Authentic Italian food, perfectly prepared. Portions were substantial and reasonably priced. Service and ambience were 5 star. I'll be back. read more

La Cucina - Yum. Large and tasty portions - Italian Near Me - Denville, New Jersey

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I think when they say "hidden gem". They are talking about places like this. I had no idea nor heard about a BYOB until after I ordered my meal and asked for a glass of wine. While on an East Coast college tour, I wanted to find a small cozy Italian restaurant not in a big city, found it. Just outside of Denville is La Cucina, a old converted old general store that is bustling with a lively ambiance, great service and outstanding food. When. You first drive up, there is a large parking lot to start things off right. When you are seated, you notice the original framework and the sounds of the creaking woodwork. The waitress was on a chalkboard and it was brought over the table, yep. The bruschetta was our appetizer and I could have made ordered another and made it my dinner. The chicken cucina was similar and clam linguine was full of fresh claws. And the highlight was the homemade tiramosu that was made daily by one the employee's aunts. Anywhere in the Parsippany area, stop in and make sure to bring your own wine or beer, if you would like to have some with your meal. read more

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Service was very good. Owners treated us like family. Pear salad was excellent; the chicken & rice soup was reminiscent of Sunday dinner at Grandma's house. The penne vodka and shrimp scampi were divine. Good price; nice dinner for my wife and I. We were not rushed at all & we're actually told to stay as long as we wanted. Pay cash if you can - 3.5% cc charge. We will 100% be back! read more

This is a MUST TRY if you're in the area. Honestly when we arrived and saw a house, we were so impressed by the use of space. They made us feel so welcome. The food was amazing. Nothing overcooked and all well seasoned. Alicia took such good care of us. My family had: salmon, Bolognese, lasagne, chicken Mediterranean, calamari, bruschetta, and to end the oreo cheesecake and tiramisus(desert was just okay). We all left thinking when can we come back. read more

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Absolute hidden gem. By far the best linguini with red clam sauce I ever ate. Pasta was cooked to perfection. Bruschetta is superb also. Items are very reasonably priced and service is very attentive. Very warm and welcoming space, you feel right at home. Couldn't recommend this restaurant anymore and worth the hour drive! read more

This was our first visit and it was memorable in every possible way. This place made us feel like we were regulars the entire time. This place knows how to make you feel at home while the food and service are absolutely terrific. My pork chop Milanese was fantastic and my wife's chicken dish was insane. Can't wait to go back. Atmosphere and BYOB adds to a really nice experience. read more

Amazing find at a recent business trip , this meal I was with 7 others and everyone's meal was perfect , amazing food , amazing service . I'll be back for certain . Kudos read more

La Cucina - Christina Penne - Italian Near Me - Denville, New Jersey

I came here for dinner this past week - and let me say: food, service, and ambiance were top notch! I ordered the Eggplant Rollatini as an appetizer and the Rigatoni Christina for an entree. Both dishes, especially their sauces, were delicious. Also, the pasta was cooked just perfectly - al dente! Besides the amazing food, our waiter was very kind and attentive. But, my favorite part was truly the atmosphere. This restored general store is a hidden gem in the Morris County area. It combines old-time charm with a comforting Italian vibe, perfect for a lowkey dinner with friends or family. The antiques displayed throughout the restaurant were such a thoughtful touch. I wrapped up my evening with a cappuccino and a tartufo, great for a summer night. I drove 40 minutes from Passaic County to dine here and I would definitely do it again. So worth it! read more

We were trying to find another BYOB could try so my wife picked La Cucina. It seems to be a large older establishment with a large parking lot. It is dated but nice, we sat on what appeared to be an enclosed back porch type area. Waitress was very nice turned out she lives in our town. We ordered appetizers meatballs, calamari, they were ok, calamari was a bit greasy meatballs were consistent with meatballs in general. My wife had the muscles, which she said were fair, a few a bit fishy. I had the chicken with beans and escarole. My only issue is I believe they just put a ladle of escarole and beans soup over a chicken breast. I would have loved it if it wasn't swimming in broth. It's a bit from our house so I don't think we will return read more

Excellent. Great atmosphere and food is very good. Feeling sick? Ask for their flu soup. It's not on the menu but they'll make it and you'll feel better soon afterwards. read more

We've been customers for years. Great food, staff treats you like family. Cozy vintage atmosphere.

Absolutely delightful experience! The food is excellent. Starting with fresh mozzarella, salami, olives, warm bread and butter, I knew I was in for a treat. The pizza is plain cheese, but the flavor is outstanding! The combination is simply magical. My chicken entree was full of garlicky and buttery flavors and then my dessert was a raspberry sorbet tartufo, which was delicious. The owners and staff treat you like a kind family or friend. Such a pleasurable place to go! read more

La Cucina - Tartufo, tiramisú, chocolate cake, cannoli. - Italian Near Me - Denville, New Jersey

I love this place like a family made meal always seem fresh great meatballs incredible chicken soup. I feel better when I eat here. JohnnyR read more

LaCucina is an excellent restaurant. From the moment we walked in we were greeted by the owner who showed us to our table. He is a excellent host. The waiter came over right away with bread and water. He also brought over the blackboard with the nights specials. I ordered the veal dish Milanese and my wife had the chicken marsala which were excellent. We also started dinner with the rigatoni vodka which was delicious. Ended dinner with a chocolate cake desert which again was great. Definitely will be back and it's BYOB which is fantastic. Try it you will like it! read more

Amazing classic quality restaurant. Abundant menu with great authentic affordable delicious choices. Everyone is friendly. Byo and reasonable! Heard the lasagna special is outrageous read more

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I put in a large order including catered trays with mostly hits and some misses. The biggest hit was the service. When I went to pick up a large order by myself they could not have been nicer. La Cucina staff carried everything out to my car and I didn't have to lift a finger. Everyone was super nice and friendly, from when I placed the order up until pickup. The biggest miss was how they packed some of the items. My broccoli completely soaked through the bottom of the bag and when I unknowingly picked up the bag the container completely dropped through and spilled. Broccoli was all over my driveway instead of my tummy. Not great. We were also disappointed with the portion size of the clams. Very small for the amount of money spent. The pizza pie was also lackluster and undercooked. There were plenty of hits though! The calamari was perfectly crispy and flavorful. The trays were the biggest hit. The chicken parm was some of the best that I've had - super saucy, cheesy and flavorful. The rigatoni Christina was a step up from ordinary penne vodka and came loaded with prosciutto, mushrooms and peas. Catering prices are fair - half trays of pasta and chicken are $55 each and came with a very generous portion. I'd order trays again, but that's probably about it. The dine-in ambiance was nice, so if anything I'd consider visiting for a meal vs ordering! read more

La Cucina was a great find! After thinking I knew most of the restaurants in Denville, I saw some friend's Yelp reviews of this place and my wife and I kicked off the holiday weekend there last night. There's a lot of history in this place which goes back a century to the days of the Morris Canal. Since this was basically a house, the dining rooms are spread out all over. We were out on what was probably the back porch. We were indoors, but there is also outdoor dining. While the location is cool, the food is the star. It was fantastic! The server places a blackboard in front of you with the day's specials. We started with the Burrata appetizer. The mozzarella was so good! My wife ordered the Chicken Milanese special, I ordered the Sausage Giambotta off the regular menu. Absolutely delicious, with large portions we'll be finishing today! Pairing that with a nice bottle of wine at this BYOB, was perfect! We finished off with cappuccino and dessert. My wife had the lemoncello cake and I had the carrot cake. Excellent! I definitely recommend that you make a reservation and visit this unique restaurant. Great food, atmosphere, and very friendly service! read more

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Fantastic pasta and no wait time. Tried so many dishes but my favorite was the ravioli and manicotti.

Sorry to say will not be going back. Have not been here in years and something has definitely changed but not for the better. Chefs in back wearing club clothes, food was awful and service was worse. Calamari app was so thick and rubbery, veal was so dry like a piece of cardboard with no flavor, barely a teaspoon of espresso in the cup and the desert was a let down. Sorry La Cucina I don't like to leave bad reviews, please get it together. read more

I like this place! Located off the beaten path in a residential area sits a former victorian house that now is this restaurant. The seating area is broken up into different sections with party rooms upstairs. Warm crusty bread is served to start & they always have several specials that are written up on a chalkboard & is placed by your table for you to spend time reviewing & it includes the cost (thank you - I hate having to ask!). We enjoyed the burrata app - so creamy! For entree's my husband had a stuffed chicken with a tasty marsala sauce & I went keto-style - I asked for shrimp scampi over spinach - delish! We ended the night with espresso's & my husband scarfed down a delicious looking carrot cake. Mangia!! read more

La Cucina - Burrata app - creamy & delectable! - Italian Near Me - Denville, New Jersey

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My husband and I have passed La Cucina many, many times and finally stopped in for dinner. The food was outstanding. We started with the meatball appetizer, which was awesome. I had the veal capricciosa (similar to Milanese) - full description is under picture. It was absolutely fantastic! So good, I had it the second time we went as well. My husband also had the same entree twice. I forget what it was called but it was chicken with fresh vegetables and roasted potatoes (see picture). We did order a pizza from there once, which was a little underwhelming, so we won't be getting there pizza again. Other than that, the food is utterly fantastic. It's also a BYO, so don't forget a nice bottle of wine when you go! read more

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Home style Italian dishes in a historical building (former general store) location is a bit remote -but a lot of character at the restaurant with loyal customers and staff. Ordered the Meatball Appetizer which was alright, probably wouldn't order again. For entrees I ordered the penne vodka vs chicken parm which were both delicious. Very large portions priced $19-21. Our bill for appetizers, 2 entrees with tax was about $60. read more

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True New Jersey (authentic) Italian BYOB. COVID thankfully hasn't taken a hit on the quality of the food here, like many restaurants. Come ready and come hungry. This isn't fancy Italian, but the best kind isn't. Like your Italian grandmother, she's going to stuff you with amazing food, and then still refill your plate...again and again. But it's worth every bite. The bruschetta is large and fantastically flavorful (four large pieces on fresh bread). The fried calamari is with big "O"s and without tentacles; the two sauces - sweet snd spicy - are a nice touch. The chicken parmigiana and eggplant rollatini come essentially in the same format - massive and with a LOT of cheese (expect leftovers). The clams linguine is accompanied with 20+ baby clams and great flavor; just be careful, the sauce will splatter if you're not careful. The unexpected winner was the rigatoni Christina (swapped out the rigatoni for capellini which soaked the sauce right up *chefs kiss*) - the mushrooms add an umami complexity to the prosciutto and plum sauce with an added touch of peas. Can't wait to come back! read more

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La Cucina is such a great Italian restaurant and is one of our "go-to" places to take friends. Authentic Italian dishes - the marinara is delicious - and their homemade bread is fantastic. We love their meatball sandwiches for lunch and for dinner I always get their chicken Parmesan. Love their angel hair pasta, too. Last night we went with a group of 8 of us - everyone raved about their entrees - and the green beans were to-die-for - perfectly cooked and seasoned with garlic and olive oil. read more

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Food is pretty decent, love the ambiance of an old house with historical value however the service today was horrible. Some kid with a silly "man bun" on the back of his head. Stupid as the day was long. read more

Here for a confirmation. Workers are amazing. The apps were fine not great. Food is amazing!! Over all, the owner knows what he is doing. read more

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Great place to go if you want a cozy, laid back atmosphere with delicious food and friendly service.

Finding a good dinner spot that can accommodate a group of 13 is not an easy task but La Cucina on Diamond Spring Road in Denville pulled it off. Neighbors Night Out was a huge success on Friday night for our group of 13 as we also celebrated a birthday as well. We had a room booked in advance that was perfect for our group and had a nice private setting to have a fun filled evening with good food, drinks and friendship. The staff was super accommodating and went above and beyond to ensure our evening was top notch. We started off with some calamari, bruschetta, antipasto, and eggplant rollatini (we were hungry and dug in, no picutes available) For the main course I had the Zuppa Di Pesce (Linguini tossed with clams, mussels, scallops, shrimp, and calamari in a garlic marinara sauce) I thoroughly enjoyed my meal and was happy with the decision. My other choice which I may order next time was the Chicken Scarpariello (Chicken breast, sweet Italian sausage, vinegar peppers, potatoes, and herbs sautéed in a white balsamic vinegar sauce.) One of the daily specials was also the Chicken Special (Parmesean Panko crusted chicken topped with a tomato bruschetta and fresh mozzarella served with veggies and mashed potatoes) All the dishes served looked spectacular and I was only able to capture a small portion of the food that was served. What made La Cucina even better was the B.Y.O.B. option which our group took full advantage of. Whether you are looking for an intimate dinner for two or a large group such as ours, I would definitely consider checking out La Cucina for a night out. You can view the menu and specials at https://lacucina-denville.com/#menu A huge thanks to all those at La Cucina for a great evening. I apologize for not remembering any of the names but you guys and gals were awesome. read more

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The food and services were great, I would definitely go back. Plenty of parking on premises so you don't have to worry about parking plus it's a BYOB so you can enjoy your meal with your favorite drink! read more

I have been going to La Cucina for many yrs. It's the only place I go for Italian food. The food and staff are amazing! Best calamari! read more

I have been driving by La Cucina for years and have always wanted to stop but I never did for one reason or another. Well I finally did and I'm now angry with myself for not getting here sooner. To me this could be the perfect dining experience. A comfortable, welcoming, informal restaurant that serves upscale quality Italian food. Great, well executed service. The food was out very quickly considering how busy they were and appear to always be. And the food was outstanding. From the fried Calamari appetizer which consisted of very fresh Calamari, ever so lightly breaded and lightly fried. It was very tender and flavorful. To one of the best eggplant rollatini that I have ever had. To the Chicken Mediterranean which was super thin panko crusted chicken cutlets topped with arugula, tomatoes, kalmata olives, feta and a light lemon based dressing. Fresh and superb. I will make it a priority to get back to La Cucina again soon. read more

I really thought this area would have some better Italian food. I've been here 3 times in the last few months. First time, the food and experience were very nice. I was disappointed the second and third times. read more

I had my baby shower at La Cucina in the end of February and can't thank them enough for the great experience. Incredibly accommodating and friendly staff with options that worked for everything we needed. BYOB so the pricing is ideal, and the food options worked for the vegans and carnivores alike. We were able to go in early to set up what we needed to and had the entire back space of the restaurant to ourselves so it was cozy and private. They also didn't force us to meet any minimums. We can't wait to go back for a nice meal inside once Covid is over. read more

Beware of ridiculous and extraordinary credit card fees from this restaurant. I purchased a Gift Card & they charged a 2% fee for a gift card!!! This is Criminal for a gift card purchase!!!! Shame on the owners- this is the last gift card I will ever purchase from this long time favorite. read more

Cozy place and good service. Horrible food - even my kids didn't like the pasta dish. Sauce did not taste homeade. Would not return for a second time. This restaurant has so much potential. Maybe pizza is decent. read more

Great place to spend time with friend. Food and service above par. Get a pizza as a group starter. Five stars!

First time eating in the Denville area and was not disappointed. Located in suburban neighborhood with ample parking. Arrived and noticed they are doing plenty of takeout, always a good sign during Unscientific COVID-19 lock downs. It's been my observations over the last year that the hardy at heart still head out to eat and tonight was no exception with young and old enjoying a nice dinner. Place has social distancing in place with mask rules etc and felt comfortable although I don't worry about Covid-19. Seated right away at 6pm table for 5. BYOB works well and kicked off with salad. I ordered the Zuppa de Pease plenty of large shrimp clams mussels calamari and sea scallops that are not cheap these days. It was served with a red garlic sauce over linguine. Large portion that I enjoyed the next day and price of 25.00 was perfect. As I have cooked this dish many times myself there is an order to how the seafood is added otherwise the shrimp is over cooked and the scallops are undercooked , adding clams in to soon and if boiling make them chewy. In my dish it seem the scallops needed another two minutes, shrimp minus two, clams were fine. All of the other dishes were also enjoyed and each felt they will come again. Food and pricing is better than most we have been to and we eat out every week, sometimes twice. Staff was great and the service. read more

I don't frequent Italian but when I do I make sure I pick good places. I used to go here all the time when it was Attilio's (RIP my friend). Took my team here for a Christmas dinner. They have private rooms upstairs which was so accommodating. BYOB is a nice bonus. We started with the calamari, mozzarella & roasted peppers. Double orders for table. Could have used more of each but anyway... For an entrée I had the seafood risotto...holy cow it was awesome! It was a special so I am not sure if they have it all the time but I would petition to have it on there. So creamy and chunks of scallops...yummy. Service was good. He was overwhelmed and had to carry everything up and down the stairs. Entree's took a while to arrive but conversation/wine was flowing so no one seemed to mind. Prices were good. You can also do a prefix menu for larger parties. Desserts were ok. ENJOY! read more

La Cucina - Seafood risotto - Italian Near Me - Denville, New Jersey

Wow! Went here for the first time and I can't believe I've never been! Started with fried burrata- who knew that this works wonderfully! The dishes were as close to genuine Italian as can be. You can taste the difference. The service was spot on even for a busy Saturday night - Special shout out to Jenny. read more

Too bad, no way to give 6 stars... OK, I love this place. I mean, it's wonderful on so many levels. First, the owner and the staff , after only a couple of visits, actually remember you and greet you by name as you enter. Think "Norm!" from the old TV show Cheers. Second, the atmosphere. It's a neat little in-town place with just enough "fancy" to be appropriate for a celebration and just enough "casual" for any night when you don't feel like cooking. I would call it "comfortable". But, for most of the clients, the real draw is the food. The menu varies very little and has remained the same since the current owners took over the place a few years ago. They do a wonderful job with poultry and I could eat their chicken marsala and chicken scarpariello 3 nights a week. My wife loves their Portobello Modenese (a yummy appetizer) and their artichoke cutlets (dipped in honey mustard sauce). I'll often call from the road, tell them who I am (yes, they remember me over the phone too) and pick up a pizza and a house salad on my way back from where ever. They make two types of pizza - traditional (called Alla Casa and darn good) and Margherita (my wife's favorite). You should try both! They serve lunch and dinner and you could not find a better mid-day meal than their Italian Hot Dog - well, except for your cholesterol count! Standard Italian fare lives here like all of the usual pasta dishes, often topped with a flavorful, home made tomato sauce. Rock solid and better than anything I can make. But keep your eye open for their specials - displayed on a large floating chalk board. They usually offer a unique take on a fresh "catch of the day" fish and a beef or veal dish with interesting veggies on the side. They are closed on Sunday and are often crowded on Friday and Saturday nights so be aware and plan accordingly. read more