Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarroti, and Sandro Botticelli are some of the greatest Italian artists of all time. Their masterpieces have lived on for generations. Yet, I can confidently say that none of those works can even slightly compare to the chicken parmigiana I had from this establishment. From the moment you step foot into this small, quaint Italian restaurant, you are fully immersed in Italian culture. After being shown to our table, a jovial waiter immediately greeted us with plenty of different water options and spoke of extravagant specials, describing them so convincingly that I almost ordered them all. But after a quick glimpse at the menu, I knew exactly what I wanted. One of my favorite dishes in the entire world is a good, classic chicken parm though I'll admit, I'm very picky about this popular dish. As the chicken parm arrived at the table, I instantly knew this was no ordinary pizza-joint parm. This was a masterpiece. When my knife pierced the chicken, a beautiful crisp echoed throughout the dining room as steam poured out of the perfectly cooked cutlet. And then came the first bite. I immediately began to cry. This was no ordinary bite--this was liberation. My taste buds were freed. After years of searching for the perfect chicken parm, I had finally found it. I am forever indebted to La Mezzaluna and its lovely staff. Not only did they introduce my taste buds to the greatest chicken dish I've ever had, but they also helped create a wonderful night with a lovely date. I will absolutely be returning, and I look forward to the next time I can indulge in their legendary chicken parm. read more

La Mezzaluna - Vodka Chicken Parmesan - Italian Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

This was my first time here at La Mezzaluna. Some friends and I decided to give it a try during restaurant week. It was fairly packed for a weekday lunch. The interior is nice and the manager very accommodating. The food was fine, but given the number of Italian restaurants in the area, La Mezzaluna did not blow me away. We tried the Eggplant Rollatini and Soup for appetizer. Both were fine. For our entrees, we had the Chicken Al Vino Blanco, Barramundi, and Vegetarian Risotto. All of the entrees were a bit on the bland side. However, the Tiramisu for dessert was delicious. Overall a nice experience. A solid 3.5. However, not as great as some of the other Italian restaurants in Central Jersey. read more

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It was an ok experience this time. I understand that on a Friday it gets crazy busy, but I felt kind of rushed this time. We ordered the gnocchi as an appetizer. For dinner, I got the chicken parm. Food was good and it's a byob. read more

La Mezzaluna - Italian Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

Cute little restaurant in downtown Princeton. They only had one waiter and one runner, but they made it work. Service was a bit slow at first because of a very large group, but once our order was taken everything came out quickly. The complimentary bread was warm and delicious, served with some of the best-tasting olive oil I've had in a while. I ordered the chicken Marsala and I must say it was perfect--the chicken was tender, the sauce was flavorful, and the roasted potatoes were just enough so you didn't feel guilty about the carbs. It's a great entrée for someone on a low-carb diet. Everyone at the table enjoyed their food. The ricotta cheesecake was the perfect end to the meal--creamy, not too sweet--but I did expect a few more berries. Overall, I can definitely see myself coming back if I'm ever in Princeton again. read more

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Wow! What an amazing restaurant! We went there on a Wednesday night and were seated right away (party of 4). I tried the chicken parm with vodka sauce and it was amazing! The pasta and the sauce were top notch, some parts of the chicken were a little dry but overall it was delicious! I also tried the tiramisu, I wish it had more coffee taste to it but it was a light dessert to end the night. I am visiting the area but would definitely eat here again if I come back! read more

La Mezzaluna - Chicken Parmigiana With Vodka Sauce - Italian Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

Had reservations for 3 people at 7:30pm. Arrived at 7:30 and the entrance was filled with people waiting to be seated. No host/hostess to be found. Left after waiting 20 minutes with nobody coming over to us other than a waiter someone flagged down saying people don't want to leave. Reservation on Open Table says max 2 hours for party of 3 or more It's a shame because everyone says how good the food is but I will not go back! read more

We love the mom and pop feel of this Italian restaurant. BYOB is great and they immediately bring an ice bucket for your wine! I had chicken Parmesan and my son had the special steak, potatoes and broccoli. Dinner totaled $120 with salad and gnocchi appetizer! Great place and great service ice! read more

I came here for a cultural experience project for my school. it was amazing!! the food and the service! I got to interview the owner and he talked about how authentic his food is and how he came to America with a goal, a dream, and a purpose. The service was quick. They were very attentive and the plating was amazing on top of that. I tried their truffle gnocchi and it was the best gnocchi I've ever had in my life. I cannot recommend this place even more. Yes it's on a bit of a pricey side, but keep in mind. It is Princeton and it's worth your buck. Don't miss this hidden gem!! read more

La Mezzaluna can make great Italian food! It would be nice if their service matched it. The Branzino Fillet over lobster risotto was simply AMAZING! The calamari, meatballs and fresh mozzarella were wonderful starters. We had this nice dinner on a beautiful night at their outside dining, but perhaps service was slow because we were the only table or just not enough servers. I would highly recommend because of the food knowing it may take a while. read more

La Mezzaluna - Branzino Fillet over lobster risotto - Italian Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

10/10! Vodka sauce is to die for, amazing and quick service with the nicest staff. Great date spot, will definitely be back soon. read more

La Mezzaluna - Chicken Parmiggiana & Rigatoni Vodka - Italian Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

Had an early dinner here this Thanksgiving. It's such a cute little restaurant and the food is to die for. Everything is well priced and the service is incredible. We had the rigatoni in vodka sauce and the chicken parmesan in tomato sauce. Make sure you try the ricotta cheesecake for dessert! It's delicate and not too sweet and perfect. I would definitely come here again and I'd recommend it to everyone! read more

I normally don't go to Italian restaurants in the US but this was a decent mid range place for a casual dinner. I shared the vodka pasta and risotto with a friend and they were surprisingly good. Vodka pasta was really good and risotto had a nice butter sauce but rice felt undercooked. It's pretty small like most princeton restaurants but we were seated towards the back where the food would come out and space was so tight I got bumped in the head a few times which was not pleasant. I would come back here but definitely ask to be seated elsewhere read more

This is by far one of the best restaurants in Princeton. I have been going there since it opened over 20+ years ago. The owner is a wonderful person who believes in giving back to the community especially during the COVID where the owner provided food free to health care providers and also keep the staff employed. The food and service are both excellent! I highly recommend this restaurant. It is reasonable price in relationship to the quality. A great Italian place to go. The restaurant has to be of high standards since it is bring your own bottle. read more

WOW! I was pleasantly surprised by this restaurant. Started off the dinner with the salad and let me tell you, this was one of the BEST dressings I have EVER had!! We had already put in our order but I could've had the salad with a side of chicken for dinner and would've been satisfied. Another incredible was the Truffle Gnocchi! Very rich and definitely need to share but it's you NEED to order this. We also ordered the Fettuccine pasta and the Chicken Al Vino which were tasty and were very good portions. We were too full to try dessert but will come back here the next time I am in Princeton (SoCal native!). The servers were very friendly. The restaurant itself was very cute and would be perfect for a date night! read more

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Food very average. Close to dissapointing. Service was ok but it was a busy night so they did their best.

This was a small spot with limited décor, but a large picture of pasta, which I found entertaining. There was also outdoor seating in the alley next to the establishment. The service was great, and the food came out in a timely manner. They started the meal off with some bread. It was not too bad. Some pieces were warm, while others were more room temperature. For an entrée, I had the penne ($20). It came with Italian eggplant, sweet red peppers, and shallots in a tomato basil sauce with mozzarella sauce. This was tasty. The pasta was cooked al dente, which I prefer sometimes. Regardless, the sauce was delicious. It was somewhat thick, so it easily coated the pasta. The vegetables appeared fresh and paired nicely with the tomato basil sauce. I also tried the cannelloni vegetariani. It was filled with baby spinach, red peppers, eggplant, onions, and ricotta. It was then topped with fresh mozzarella over pesto cream sauce. Again, another appetizing dish especially the pesto cream sauce. Will I go back? Yes. read more

La Mezzaluna - Penne - Italian Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

Let me start by saying that our waiter was super friendly and very attentive. I don't know if he was the owner or just a manager, but he was very nice. We walked in at 6:30 and the first red flag was that the restaurant was completely empty (it filled up later). Second red flag was that we didn't smell food. My daughter and I were apprehensive and should have listened to our gut instincts. My daughter ordered one of the risotto dishes which she really liked. I wanted authentic Italian but couldn't find what I was looking for on the menu. I asked about their specials ad the sound of the risotto dish that he described. It was not special, not outstanding in any way, very ordinary-- reminded me of a leftover pot luck casserole with a bunch of mushy ingredients. I couldn't even eat more than a few bites. When the bill arrived I was astounded at the price fit my sub par "special of the night". My daughter's risotto was $27 and my "special risotto" was $37!!!!! When I order a dish at that price point I expect an EXCEPTIONAL dish. This was mediocre at best and I think that mediocre is a stretch. If this were a new recipe that I was trying at home I would not make it a second time. There was no value difference in terms of ingredients. Very underwhelming If you are looking for authentic Italian food this is not the place for you! Just because it's near Princeton and other great restaurants doesn't mean that it's up to the challenge of being a competing restaurant. read more

AMAZING food! Visited there for the first time tonight and we both had the chicken parm one with vodka sauce and one with marinara. Definitely make a reservation as it gets busy since the space is small! Great service overall 10/10 read more

La Mezzaluna - Italian Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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Verry impressed with freshness of the food! We had a nice dinner. It would be perfect if the service was a bit faster.

As soon as we entered La Mezzaluna, an atmosphere of warm welcome greeted us. From that moment on, the staff made it a point to tend to any of our needs. For example, one of them joked about singing Happy Birthday, so I mentioned that it actually was my dad's birthday. Immediately, the staff asked what my dad's name was, then came together to sing Happy Birthday with a lighter serving as the candle! It was such a sweet and memorable gesture. We also enjoyed the olive oil that came with the free bread due to its unique flavor, thus tried asking the staff what brand it was? It was a secret, but since they knew how much we loved the olive oil, they packed some with the leftover bread for us to take home. This was some of the best service I've received at a restaurant, and for that alone, La Mezzaluna is worth a visit! Like I mentioned earlier, the olive oil is unique in flavor, making this free bread a top contender in the free bread battle. The burrata in the salad was delicious, especially with the vinaigrette on top. The rigatoni's sauce was creamy and flavorful, and overall satisfying. The only change I'd personally want is asking for red pepper flakes next time to add some spice! The star of the night was the fruit flambe, which is prepared by the staff by the table. The staff will explain each step of the process and show off some big flames for you to get cool shots of. I've never had a dessert like this, so I highly recommend getting this one! read more

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We ordered calamari, arancini, salad, risotto, pasta , fries.. but the tastes were really disappointing.. Every dish that arrived was both cold and tasteless. I'm truly sorry to leave a review like this for the first time. Since eating, I've been having stomach pain. read more

Easily the worst place I have visited this year. This was my first time here, although I have heard a lot of great things about it. The owner or manager, who happened to serve our table until a regular server showed up, was beyond rude. His responses to basic questions like, "do you serve liquor?" were met with borderline hostility. He was barking orders at his staff, which made everyone at our table extremely uncomfortable, and was less than helpful about the menu and specials. I ordered a basic steak salad. You can't screw that up, right? Oh, they did! Steak? Give me a break. Strips of meat with large chunks of fat, not to mention the steak was cold!!! Come on! You really needed to try to make a first impression so unforgettable, unforgettably bad, that is. It's a mess. Skip it and go anywhere. read more

La Mezzaluna - Italian Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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My family tried La Mezzaluna on a previous visit to Princeton. The food that we ate was good. The service was friendly and the ambiance inside is nice. This restaurant is a good place for Italian. read more

Came here on a Saturday night with reservations and a group of four. Although we had reservations we had to wait about 20 minutes to be seated. It was cold outside so the host allowed us to wait inside after being outside for about 10 minutes. The moment you enter you smell all the amazing aromas of the food. Everyone's dish looked so appetizing. We ordered the grilled octopus appetizer which was well cooked. For my entre I ordered the hazelnut and walnut crusted rack of lamb. This was good but I wish it had more meat on the lamb chops. "Rack of lamb" makes it seem like you are getting more lamb but I was mistaken. Good nonetheless. The Tiramisu was amazing. Very soft. It tasted fresh. The restaraunt has street parking and it is BYOB. Cute restaraunt to go to with friends or on a date. I would return. read more

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I've been here a couple of times. This is a BYOB restaurant. You can go right next door, there's a liquor store. This place does get busy even during the week. This is not a big place, so it can be a bit noisy, my server was very professional and nice. The decor is modern with metals and wood. The lighting is low and adds to the ambience. I started with Arancini and Calamari Frutti. Both were delicious. For my entree both times I came here I ordered the same thing. PORK OSSOBUCCO- tender pork served over mushroom risotto. I really enjoyed this dish. I took the leftovers home. My daughter ordered the same thing. My bf ordered HAZELNUT and WALNUT ENCRUSTED RACK OF LAMB- Served with vegetables and potatoes finished in a demi glace sauce. My other daughter ordered a Risotto Special. Her bf chose for his entree CHICKEN MARSALA- With sweet Italian sausage, Portobello mushrooms, roasted potatoes and red peppers in a marsala wine sauce. For dessert we chose CRÈME BRÛLÉE, and TIRAMISU. We ordered several and shared them all. We thoroughly enjoyed our food. You can park on the street if you can find a spot. During the day it's metered, after 6 PM I believe there's no charge. If you can't find a spot on the street you can always park in the garage around the corner. read more

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Made a reservation on open table and got seated outside right away. There's a big tent so you'll be covered if it starts raining but don't think the waiters cover your food as they're walking from the restaurant to the tent. It took a little while for a waitress to come take our order and many of the servers didn't know which dishes went to which parties. The bread they brought to the table was soft and came with a small bowl of olive oil. We ordered the arancini for appetizer, which wasn't very flavorful besides the marinara sauce it came with. For entrees, we got the branzino fillet, which came with lobster risotto and was good. However, the swordfish that we ordered was cooked a little too long and not very tender at all. It was also supposed to come with spicy marinara sauce but had no spicy flavor or any flavor at all really. The papparadelle was okay- the salmon was a little salty and the pasta didn't have much flavor. We also asked for parmesan/salt/pepper when they brought our food to us but they never came back with it. Overall, this place was okay. We used to come here a long time ago and thought the food was great, but this time our experience was average and the service was very slow. read more

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What happened to this place? The food is still good but the service and portions were very questionable. This is the calamari appetizer before we ate it. The bread at the table was FROZEN in the middle and we never had the same waiter. One person for drinks one for water one for food one for the check. I don't think anyone was even assigned to our table. Not worth it. read more

La Mezzaluna - Calamari appetizer was tiny - Italian Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

The food was tasty, but both my friend and I ended up with upset stomachs after. It sat pretty heavy. We had the rigatoni and the salmon pasta. The restaurant was pretty empty when we arrived around 5:30, so hard to comment on the ambiance, but the restrooms were spotless. Service was excellent , very attentive and polite. That said, eat at your own risk. read more

Came here while visiting the area and it was delicious. Great service and it was nice sitting outside. My boy chowed down on his food and anytime he does that I'm a happy mom :P good alla vodka. read more

La Mezzaluna - Italian Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

Downtown Princeton is happening these days with a ton of dining options. I came to this spot with a group and figured it would be your typical NJ italian byob spot. There is a liquor store next door if needed. As for the food, the gnocchi were good but cooked a little too much. The rice balls were dry. The calamari was decent... maybe needed a touch more salt. For dinner I got the chicken parm with vodka sauce. You can get it marinara sauce or for $3 extra you could get it with vodka sauce. Vodka sauce had good flavor and the chicken was breaded nicely and cooked just right. The spaghetti was not al dente but you don't come here expecting that. The meal was fine but I am not dying to come back. I have it at 3 stars. read more

3.5 on the food overall. Pretty light flavors which is nice and how I cook usually at home but we were looking at more rich flavors in the truffle gnocchi which barely had any fresh truffles. I just came from NYC Olio e Pui, huuuggeee heaping pile of shaved fresh truffles on creamy fettuccini, I think might be the best pasta dish ever, it was fresh pasta as well and of course it was $50 but still here wasn't fresh pasta which is fine but the flavors and ingredients could of been more full and rich. Wine from california, limited, quite inexpensive at $25 to 35 a bottle, very young and too harsh in flavors when enjoying all the dishes. Selvin and other server from Guatemala, good hard working and attentive friendly guys practiced spanish with us. 10 stars for them. Trying all the restaurants in the vicinity of Princeton... read more

La Mezzaluna - Pesto risotto and lamb chops - Italian Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

Honestly the food is a little pricey for what they are serving. Most of the stuff can be made of similar caliber at home with store bought ingredients, but for the most part, La Mezzaluna makes up for it with their amazing service, cleanliness, and speed at which they get their orders out. Highly recommend trying the scallop/calamari/shrimp pasta (red sauce). The appetizers are also decent too - would recommend the truffle gnocchi or interestingly, the pumpkin ravioli! read more

Amazing Italian cuisine in the heart of Princeton with fantastic service and remarkable ambiance! We held a family and friends mini reunion w 15 people and every aspect from appetizers to desserts were impeccable! read more

I love this place. Every time I'm in Princeton I stop in here. Chicken Marsala is phenomenal. It's BYOB. There is a liquor store in the complex in East walking distance. Really good Italian food. read more

What on earth was that. We attended for a Saturday evening dinner and were asked to wait despite having a reservation. The appetizers arrived fairly promptly but were rather bland. The main course took over an hour and came out cold. Server was un remorseful. Food was below average as well as the service. Many better options in the area. read more

Really good food but not the best place to have a restaurant. It's very cramped. If your going on a date they put the tables so close to others you can literally hear other's conversations. Extremely quiet. I would recommend coming here during lunch rather than dinner. Food was amazing, I got the rigatoni vodka. It was delicious! read more

La Mezzaluna - Rigatoni Vodka - Italian Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

La Mezzaluna was recommended by a couple Princeton students to me and I enjoyed it as a whole. It was a busy night as it was graduation weekend so service was a little slow. The Arancini was delicious and great to share with the table. I also tried the rigatoni with the vodka sauce. Absolutely divine, but very rich. Overall good experience dining here. read more

La Mezzaluna - My half eaten rigatoni. So good! - Italian Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

LaMezzaluna accommodated our party of 6 at a last minutes notice as the restaurant we had a reservation with canceled an hour before due to a fire alarm issue. We had stuffed calamari, burrata with fresh tomatoes and peppers and meatballs for appetizers and one was better than the next!! All 6 entrees were a nice portion and did not disappoint!! The service was also excellent and the owner came to our table at least twice to ask how everything was. The dining area was nicely decorated and very comfortable. I wound be happy to return to La Mezzaluna!! Thank you for a wonderful Easter dinner!! read more

A good Italian place in the heart of Princeton and is BYOB. We started off with arancini, which was delicious and very cheesy! The rigatoni vodka was creamy and tangy and one of the better vodka pastas Ive tried in the area. The reason I'm giving 4 stars is due to the pesto cannelloni. The ricotta mixed with the veggies was very overwhelmingly sweet and did not compliment the herby creamy sauce and it overpowered the savory taste of pesto. I'd come back again and order the vodka pasta or another pasta dish. read more

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A quiet gem in downtown Princeton with excellent food and exceptional service. Well worth a visit, or two.