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    IL Monello

    4.3 (333 reviews)
    PriceyItalian
    Open • 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    About IL Monello

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    IL MONELLO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Romantic
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - IL Monello

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    Branzino
    Brad B.

    The outdoor area is beautiful. Indoor is a bit cramped so outdoor sitting is essential to get a great experience. We started with a pasta to split a Burrata ravioli and Bolognese sauce delicious. The tuna was great the veal and lemon caper sauce with artichokes was tender and delicious. Now the bad part the service was horrible. We were the only people in the restaurant and three waiters literally just stood there looking at us we had to ask the menu three times we had to ask for the check three times which took over 20 minutes, Martino the owner who is a character and a great guy felt so bad that he bought us a round of drinks. I know he will probably never do this, but if he modernize his ordering system, a lot of this chaos could be avoided.FYI they now have wines by the bottle and glass so you don't need to go to liquor store anymore.

    Turbot
    Zagat R.

    My fiance and I came here for a quick lunch and left feeling like we just had an authentic meal at our Italian godfather's house! The hospitality here is beyond! The owner Martino is attentive to every detail in the dining experience, he was even the one that served us the complimentary shaved Parmesan cheese (see video), which was probably the best parm I've ever tried literally melts in your mouth! We were pleasantly surprised to see turbot (the BEST white flaky fish) on the menu as you rarely see it offered at restaurants. We gave our compliments to the owner for having it on menu but didn't order it and he brought us a complimentary turbot (also pictured) to enjoy anyway! If you want an authentic, detail-oriented, and delicious Italian meal then you NEED to eat here! We will be returning with friends and family for sure.

    Owner is so friendly. staff is great. Food and service is so much better than cafe azzuro down the street

    Complimentary starters. Marinated Zucchini and salami. Comes with a slice of fresh Parmesan and toasted bread.
    Nancy S.

    Wonderful lunch experience!! This is the first time we've been to a restaurant in 2 years or since Covid started. We're still being careful despite being vaccinated. This restaurant has excellent, socially distanced patio seating! The patio is right on the street and nice for people-watching. We chose Il Monello because they are one of the few open on Mondays in this area and by the menu choices. My friend was visiting from Hawaii and said there are no good Italian restaurants and was craving some great Italian here in NJ. She was not disappointed!! The prices are spot on!! In all honesty, I read some reviews that said the service was rude, but I found the waiters to be very friendly!! They had a somewhat dry sense of humor that not everyone appreciates. I say lighten up and smile. Complimentary Starters: While browsing the menu, they brought over the 50lb Parmesan cheese wheel and sliced off a nice, long, thin piece for each of us, some salami, toasted Italian bread, and marinated zucchini. It was a delicious combination! Appetizers: We ordered the Spiedini Alla Romana. It's similar to Mozzarella en Carrozza but with anchovies and capers with a lemon wine sauce. If you're leery or say you don't like anchovies, don't worry. You don't see or taste them, but they enhance the saltiness. It was delicious! Main entrees: My daughter is a vegetarian, so there were limited options for her. The waiters weren't too sure about the soups having vegetarian broth, so she decided to get the Fettuccine Alfredo with sweet peas. She enjoyed it. I did taste it, and I thought it could have used a bit more salt, but I love salt. My friend had Linguine alle Vongole (linguine with clam sauce). There was a choice of red or white sauce, and she chose the white sauce. I've always wanted to try this dish but never had the courage to. Another delicious dish! My friend loved it, and it satisfied her Italian yearning! Finally, I had the Veal Parmigiana. OMG! It was the best and most tender veal I've ever had! I could have cut it with a fork, and I'm not kidding!!! The portion sizes were just right on all the entrees. The red sauce had nice chunks of garlic and was not too sweet. I brought my husband home the Rigatoni Bolognese with braised veal, lamb, and beef. He said the flavor was better than any he's had before, and the pasta was done perfectly. I also brought home the Short Rib Meatball appetizer, which was on the specials menu. I'll go back just for them alone!! I know I sound so excited with this review, but this restaurant was THAT good. Maybe not going to a restaurant in two years could have something to do with it, but the food is truly excellent as well as the service!

    Creme Brûlée Cheesecake- outstanding!!
    Cat M.

    What a wonderful, romantic place to enjoy dinner! If you go in the winter, there is a cosy fireplace that is REAL - I never see a real fireplace anymore! If you go in the warm weather, the place has a lovely outdoor patio in the front. The service is amazing - immediately after you sit, they are there to open wine, get water, & put out the bread & the great apps they give you for free! You get salami, a spicy zucchini saute, & some large shaving of cheese from a cheese wheel that is rolled out on a cart! The food is always amazing - if you love bolognese - get it! There are lots of specials - I find it hard to remember - wish they were written down. The caesar salad split is quite large & the dressing is homemade. We enjoyed the escargot app & it was prepared differently than I've ever had it before but it was yummy - had mushrooms in some kind of a cream sauce. The pastas are always a great choice along with the seafood & meat. They have some homemade pasta - the crab/lobster ravioli is excellent as well as the burrata one that i enjoyed recently. For dessert, you must get the creme brûlée cheesecake - it is outrageous! And to top off dessert, they wheel a cart out with white Sambuca, homemade black Sambuca, homemade grappa, & limonchello. What a great place!

    Barb S.

    After writing a terrific review we made reservations a few weeks later. My apologies for not sharing this experience sooner. We arrived on time and were seated outside since the weather was still warm. Within no time people started arriving (apparently without reservations) and they started shifting tables to accommodate the newcomers. Our table was shifted so much we found ourselves in a corner. They put the complimentary appetizer on the table and then ignored us. The waiter finally came to take our order and asked if he could bring another helping so we agreed. We were so close to the other tables we could not help hearing everyone's conversations. The service was terrible and the waiter had an attitude. When we got our check they added a charge for the second complimentary appetizer and said the second one was at a price. Perhaps if service was attentive we would have had the appetizers we ordered in a timely manner. All in all shame on Martino as reservations are made for a reason. We were terribly disappointed.

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Amazing food, amazing service! Great ambiance that reminds me of a wonderful dinner with family!

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    2 years ago

    Rude service. Argued about what we ordered after missing an item. Didn't know how to handle wine. Too annoyingly chatty. Mediocre food.

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    5 years ago

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    6 years ago

    By far one of the best Italian restraints in New Jersey. This place rivals most of the top Restaurant in NYC.

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    3 years ago

    Martino is the best. Friendly staff. BYOD. Excellent food and inviting atmosphere. I think the best in Gladstone.

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Food was cold and owner is RUDE. Unnecessary attitude put a bad taste in my mouth just as much as the food did

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    3 years ago

    I really like this place and Martin is awesome! Food I really good and staff is so nice.

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    3 years ago

    Amazing food! Amazing service! Martino makes you feel so welcome as well as all of his staff!

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    Page 2 of 9

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    Cafe Azzurro - Chocolate souffle

    Cafe Azzurro

    3.6(214 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    •$$$

    Cafe Azzurro in Peapack is a BYOB serving up classic Italian dishes in a welcoming setting. We…read morereally enjoyed our dinner and they even have an outdoor patio during the warmer months as a nice bonus. Hungry for more NJ food finds? Follow Wonderwithlyss on Instagram & TikTok!

    We had a waitress that was rushed and inattentive. Four of us. 630 reservations. We were seated…read moreimmediately. I had requested indoor. (When we arrived we were told if it was an outdoor table, there would be a 45-50 min wait!!) Ordered apps, salad and entrees. We all had the same pasta as an app. Filleto de Pomadoro. (Sp?). Pasta was undercooked and there were really no pieces of the prosciutto? Or what they use in this dish. The Caesar salad was delicious, even if I only got 1 crouton! Lol. . Then they cleared the table and brought us dessert menus. We told them we hadn't had our entrees yet. We waited probably 45 mins for our dinner. Veal and Sole, delicious. The fourth dish, the Bronzino fish special, black. Top was burned black, and the fish was totally dried out. $42.50. Small piece. We asked the waitress and she said that's how it's supposed to look. What? At this point we'd been at the table 2.5 hrs. They comped dessert, mine was the wrong one. Not what I ordered. And lastly, every time they brought a dish to person on my right, the waitress leaned halfway across my plate, almost hitting me with elbow. I finally just pushed my chair all the way back when I saw her coming. We've come here before and had no complaints. Tonight was not good. And I believe totally the waitresses fault. Never apologized or told us what was happening. She needs to be trained. (We visit the Martinsville Tavern) your sister restaurant as well.

    Photos
    Cafe Azzurro - Souffle

    Souffle

    Cafe Azzurro - Beef Carpaccio

    Beef Carpaccio

    Cafe Azzurro

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    Osteria Morini - Cappelletti

    Osteria Morini

    3.9(214 reviews)
    5.1 mi
    •$$$

    This was a warm atmosphere with a good-sized bar and friendly service. The menu offered homemade…read morepasta along with a number of unique starters and entrees. The food came out quickly. For starters, the polpettine ($20) and bruschetta special ($13) was ordered. The polpettine consisted of prosciutto and mortadella meatballs with pomodoro and ricotta. There were five large meatballs with a nice heaping of ricotta and some toasted buttered bread. These were solid. The sauce and cheese was needed as the actual meatball was a tad dry, but the flavor was there. I did not get a real taste of the mortadella. The bread helped get all of the sauce and cheese leftover. The bruschetta special contained stracciatella, butternut squash, caponatta and balsamic glaze. There were two small pieces of bread. I was hoping for a little more here, but the flavors made up for it. It tasted like a cool fall evening with everything that was incorporated here. It was on the sweeter side but not overly done. The stracciatella really brought all of the toppings together. For an entrée, I had the gnocchi ($29). It came with a lamb ragu, and grilled corn. The gnocchi were cooked to a perfect al dente and tasted very light. They were the best part of the dish. The grilled corn was a close second as it stayed crisp even with the amount of sauce present. The sauce was actually a little sweet to my surprise. In regard to the lamb ragu, it was alright. There were chunks of lamb and it was a little inconsistent as a number of pieces were fatty. I also tried the butternut squash ravioli with a brown butter sauce. These were cooked to a perfect al dente as well with tons of flavor. There was plenty of filling and the brown butter sauce complimented them nicely. I also liked the hazelnuts on top. For dessert, the bomboloni ($14) was ordered. There were seven citrus-scented ricotta doughnuts with espresso caramel and dark chocolate sauces. We did take these home and had them the next morning. They packaged them well. They reheated perfectly in the air fryer. They were tasty. The citrus was definitely noticed, but not too overpowerful. The donuts were light and very airy. I really liked the texture of these. I was a fan of the dark chocolate sauce. I am not a big espresso fan, so the caramel was not for me as it had too much of that flavor. Regardless, these were a nice treat. Will I go back? I would.

    Daniel was our server . Eddie is the chef . This is a great place to try Cicchetti ( Venetian…read moresmall plates ) They've perfected the small plates with the variety of little bites making you crave more . Cozy dim lit date night kind of vibe . Cute bar set up and spacious dining area . We started with couple of drinks Pear pressure and Fiore spritz which got us going with a bang We ordered a few small plates and a pasta dish 1 .Rosemary sea salt Focaccia with their house olivada 2.Polipo - Charred Octopus with smoked potato celery and olives - 3.Melanzane -Smoked eggplant meatballs -so unique that you will not want the real deal meaty meatballs 4.Prawns in Calabrian chili butter and lemon 5.Gargenlelli with black truffle 6.Orange cake with a pistachio ganache- drool worthy This place is a perfect 10 across all aspects . Food is the highlight and their service top notch. They work wonders with the ingredients to create some delicious food .

    Photos
    Osteria Morini - Interiors at Morini

    Interiors at Morini

    Osteria Morini - Eggplant meatball delicious  Prosciutto & mortadella meatball -creamy texture  Grilled octopus - best ever would have eaten a meal of that

    Eggplant meatball delicious Prosciutto & mortadella meatball -creamy texture Grilled octopus - best ever would have eaten a meal of that

    Osteria Morini - Interior dining room at Morini

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    Interior dining room at Morini

    Sette - Pennette alla Norma

    Sette

    4.4(149 reviews)
    4.6 mi
    •$$$

    Wow. Haven't been here in years. Came in with a friend for dinner and all my expectations were…read moreexceeded. I am a tough cookie, very particular and did not know what to expect. Service - impeccable. Extreme attention to detail. This is a small (as in 7-8 tables) dining establishment so with this small of a service you know they must meet the mark every time. We started with an order of bruschetta. Not the typical. Small warm bread with a nice thick slice of a ripe tomato / parm, mild garlic and olive oil. Delicious bites! Appetizer: Cavolo Bianco e Gamberetti ( Wild Gulf Shrimp, Braised Savoy Cabbage, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Parsley Velouté). This was so different from any shrimp app you would order in another Italian restaurant. The cabbage was so buttery and the shrimp were good size and perfect taste and texture. You look at those ingredients and think how does this work? But it was a masterpiece. Main: Tagliatelle Al Ragù (Veal, Beef & Pork Tritato, Organic Vegetable Soffritto, Parmigiano Reggiano). Think refined bolognese. Incredible bursts of flavor in what is such a simple dish. Dessert: Millefoglie Calda (Warm Pastry, Lemon Pasticcera, Wildflower Honey, Almond Gratinato). Perfect end to this meal. The pastry was a warm crunchy crust with this little bit of heaven in a lemon filling. Each dish was a perfect picture, and great detail was given to the menu and ingredients. It's been a while since I have left a restaurant and immediately made plans for my next visit. This is a bring your own. It is also not a pizzeria / trattoria or your neighborhood Italian restaurant. This is truly fine dining and you will not be disappointed.

    We were able to get to Sette as we were visiting in Morristown…read more As we searched found this highly ranked Yelp reviews. We set up a 9 pm reservation. We arrive and the place is tiny. Actually a 2 person show. Either MGR./owner greeted us and offered where to sit. The venue is small and quaint. It is BYOB and the waitress came back to open wine and offer sparkling or tap. We started off with the gentlemen recommendation of bruschetta. It arrived and it came out warm. My wife was ok with it. Me I liked it. Next up we split a bolongese tagliatelle pasta dish. A perfect mixture of Veal, beef pork was hands down one of the best bolognese pasta dishes I have ever had. I am first generation Italian and have been blessed in my home. Their bolognese was special. My wife had the chicken dish spinach and potatoes. She liked it thought it was a tad sweet but did like it. I had the pork medallions with potatoes and spinach. Both dishes were cooked perfectly. My pork was a tad sweet but mixed with the potatoes and spinach was terrific We ended up with a lemon dessert that came out warm and was delicious. In addition had another raspberry dessert from establishment and that was delicious. The place is small well lit pretty windows to view. The other patrons were all enjoying their time. No drama and couldn't ask for better patrons. The waitress was excellent and my wife and I truly loved this place. We will be back keep in mind reservations are needed. We were fortunate to score on a Friday. Their are nine tables why reservations are needed. They also offer a prix fix just in case and is reasonable. I will definitely be back and I'm doing that bolognese pasta not on a share but as a main. Terrific place Recommend

    Photos
    Sette - Inside ambiance

    Inside ambiance

    Sette - Tagliatelle Al Ragù

    Tagliatelle Al Ragù

    Sette - Inside ambiance

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    Inside ambiance

    IL Monello - italian - Updated October 2026

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