A first time visitor to this wonderful, small and inviting Italian restaurant in Ridgewood. We were seated right away and we were offered a tasting of zucchini's fritters as a welcoming offering (desperately needed as we had a long drive to meet friends there). The hostess (& owner) was terrific as were all the servers. As for the food... it was outstanding! We had the tagliatelle, tortellini special, scallops and pork chop special. All were served hot and were all delicious. If we didn't live so far away, La Lanterna would be a go to restaurant for us. Now, unfortunately, it will be only when we see our NJ friends. (We may need to see them more often!) Bravo! read more

The first time I went there I had a pork chop special with stuffed bacon and I think asparagus. I went back because it was so good. Sorry to say the second time around I couldn't even eat the meal. The pork chop was so tough and the bacon was (not kidding) raw. I would have sent it back but I was with another couple and didn't want to embarrass myself. I won't be going back. read more

Upon arrival, we were greeted by the hostess, who offered us a choice of tables. We chose a small table in the corner inside, which was lovely and had a cozy atmosphere. The first sign that something felt a bit off came when the hostess--who mentioned she was the chef's wife--presented the specials. She only described appetizer specials, including, somewhat oddly, guacamole and a Greek appetizer. Different, but not necessarily a dealbreaker. Since no entrée specials were mentioned, we assumed there simply weren't any. The menu is huge, not in offerings but rather the shear size of the menu was overwhelming. We were served bread, which was mediocre, and decided to order the stuffed zucchini flowers and burrata to start. Both appetizers were good. However, we were surprised to find that the bill reflected $22 for just four zucchini flowers. I don't mind paying for quality food, but that felt excessive--even for Ridgewood. We also initially received the wrong appetizer, though it was corrected quickly. For our entrées, we had the veal Milanese, which was decent, though slightly over-fried. Later in the evening, when a nearby table was seated, we overheard the dinner specials being described and realized there had, in fact, been entrée specials available. Unfortunately, we were never told about them, and some of the dishes mentioned sounded like options we would have considered ordering. There were a couple of aspects we didn't enjoy. First, the chairs were extremely uncomfortable. Although they appeared upholstered, they essentially felt like fabric stretched over wooden blocks--not ideal for sitting through a meal. Second, while the waitstaff was pleasant, it was difficult to get their attention for things like drinks, and the restaurant seemed understaffed. On the positive side, the hostess was warm and personable, even taking photos for guests, which was a nice touch. As the evening went on, however, the restaurant became quite loud. For a Tuesday night, we expected a quieter atmosphere, but it felt more like ladies' night out. read more

We had not been back in a few years and were wondering what was wrong with us. Love La Lanterna lovely atmosphere, delicious food the artichoke to die for and my husband's veal chop amazing. My scallops on risotto yumm. Joann the loveliest of Hostesses. Thank you Teresa read more

Came here for a bridal shower and it was beautiful. The interior of the restaurant makes you feel like you're at home and that staff was super kind and helpful! They explained the menu exceed well. The appetizers were divine, loved the calamari. I ordered stuffed shrimp and that was filling and good. The dessert was unreal. Had a lobster claw - wanting more as I type this. Overall loved it. Will be back for more! read more

La Lanterna Cafe and Grill - Inside - Seafood Near Me - Ridgewood, New Jersey

Best Ridgewood Italian restaurant. Had 4 appetizers that were delicious. A few meals off the menu and a few specials. All were great. The owner was so knowledgeable and our waiter was great. read more

Excellent food, excellent service, friendly staff. All around wonderful experience-it was my bride's birthday, they made it very special. Highly recommend. read more

Fantastic everything was excellent, food, service, ambiance. Joanne made my son's birthday dinner very special.

This restaurant has a great atmosphere, delicious food, and friendly wait staff. It's one of the oldest Italian restaurants in Ridgewood.

It's a given that the food will be delicious and the service will be excellent at La Lanterna. But Joanne and her fantastic staff bring so much more to the experience. They bring warmth and genuine caring...from the time you walk in until you leave. We arrived last night without a reservation. They were packed, but somehow they accommodated us. Actually they treated us as valued guests. We had such a wonderful time. Look forward to many more special meals at La Lanterna! read more

Great spot - one of my favorites for Italian in Bergen county. Across the street from wine seller which makes for an easy BYOB experience. Also right off of true "downtown" Ridgewood so it's easier to find parking. read more

WOW! This just doesn't happen anywhere, anytime, anymore, esp. post-COVID. This place met every expectation perfectly. NO NEGATIVES! First, We were greeted by Joanne, the owner and she was warm, welcoming and SINCERE (Psychologists know it when it's there.) She was the perfect hostess. Table service was also perfect: Fast, efficient, accommodating and VERY pleasant. Second, this place has decor worthy of European dining. Beautiful with Indoor AND outdoor seating! Next, the food was perfect, varied and deee-licious. You wouldn't believe it was made in NJ and not sent over from Italy. Prices were more than fair, believe someone who eats out regularly. Finally, it's a byob, icing on the proverbial cake. Suggestion: Go there now! Stop reading and GO.... NOW! You will be absolutely amazed. Well? What are you waiting for? Stop reading and GO!. read more

Absolutely love this place! My parents go here every time they go out for a date night! The service is amazing and everyone is so nice and it's run by a very sweet family! I love the tagliatelle bolognese! My dad and brother love the seafood salad special! Definitely recommend! The desserts are TO DIE FOR, so save room for dessert! read more

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Was very pleased with the graciousness of the staff and excellent choices of the varied menu. Food was traditional with an occasional foray into other cultures. A member of my party had a very flavorful artichoke heart for the first time. Will definitely go again. read more

Cozy atmosphere, great food, fabulous staff start to finish!! No complaints and can't wait to go back.

Dined here last night and had 2 of the specials ...Chilean sea bass and tagliatelle with seafood Both were outstanding ! I called last minute for a reservation and Joann was able to get us a great table. Will definitely be back read more

2 Branzino a Veal Milanese and a Pork Chop along with Sea Food and Crab Appy as well as a potpourri of desserts. That's short for 4 stars. read more

La Lanterna Cafe and Grill - Seafood Near Me - Ridgewood, New Jersey

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Amazing family restaurant, I ordered the veal chop and it was delicious. The staff was excellent, from the Mother to her son they are such delightful people and fantastic. Ty so much for being so kind. read more

After visiting a local shop where my daughter said yes to her dress, I asked the sales woman if she could recommend a place to have a celebratory dinner. She said if the place next door is open, it's fabulous! Not being from the area, I was relying on her experience and so we went next door to La Lanterna. I walked in with my 3 daughters and was greeted by a warm, inviting young man. He explained that they did not open for another 45 minutes, but told us to wait for a minute. He came back with a wonderful and pleasant woman who explained that they can seat us and bring us bread, but that the staff was eating before their shift and would get to us as soon as they could. My daughters and I felt so bad for interrupting their meal and offered to sit quietly and sip on our champagne that I brought and told her to let everyone eat and we were just happy to sit, chat and wait. We were seated at a lovely table surrounded by beautiful, warm decor. Next thing you know, we were being treated like royalty by staff that weren't even on the clock yet! We begged for them to ignore us, but we had water poured, bread brought, champagne opened and the kindest gesture of an 'on the house' appetizer while we waited. Oh boy how I wish I lived closer to this restaurant as I would make it a regular stop. Our waiter, Nate, did not wait until his shift started to come introduce himself and start taking our order. No matter how much we objected, the staff at this restaurant continued to go above and beyond to treat us like family all before they even opened for business! I will never forget my experience here. The food was absolutely delicious! We had the stuffed artichoke appetizer that was enough to share between 4 of us and I will dream about it until my next visit to the area! We had 3 different pasta dishes, chicken francaise and another guacamole app with crab meat and shrimp that was amazing! We were stuffed, but could not pass up dessert so we took that home! Thank you to all the staff at La Lanterna that made our celebration dinner better than any restaurant I have ever been to could have! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I can't wait to visit again! read more

What a cute restaurant with amazing food! Came here with a few friends and our baby for dinner. We were promptly seated for our reservation and service was tip notch and food came out quickly. We split apps to start- the salads, calamari, and meatballs were all perfectly cooked and enough to share. The pastas were all super fresh- I had the Rigatoni Amatriciana (with plenty of fresh grated cheese on top) and it was delicious. Added bonus that it is BYOB. read more

La Lanterna Cafe and Grill - Rigatoni Amatriciana - Seafood Near Me - Ridgewood, New Jersey

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As soon as you walk in, you feel like you're in a small fancy European restaurant. The place is so nicely decorated. It's a nice place for a special occasions. I highly recommend the Black Sea bass with clams. It was on the specials and it was excellent. It was served on a bed of baby spinach and with risotto, surrounded with baby clams. Just delicious!!! The birthday girl had Osso Bucco and gave me a bite to try. It was tender, juicy and amazingly tasty. My husband ordered the Veal with prosciutto, mozzarella and wild Mushrooms in a wine sauce... outstanding. Veronica, our server, was very pleasant, attentive and professional. She didn't miss a thing. The owner, Joanne is also the greeter and she gave us a nice warm welcome, as soon as we walked in. After that, from the server to the assistants are attentive and efficient. The lighting, that I think is so important in a restaurant, is just right; it gives the perfect ambiance for a nice romantic dinner or for a relaxing dinner with friends. I'll definitely recommend it and will go back with friends or my husband for a romantic dinner. If romantic, make sure to ask for "the nook"! read more

.Ok, today we celebrated mom's 84th birthday at La Lanterna. A party of 13 people. When I tell you this restaurant is outstanding, I mean it. From soup to nuts,one course better than the other. Joanne the gracious owner is very professional. Antonio her son knows the business,it shows , he took care of us with another great server. Food came out in a timely fashion. The food was served hot and all together,no one waited for any course. Not easy to do. Thank you Joanne and Antonio for making moms birthday party a great one. This restaurant is one of the last of the restaurants in this s area to go to and get your moneys wirth anymore. I wish them success. Will be going back asap. read more

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I wasn't aware this spot existed until I got a certificate from OpenTable that gave me the most value here. I looked over the menu and reviews and those were good enough for me. We came at 5:30 on St. Patrick's Day so needless to say there was only one other table in our area seated. Our server came over and read the specials and we ordered an appetizer of zucchini fritters to start, I had the Penne Alla Sorrentino but asked for a substitution of linguini, which they happily did. My mom ordered the Chicken Scarpariello with plain linguini. All the dishes were very delicious and very plentiful, mom's especially, as it is a meal for another night. I wanted something sweet to take home so our server brought over a tray of desserts and I chose the chocolate and hazelnut cake. I only took two bites because I was so full but it is absolutely divine. I am really happy I came across this place and will definitely return. read more

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Our group had a wonderful meal at La Lanterna. The owner greeted us and explained the specials. We were sat in the main dining area. We tried a few specials as well as items from the menu. Every dish was delicious! The seafood salad was large enough for all to enjoy. The scallops & mushroom risotto was absolutely my favorite. The dessert platter offered a large selection of delicious treats. The service was attentive and the owner checked on our table to ensure that we were happy with everything. The byob service makes this restaurant a place to have an exceptional meal without breaking the bank. La Lanterna is Ridgwood's jewel! read more

My girlfriend and I were being spontaneous in Ridgewood trying to find places to eat for date night. She was in the mood for some Italian food and the first place we went to had rejected us because we didn't have a reservation. So we googled other restaurants nearby and ended up walking over to La Lanterna. I did not realize they also required a reservation but understandably, it was a busy Friday night. So as we got ready to walk away from our second restaurant of the night, the owner (I think) Ms. Joanne (I hope I spelled your name correctly) said, "Actually, we can seat you guys at one of the reserved tables but you just need to be done by 7-7:15 before the reserved party comes." That gave us almost 2 hours to sit and eat so I took her up on her offer because I did not want to walk back outside in the cold again. The vibe of the restaurant threw me off because I didn't realize it was a "fancy" restaurant. However, she and her crew really gave us great service and made us feel cozy. I got the linguini which was super creamy and delicious. My girlfriend got the salmon. Both meals were spectacular. We made sure to be out by 6:30 so they could prepare our table for the reserved party coming in. On my way out I made sure to thank the hostess/owner Joanne who was super kind to us for letting us sit and eat when she could have easily turned us down like the previous restaurant. The food, the workers, and the ambiance were fantastic. I also noticed how Ms. Joanne knew all the customers names who came in and greeted them so nicely like they were real life friends who were regulars at her restaurant. I shared a short conversation with her at the end before leaving and she gave off mother/grandma vibes, she is an awesome lady and I will be back at this excellent restaurant. Thank you for the night! read more

Everything is great here. Whenever I want a delicious meal and special time, I choose this restaurant. Just love it.

This is my favorite restaurant! The food is delicious! The owners Paul and Joanne are wonderful. The service is wonderful! read more

I love LaLanterna and last night's dinner with friends did not disappoint. Hostess Joanne and her sons, Christo & Antonio were our servers and her husband Chef Paul made for a great dining experience. LaLanterna is our go-to for groups because they have large round tables for groups of 6-10 guests. Nothing like a round table to allow everyone to enjoy one another's company. As usual, the long list of the evening's specials matched the number of items on the menu. Everything sounded so good as Joanne described them in great detail. It's BYOB which we love - a NJ phenomenon we enjoy while it lasts. The chef sent us zucchini fritters as a started as we reviewed our options. 3 of us got the seafood salad special to start which was excellent. More greens than others we've had but the lemon vinaigrette made it an excellent selection. Our mains were dayboat scallops in a light sherry wine sauce over risotto which were excellent, eggplant Parmesan was awesome with a slightly sweet marinara, veal saltimbocca, fresh made rigatoni with lobster, shrimp and clams in a light tomato broth with a shrimp stock base and a pasta with assorted veggies (not on the menu or specials but made a special request). Everything was excellent! Of course as many NJ diners do - each person personalized their selections; broccoli rabe instead of spinach, adding butternut squash to the veal dish etc. and every special request was handled expertly. My only regret is that we didn't take pics for this review but rest assured everything was delicious and well presented. Needless to be say, we'll be back soon. LaLanterna is cozy but still allows for comfortable seating and a moderate noise level. We talked and laughed over a great meal. Thanks to the whole family for taking such good care of us and making our rainy Sat night special! read more

Went to La Lanterna tonight for our anniversary, and the service was the best part of the experience. Ordered rice balls as an appetizer and the center was still frozen. We sent them back and the new rice balls weren't frozen, but the cheese inside wasn't melted. My wife ordered clams over linguini and I ordered chicken parmesan, both weren't anything to brag about (chicken parmesan was smothered in watery sauce and the mozzarella was barely melted on top). While the food left a lot to be desired, our waiter was very attentive and made the experience better than it was. It was a great day to eat outside, but there are plenty of better restaurant choices in Ridgewood. read more

This was our first-time visit to this highly recommended restaurant. Outside dining, social distancing rules applied. Unfortunately for us the reputation far exceeds the experience. The service attitude is reminiscent of an NJ diner, strictly business and transactional. The reading of the specials a fairly long list so you really need to pay attention. It's is also a continuous background noise as they As for the entree, pesto pasta and the scallop special were unremarkable. The best plate on the table was the seafood salad starter. We were expecting something special and what we experienced was something ordinary. read more

Very nice Italian menu. Tight and very loud space, luckily, since our reservation with friends was an 8:15pm on a Saturday night, the noise calmed down by the time we got our entrees and we could finally hear one another. The service was good. read more

The best Italian restaurant! Always delicious food and wonderful service. They make you feel like family. Highly recommend!!

Love this restaurant! Charming, intimate, feels like you're visiting your family when you see Joann back at the front! and oh my goodness the food! Last time I was there, I had the special which was a lobster and shrimp pasta dish. Amazing! My BF had the veal. Another home run! It's one of the best restaurants in Ridgewood. 100%! read more

I have been here a number of times since the new owners took over and have not been disappointed. The food from the pasta with shrimp to veal francese to seafood special have been very good. The price point is ok, as you get a lot of food for your money. We also have been there for Elvis night and a wine night and they were both great. Sometimes the service is a bit uneven but the servers are all quite pleasant. We have been eating outdoors and while it can be noisy with buses etc going by, it's still quite pleasant. read more

La Lanterna Cafe and Grill - Elvis night - Seafood Near Me - Ridgewood, New Jersey

Love love love this restaurant. The food and service never disappoints! I recently hosted a business dinner for people not familiar with Ridgewood. They thought the place was charming and everyone was thrilled. I sent wine ahead of time from The Wine Seller (thank you, Tom) and La Lanterna's Joanne made sure everything went smoothly. They can't wait to go back again! The round table for 8 was perfect! Thanks for a wonderful evening! read more

The service was excellent! We never had trouble tracking our waiter/another server down, and our water glass was always full. We ordered an appetizer- eggplant special and 2 entrees- veal dish w/ prosciutto + mozzarella and a lasagna. Honestly, none of the food was particularly memorable. We didn't try the dessert. I was eager to go to this restaurant because it was difficult to get a table and it always looked packed. I was disappointed...hopefully you will have better luck! read more

La Lanterna Cafe and Grill - Eggplant appetizer - Seafood Near Me - Ridgewood, New Jersey

La Lanterna Cafe and Grill is an example of what upscale dining should be. Delicious, fresh, flavorful food, combined with a warm environment and kind service is a winning combination for any restaurant. The inside is well-decorated, clean, and is conducive of an atmosphere that can best be described as homey. The food is amazing, and portion sizes are fair. The service was attentive and very accommodating throughout the entire meal. Prices are high, but fair for what you will be getting. Whether you are planning a nice evening out or a large event, La Lanterna should be among your options for Ridgewood. I would absolutely recommend this restaurant to anyone and plan on returning for a good meal with good people. read more

La Lanterna Cafe and Grill - Scallops - Seafood Near Me - Ridgewood, New Jersey

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Great food ,great service! Made Mother's Day even more special! Thank you to the wonderful Hostess and waitstaff!

Joanne and Paul are back running the restaurant. Went there last night for birthday celebration. Unbelievable, home run on food service and Joanne's pleasantries. Best restaurant in Ridgewood. read more

As always, the incredible house-made dishes are always fresh and made to order. The suggestions and specials make it a unique experience. Love, love, love the family and staff. A pretty, intimate dining experience. Never disappoints. My favorite place in Ridgewood by far! read more

La Lanterna Cafe and Grill - Penne alla vodka, no meat with delicious capers. The bread is fresh and hot. - Seafood Near Me - Ridgewood, New Jersey