We had the pleasure of dining at the Ancona Bistro this weekend for my mom and aunt's birthdays. As this is a fairly new restaurant, we weren't sure what to expect. Wow! Were we pleasantly surprised! What a breath of fresh air! We are very familiar with the local restaurants and are REALLY excited that this place is here! We ordered several salads and appetizers - all were excellent and the portions were good. All the entrees that were ordered came out exactly as ordered and were presented well. Everything was fantastic! We ordered meat dishes, pasta dishes, and fish dishes. We also tried several desserts, and those were great as well! As this is a BYOB, we were able to enjoy our wine, too! :) As this is a small restaurant, we can see how a reservation might be needed on a weekend evening. We will be returning to this place without a doubt! Also, I would like to note that my aunt is also a chef at her own restaurant. She shared with us from a professional standpoint that she was very pleased with the service, the presentations of the dishes, and the high quality of the meal. She sent her compliments to the chef. If what I wrote above wasn't enough to at least give it a try, that should be enough encouragement! Enjoy! read more

Good service, good food, good price. Local places are the best. Nice variety of fish, meat and pasta, without being too heavy on cheese and sauce. 3.75 stars read more

Excellent home made Italian food in a nice casual atmosphere. Great for couples or families. Accommodating kitchen for requests.

It's obvious the food at Ancona Bistro is prepared with great skill and care. It's consistently delicious. The only thing I've been disappointed with is the BREAD. It's like white bread! A high-quality Italian restaurant should serve high-quality, crusty, authentic Italian bread. Especially since the pesto-oil dip that's served with it is to die for. read more

The food is excellent and they did a great job renovating the building. The fact that its BYOB is great too.The kitchen was completely remodeled and I know for a fact they keep it spotless. Each of the staff is nicer than the next. They really take pride in their establishment and every detail of business. This is a perfect restaurant in a town that has very limited options for dining out. read more

We've eaten at Ancona Bistro a number of times and I'm happy it seems to have finally caught on. The food is prepared as described and delicious. We are not big eaters so the portions are just perfect. The staff is very nice and accommodating. It does get crowed on weekends so you should definitely make a reservation. It is a bit pricey, but being a BYOB keeps it within a reasonable budget for a nice night out. Suggestion for owners: put some landscaping around the perimeter of the property. The "view" of the intersection leave a little to be desired. read more

We loved this place. It's not cheap, but the food was perfect. Clams, Lamb Osso Bucco, and two specials, the crab pappardelle and a burrata mozzarella salad. Oh, and two yummy desserts. Great service, no dishes clattering together as they're taken away, no constant badgering asking how everything was. Attentive, but out of your face, as the best service is. I don't think this is a good place to bring young restless kids (which for me is another plus). The one bad thing was that, since we were the only ones in the place, the music playing was easy to hear. And it was one song, played OVER AND OVER: Always On My Mind. AUGH! That did drive me crazy. An hour and a half of the same song, and not one I particularly like. Please, Ancona, do something about the music. Please! read more

Finally tried lunch here - excellent! Prices good for quality of food , ambiance & service. Salad included with lunch very good - just right amount and the balsamic vinaigrette was great, not too acid with hint of sweetness. We had Veal Parmesian & Shrimp Scampi - both with angel hair - best shrimp scampi i've ever had. We also had desert - usually don't but had to try because the food was so good. I had Molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and my husband had Tres Leches cake - he loved it also. Service very good - there when you needed anything but not hovering. read more

Our experience at Ancona Bistro was terrible. We ordered the homemade gnocchi ( which had a very bitter Marinara sauce on it). The Calamari would choke you, it was so rubbery. We also were served mixed green salad with sliced pears ( the salad leaves were soggy and obviously old & the pear slices were mushy ). In addition, expect shabby service. Our waiter (Peter) was just ok and it took exactly 1 HOUR for our party of 5 to be served. The salmon was not too bad, but was covered in a very salty sauce. However, the worst part of the night was when my mother-in-law pointed out a COCKROACH walking across our table. We will not be returning to Ancona Bistro at all. read more

I have eaten here twice in the past month with two different groups of friends. It was very good, the service was excellent and the owner attentive. I had veal Ancona and Chicken Scarpariello and started the meal with very good salads. It is a cute spot and I find it very funny that when you walk in there is a glass "wall" with a Stewarts Root Beer mug etched into the glass with an Ancona "sticker" in the middle of the mug. read more

trying to support local businesses and visited this this restaurant and had eaten here a year ago. i went back bc the food was good (not exceptional) but service was exceptional a year ago and my friends wanted to give it a try. i was disappointed this time. the waiter was slightly below average. we asked for the calamari appetizer and entrees to come out at the same time bc of a time issue but they didn't. i asked for the veal parmigiana, which was on the online menu but not on the restaurant menu, and was told they couldn't make it. calamari was a good portion and good. i ordered the chicken parmigiana as the alternative. chicken parmigiana portion was small, very thin and average. also, the food temperature was barely warm, like it sat too long before being served. the tomato sauce and pasta was good. (i prefer DiMaio's in berkeley heights for comparison chicken parmigiana). i don't plan on going back. i will go back to DiMaio's for italian because all of their food, service and quality has always been consistently a great experience.overall for decades. read more

This place took over after Stewarts went under. Its a VERY expensive place for what you get. I had Chicken Parm dinner. For $17.95 we got less than a handful of spaghetti. A decent size piece of chicken but thats it. No salad. Did have bread. Definitely not worth the money. I knew it was probably expensive since they have no prices on their menu online. That's always the 1st clue. There seems never to be many people dining there as I go past all the time. It was very awkward to sit inside even though they had some italian music playing - it was to quiet. The manager & waiter just stand there. I would not go there again. There are much better places. I give this place until the new year before they go under. Just my opinion. read more

This place shows great promise. It's a bistro, so it's small, but the noise level is not loud at all. It's new, so you have to cut them a little slack. If you plan to go on a weekend, make a reservation, this place is full. We had the baked clams to start: delicious, but one had some shell bits in it. Gritty. The portions are just right, you won't be stuffed when you leave, but you'll be satisfied. My chicken breast had a bit of tendon still attached, had to spit it out. It came with mixed vegs and mashed potatoes, probably the best mashed potatoes I've ever had. My daughter had the spinach ravioli. Usually she can't finish 6, but here the pasta shell was so light and delicate, she was able to finish the whole thing. She loved it. The steak her boyfriend had was just right. My husband had veal parm, it came with a side of spaghetti, again, just the right portion. The only thing we missed is that the meal doesn't come with a salad, not even a little lettuce and tomato. Oh well. So it gets 3 stars from me. read more

What a nice move away from the more common large quantity plates and heavily laden mozzarella dishes. If you like fresh food, not overly cooked, and served with the proper seasoning, you will enjoy a meal here. Looking forward to another great meal tonight! read more

I had a wonderful meal and experience here. We started off with burrata and pasta fagioli which were both amazing. The gnocchi and chicken parm were both cooked to perfection as well. The service was outstanding, they really let you set the pace of your meal! I'll definitely be back read more

We ordered veal piccata as a take-out order. Curiously it came with mashed potatoes instead of pasta. It was completely and absolutely tasteless. Not that I was looking to eat anymore of this but the order was also extremely small. We will not go back. read more

Great place! The staff is so professional and friendly. Always a treat! We go there for all special occasions.

The food here was superb! Rich creamy alfredo was a favorite and the olive oil bread dip was exceptional! I get annoyed with the cheapos who complain about cost because really, you have to pay for quality which this place delivers on! read more

On a nice summer evening and looking to try somewhere new for a weeknight dinner, my husband and I decided to stop at Ancona Bistro. We were quickly seated outside on their lovely patio and greeted warmly by either the manager or owner. Service was great throughout the meal. I enjoyed their Caesar salad and fettuccine bolognese, and my husband raved about his crab cake appetizer and capellini primavera. Overall a nice dining experience in a very unassuming location, and definitely an upgrade from the Stewart's root beer that used to be in that same building a couple of years ago! We'll definitely be back! read more

I have been to Ancona 3x in the past month and was delighted each time. The food was superb and the service exceptional. I am very happy to support a local restaurant. Looking forward to my next dinner there. JS read more

Good local place but stretching for fourth star. Service is ok for a busy Friday night, very friendly but kind of slow. Polenta appetizer was very good, veal with mushrooms was very good but fish was dry and lamb shanks were good but not exceptional. We had pastas last time and they were good. Chocolate mousse cake is serviceable. We will probably be back but it's not destination dining. read more

Excellent food and service and a nice ambiance as well. A nice dining experience and it is BYOB. We have been here twice now and have really enjoyed it! read more

We have been there a number of times since they opened and it has markedly improved.. Service was always great and the food now ranks with the best in the area. Prices are reasonable given the quality. read more

Tomato & onion salad had no flavor, no hint of dressing. Bread was not fresh and not warm . Never replenished. Salmon was served cold - had to send it back to hear. Shrimp parpadelle was good. Cheesecake was store bought. read more

This is our favorite local restaurant. We have been here over 15 times and have been totally satisfied every time. The food is very good, the service is excellent, the prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is warm and cozy. read more

A good, small local place. Not too cheap, but not all that pricey either. Excellent quality. My best judge of the chef is the veggies. My tilapia came with veggies that were perfect. It's byob; so that cuts the bill by a lot for our party of 4. If you want to avoid the crowd, come earlier. Service was just what you'd expect. Loved the meals and the bread. Staff was just right. Will be happy to go again. read more

Great staff and food, a delight to go to. Nice selection in the menu, and Tom the owner does his best to accommodate. Be sure to call for reservations on the weekend. read more

BYOB starts things off and that's always a plus. Have eaten here a few times and meal was always good with excellent service. Soups are very nice and always served hot. Hate when soup comes out cold. Stuffed pork chop was very tasty with home made mashed potatoes. Only wish that they would have more specials because if you go there often you can get burned out on the menu. read more

Great food and service. we were there for a 6pm seating on a saturday evening. service was professional and impeccable . Waiters were attentive and well trained. The crowd was friendly. Acoustic were great as one cannot hear the conversation from the next table. I ordered the eggplant parmesan. It was freshly made with great tomato sauce flavor. Often small restaurants use frozen eggplants that you can taste the oldness. Not the case here. My husband ordered the seafood which was also nicely prepared. For dessert, We ordered the lemon cake and the Ice cream with some Kind of tart enough for two people. Also wonderfully made . I recommend this restaurant not only for the delicious food, well priced menu and the comfortable seating. Also like the interesting plates they served the food. read more

Have eaten here twice... Food was consistent. Good, not great. Service both times was very good. Expensive though. Place needs to work on there food preparation and cost to be successful. Will mention their steamed clams weren't very good, large clams and the broth was so-so at best... Also under-steamed on this particular night. read more

decided to give this place a try, service was great, very friendly and the food was great and great value i highly recommend ancona and will definitely be going back. read more