must say the hostess was a bit distracted when we arrived, while she was sitting on a table by the entrance on her phone. I think that looks unprofessional for “the face” of the restaurant. We enjoyed our meal and were sat upstairs aside not having a reservation. We will definitely be back next time we are in the city!“

“The staff were amazing and so was the food! My Mom has a very restrictive diet and she was able to eat and didn’t have a reaction afterward which is rare for her unfortunately. We came into the restaurant 5 minutes before closing and was able to accommodate our large party. Cannot say enough good things!“

“Atmosfera e cibo top! Consigliassimo“

“After debating where to take my husband for his bday dinner with all the overwhelming amount of italian restaurants to choose from I decided on Via 13. Very happy I did. Such a nice modern yet cozy and intimate interior. Staff were super friendly and knowledgeable of the menu. Food was fantastic, drinks spot on and they were very kind to sing the birthday boy happy birthday when they brought out dessert. They do a bottomless brunch which I will for sure be checking out. Overall a lovely restaurant.“

“Delicious food good service“

“Coming back to Corto felt extra special. We got married here last November 2024, and we just came back last Thursday to experience dinner with our friends visiting from Manila. I insisted on bringing them here because I wanted them to see and feel what our wedding was like and because I simply love this restaurant.

The food, as always, was exceptional and never disappointing. Authentic Italian flavors, beautifully prepared and full of warmth. It was also our first time experiencing Corto during dinner, and the cozy evening ambiance made the night feel even more intimate and special.

The staff were warm, welcoming, and incredibly accommodating. They even surprised us with a complimentary appetizer after I mentioned that we had our wedding here. It was such a thoughtful gesture and honestly made us feel so touched and remembered.

Corto will always hold a special place in our hearts—not only for the wonderful food and service, but for the memories we made here. We’re so happy to have returned, and we’ll definitely be back again.“

“The service stood out our bartender was attentive“

“Such a special family dinner at Misi. The vibe was warm and lively.

We started with the Grilled Nectarines and Whipped Ricotta Crostini (a must-order) and tried the Grilled Baby Artichokes - Amazing!

The pastas were even better: the Spinach and Mascarpone Filled Tortelli with Brown Butter, the Linguine with Anchovy, and the Mezze Rigatoni were all fantastic. Can’t wait to go back.“

“Excellent Roasted Chicken. Burrata, Garlic bread and Brick Oven pizza. The vibe is really nice and service is excellent.“

“Attentive staff, good food , nice atmosphere . Most definitely will return next trip into the city“

“Stellar service! Will definitely be back.“

“Fun indoor/outdoor dining environment and delicious food make for a nice night out!“

“If I could give more than five stars, I absolutely would! The food was amazing, the atmosphere was wonderful, and the service was exceptional. A special thank you to William, who went above and beyond to make our experience memorable. Friendly, attentive, and professional from start to finish. I highly recommend this place and will definitely be coming back!“

“The food was amaze. Cute place.“

“Wonderful Christmas Eve dinner on our visit to NYC. Service & Food were both excellent. Lovely family setting.“

“It is theeeeBEST! Make a reservation NOW!“

“Delicioso highly recommend“

“Our meal was delicious! The staff was very friendly. Our sweet server even brought us a complimentary Tiramisu. ❤️“

“Casa Lever may be my favorite expression of Park Avenue: architecturally serious, commercially consequential, and somehow much more playful than the traditional power lunch establishment. Lever House itself is one of my favorite classic buildings in New York, a 1952 modernist landmark whose glass-and-steel design still looks almost impossibly sharp against this stretch of Midtown. For my money, the design relative to the location is unbeatable if you prefer great twentieth-century architecture to new construction.

Park Avenue from the high 40s through the upper 50s is the highest velocity investment corridor in the world: information, fundraising, and transactions all moving through an extraordinarily dense piece of Manhattan. Third Point once headquartered here before moving to Hudson Yards, which I always thought was incredibly cool and a particularly fitting choice for Dan Loeb. I’ve experienced Casa Lever on several different occasions, including meeting a friend outside for a beer after work and, on another visit, having lunch inside.

Inside, everything feels considered, from the curved architecture and sculptural ceiling to the wonderfully restrained Casa Lever typography. The Warhol portraits were the masterstroke when I knew the restaurant: Giorgio Armani, the Shah of Iran, Farah Pahlavi, Aretha Franklin, and Dennis Hopper were among the faces looking out over the dining area. There is something deliciously apt about dining beneath that Warhol pantheon on Park Avenue, where financiers, media titans, and dynastic fortunes have long crossed paths with the people shaping fashion, advertising, and culture.

Later, on a completely separate occasion, I returned for dinner with a larger group and remember sitting around a big round table near the banquettes. Across lunch, dinner, and drinks, what stayed with me was how polished the service was and how effortlessly chic the whole experience felt. There is a more creative, feminine energy here than at many of Midtown’s harder-edged power restaurants, sophisticated without becoming stiff and glamorous without feeling theatrical.

The prices are pure Park Avenue, but so is the proposition: extraordinary architecture, extraordinary geography, and one of the coolest places in New York to bring someone when you want the city itself to participate in the evening. Casa Lever feels timeless because it never seems to chase relevance; the building, the design, and the people passing through already provide enough electricity. Few establishments capture this particular intersection of commerce, taste, history, and social theater quite as well.“

“Visited on Tuesday evening quite late and had such an amazing experience at Osteria Nonnino. We shared a pizza to start, followed by fish and the vodka pasta for mains – every dish was absolutely outstanding. The staff were incredibly friendly and attentive, and we felt so well looked after from start to finish. The food was honestly second to none. Such a hidden gem, would highly recommend to anyone in NYC.“

“Sooooo good and so delicious and great attention A+“

“It’s great place with very delicious pasta and artesanal pizza! 🍝🍕“

“Delicious food!! The best place I've been to in the east village in a very long time. I highly recommend it 😋“

“Absolutely fantastic dining experience at Da Adriano! The food was fresh, authentic, and full of incredible flavor. Every dish was beautifully prepared, and the quality really stood out. The staff were warm, attentive, and made us feel welcome from the moment we arrived. Cozy atmosphere, excellent service, and delicious Italian cuisine—I can't wait to come back. Highly recommend!“

“Fantastic authentic Italian in a cozy atmosphere. My friend has a gluten allergy and eating here was the big event of the trip. We loved everything we ate. The boar risotto was outstanding as was the chocolate cake. Ten out of ten, greatly recommend.“