Fabulous traditional Italian restaurant. Would recommend for small or large parties. Beat chicken parm!

Dinner out to connect with old friends. Third visit and food was still top notch. Cauliflower app was fantastic. Had the veal parm entree, outstanding! The veal was gigantic, enough for three dinners portions. Rest of group enjoyed their food as well. Plus, BYOB, free parking in rear of restaurant. Negative, why do you have a big screen tv on the wall of the main dining room? Very distracting. read more

Excellent place! We have been there with my wife a couple of times, the risotto balls are amazing!! We usually go at 8:30 pm, and the staff are always willing to help us, they are very friendly. read more

My children took my husband and I to La Pastaria for my 60th birthday dinner tonight. We hadn't been since before the pandemic and have to say we won't be returning. We brought a cake and candles with us and was told that it would cost $1.50 per person to cut and plate the cake. We said fine, what choice would we have? The waiter was bordering on dismissive, sneering at a twist off wine cap (heaven forbid), the food was overpriced for what it is and the plating of the food was extremely unappetizing. The appetizers came out lukewarm and the small portion was served in the same dish as the large portion. We asked if there was any cake left and was told it there was not. We were 7 people and a fair sized cake, seriously don't believe that. The new box of candles that we gave to them were not returned. Sad, but we try not to waste money when the patronage is unappreciated. read more

Ordered Mozzarella, Sun dried Tomato and red pepper appetizer. The mozarella was literally one small mozzarella ball cut into 4 pieces. Ridiculously small amount for the price they charge. read more

My friend and I ordered the mushroom ravioli and escarole bean soup for lunch. Both soup and ravioli were average as far as taste. FYI the staff was very nice. Within a few hours, however, I started to get severely sick with vomiting and diarrhea which lasted for hours. I was even too sick to consider seeking medical attention. My friend started feeling sick a couple of hours later & had the same symptoms. Since we both got sick and ate the same thing, I can only conclude this was food poisoning. read more

Ordered the meatball appetizer, large spaghetti carbonara, cappellini angelo, and white clam sauce linguini for the fam. Everything was amazing, portions are enough for 3 meals. We've gotten takeout from here multiple times throughout the pandemic and all the dishes have been so yummy. La Pastaria was even nice enough to include extra bread because I mentioned how much I love it! read more

The owner was egregious and allowed diners to wait up to 2 hours for a meal that was cold and wrong!!! She filled the tables but swiftly they were empty as many frustrated diners walked out. An unsettling experience. She was not visible or engaged to explain the circumstances. Our patience was exhausted when she had the audacity to be confrontational when we were settling our check. We will not return because of her unprofessional conduct. . read more

Located in downtown summit, you would hope that this place offer you an authentic italian experience. Unfortunately that was not the case here. I've been to this restaurant a couple times for private parties and the food quality was merely average. I decided to give it another shot as a friend of mine had suggested that we go there for lunch. As we walked in, we immediately noticed something was odd, there was nobody there. Most places in summit having a long wait so this was a rare sight. The gentlemen taking our order was very nice, however not too knowledge of the dishes. We all ordered the grouper sandwich as it was the daily special. When the dish came out, all three of us noticed that the fish was extremely thin and there is no way it could be grouper. We are not the type to send back food so we continued on with our meal. The fish was very bland and lacked any ounce of flavor. It was accompanied by a small pasta salad which was also lackluster. For fifteen bucks the so-called grouper special wasn't too special. Aside from the quick service and somewhat Italian decor, I wouldn't recommend to a friend. I guess this place only prides itself on private events. read more

La Pastaria - Grouper special. - Italian Near Me - Summit, New Jersey

Excellent food. First time here, it was for a private event. Almost everything on the menu was served. For the appetizer I recommend the calamari, long hot peppers, and the fresh mozzarella. For dinner I had the special of braised short ribs served with creamy mashed potatoes and sauteed broccoli rabe. The appetizer and entree was so plentiful I left no room for dessert, the Tiramisu being served looked amazing. I can't wait to return for another great meal with attentive service read more

Great food, ample portions, excellent service! One of my favorites! Always eat here when in the area, never disappointed, always on point!

First, let me say that I have been eating at this restaurant for many many years. I work in Summit and live nearby. I always loved the food atmosphere and the service. The food was always tasty, the sauces flavorful, the pasta great and al dente and the portion sizes more than adequate and the prices fair. I can't tell you how many people I have sent to La Pastaria over the years. I have eaten at the Red Bank restaurant and and liked it as well. The last few times that we were there in Summit we were very disappointed in the food. We decided to go one more time and order our favorite dishes and then decide if we would ever return based on that experience. We will not be returning. The red sauce lacked its usual flavor. The veal was tough and chewy and over cooked. It tasted old or left over or stale. The waiter offered to give us other selections but by that time we decided that there was no hope. Three strikes and you are out so to speak. There are so many other fine restaurants in the area to choose from. This restaurant has "jumped the shark" if I can use a TV term. Goodbye La Pastaria. It was nice. You cannot rest on your laurels any more. Lastly, one star is a gift. They deserve no stars. I am truly sorry. read more

Awful service, awful food, and the worst catering at the highest prices for a small amount of food. We were excited to find out at the end of our dinner that there was no extra charge for the fruit flies the night we dined. read more

DELETE'S BAD REVIEWS!! INTERESTING THAT MY ORIGINAL POST NO LONGER APPEARS... HERE IT IS AGAIN!!! ******** We love Italian food and were new to the area so it was a matter of time before we made it over to La Pastaria... MISTAKE. I come from an Italian family and grew up eating homemade gravy, pasta, etc. so I like to say I know good Italian food when I see it. This definitely was NOT. - Bread was cold and tough which meant that it was clearly not fresh. - They have dipping oil in a ramekin on the table which is nice. But when a table leaves, they take the unused oil and put it back on a tray for the next table to get when they sit down. So basically if the previous table "double-dipped" you are screwed. Pretty unsanitary I would say!! - The bruschetta had so much vinegar in it, my eyes actually teared. I am a person who loves vinegar, especially balsamic, but this was way, way overboard. - The caesar salads had very little dressing on them so we asked for an extra side. When the waiter brought it over I actually stopped him and said "are you sure this isn't mayo?" I have never seen caesar dressing like this. He said that it was homemade. It certainly didn't taste anywhere close to it. - Included in my entree was a side of pasta. As soon as the plates were put down in front of us, I smelled a weird odor. After dipping my fork into the gravy (sauce), I could tell instantly that it was badly burned. - My spouse got a shrimp dish that was over breaded and smothered with a brown gravy that was equally as bad. read more

I used to love La Pastaria and upon recommending it to a friend who was visiting from NYC I was appalled when we were eating there and the restaurant was filled with flies. The food also came out not properly cooked. It may have just been an off night, but I certainly will not be back to find out if that was the case or not. RIP La Pastaria - thanks for the memories. read more

My wife and I visited this restaurant for a second time as our first time was a 3 out of 5 hoping it would be a better experience. Unfortunately it was not. 1. There was no hostess so we sat ourselves outside. Someone provided bread and water immediately which was good 2. Waiter was somewhat distressed and didn't have the ability to handle the load of tables. 4 at that time. Took way to long to get menu and comeback for order 3. Ordered the capellini sea food with red sauce. Pasta was overcooked. Clams were too raw. Small shrimp, mussels and calamari legs were overcooked. Large shrimp and circular calamari was cooked good. Overall I did not like this dish and should of sent it back. Clams were fresh and prob would if rather just had then raw on the side then in this plate. I don't think I'd try this place another time, but def see for your self. I'm only one person and my experience is my own. read more

They don't answer the damn phone when you wanna order. Called over 10 times to try to place an order and they didn't want me to do they didn't answer :( read more

I've been here quite a few times but last week was my first time in a while. The food isn't bad for the price. Service could have been much better, but our waiter did say that he was new and he seemed to be trying hard. He kept forgetting to bring things out though, including the grilled chicken for my wife's penne vodka. By the time it came out she was long done with the penne part and the busboy kept trying to take the sauce away. They also left the menus on the table for the entire meal. The other thing that annoyed me was that since I didn't specify a size, they automatically brought me the smallest size. Now when I show up somewhere for a late dinner (around 8:30) and I get a tiny portion of Pasta in white clam sauce, I'm going to need more food. Maybe that's their plan. Luckily my son didn't finish his food or his ice cream so I was able to eat that, or else I was planning on stopping off for a slice of pizza on the way home. Overall the food is pretty good for what you're paying. You just have to be leery of the service sometimes. read more

The portobello panini (I tell them to add chicken to mine) is one of the best sandwiches I've ever eaten in my life. I get it at least once a week. I have tried other entrees from here but for at least a year this is all I've been getting. Do yourself a favor and get the portobello panini (with chicken). And that's all I got to say about that. read more

I love Italian and I'm not hard to please, but this place was kind of meh for us last weekend. My salad was good, and I liked the loud, friendly atmosphere. And the menu is very extensive. Prices are fair, but my pasta dish (orichette in ricotta and tomato sauce) was so-so; the sauce was really bland (the pasta was homemade, though - yum). The stuffed artichoke was also great - traditional filling of breadcrumbs with butter, parmesan, and lemon. But. I wondered aloud when we first arrived how eateries in Summit like La Pastaria can stay in business with the BYO policy and all. I worked in the business for awhile, and I know that the markup on alcohol is how most places make a profit. I should have kept my trap shut, because I quickly learned the answer: they rush the hell out of you. Our server was pushy AND couldn't have cared a lot less about our table. It's hard to strike a balance between these two attitudes, but he managed to. After seating us, he disappeared for 20 minutes. When he came back, he answered our questions with as few words as possible and then lurked until we provided a hurried order. We brought two different bottles of red wine, and every server that walked by topped off glasses indiscriminately, and way too aggressively. Like mine became a blend of cabernet and chianti after about two sips. To the point where we had to put our hands over our wine glasses whenever anyone neared the table. We were out of wine within 15 minutes. Also, my salad arrived about two minutes before my entree. Point taken: hurry up; we have to turn your table to stay afloat. The location of this place is great, and the menu has something for everyone. It's standard Italian when you want it - there were lots of families with multiple kids in there, too, so it's good for groups, and the menu is extremely kid-friendly. read more

All four of us really liked it. Service was friendly and quick. Very authentic. I had pasta with pork gravy and a scoop of ricotta cheese. Terrific. Looking forward to going back. read more

We ordered everything from steaks to pastas to salads via delivery. Every aspect of the meal was superb. Tremendous service and communication as well. A wonderful experience; these folks can flat-out cook, and the portion sizes are awesome; your meal will become two (or three). Order with confidence; you will be quite pleased. We certainly were. read more

Love this place. Always welcoming. Delicious food. Kind wait staff. Nice to eat al fresco. Kids love it. One of my fave local Italian restaurants. read more

Yummy squid ink pasta with calamari was really good. Broccoli rabe and sausage and pasta was good too. Risotto rice balls were massive! Nice reprieve from cooking during covid-19. enjoyable enough we may try dining in after this lockdown! read more

This is my first time ever writing a review. I was very pleased when I saw the menu and ordered a salad on the specials menu with mixed greens, butternut squash, feta cheese and walnuts. I added shrimp. I was halfway through my salad when I spotted bacon (or pancetta) and asked the waiter if that was on the menu and it wasn't. I haven't eaten meat for 40 years. He said would you like me to make you another one and I said yes but make it to go. He returned with a salad without shrimp. When I told him he forgot the shrimp he said that the kitchen said I had eaten all of the shrimp which wasn't true. I told him so and told him he shouldn't charge me for the shrimp. I was very disappointed with the way this was handled from a business perspective. I was never given an apology for serving me meat and to not add 4 shrimp (even 2) was petty. Our bill was almost 100$ so to skimp on 4 shrimp was bad business. Unfortunately I will not patronize a restaurant with these practices. read more

Great Italian restaraunt where I noticed a lot loyal returning diners. I ordered the fetuccini served in a light tomato cream sauce with sausage and peas. The pasta was cooked perfectly. The dish was not drowning in sauce, it was just the right amount. The flavor of the sausage was delicious and balanced with the freshness of the peas. My sister ordered the spaghetti and meatballs, which she devoured. She did not have one complaint at all. I watched other dishes go by me and they all looked so good, I can't wait to go back and try some more. Outdoor seating available in front. PRO: BYO. Pasta dishes can be ordered in 3 different size servings. Even the small serving was more than enough. Cons: not sure Highly recommend and definitely going back. read more

When I visit family in NJ, it is always a treat to dine at LaPasteria. They have an excellent menu, the food is wonderful and the restaurant offers a very nice ambiance. The wait staff is always friendly and they serve dishes that are consistently hot and delicious. read more

We came here on a sunday for a birthday party. The place is nice, service was good, and good was excellent. Everyone seemed to have a good time, and we really need to come back for dinner one of these days. read more

This is your basic BYOB pizza/Italian joint. It's a good place to go with kids or family. The prices are reasonable and the portion sizes are more than adequate. They aren't doing anything particularly special, but the food is absolutely fine. My kids enjoyed the pizza. I enjoyed the grouper oreganata. I went on a Sunday, and they did a good job of presenting a fresh fish option. They have pretty much your standard Italian fare, including pasta, chicken, mussels/clams and salads. The service was adequate--though they did forget to bring out one of our soups and had to be reminded a couple of times. The meal came out quickly enough--always a plus when dining with children. They even brought out the kids' pizza with the appetizers, another plus as the kids tend to get impatient. You won't get blown away here, but it's a fine enough local option to get a decent Italian meal. read more

I went here for lunch today. The prices are AMAZING! $7 on average for the pasta entrees! That's splendid for anywhere--Especially the posh Summit! The place is very quaint and had pleasant sidewalk seating. The service could be better--the guy seemed terribly shy and didn't check on our meals. They were very good, though. Pasta was cooked al dente. Nice firm pasta. The gemelli pesto was delicious. The portions were just right to get you full! The focaccia bread would have been Much better warm, but it was still delicious with the oil. I will definitely go back. read more

This is probably the best casual Italian restaurant in the area, along with Copolla in New Providence. Food is always good and reliable, and the wait staff is friendly. If you come on a Sunday, try the Sunday Gravy over Cavatelli...it'll remind you of your grandmothers cooking :) read more

They waiter that greeted was rude. We ordered drinks right away, and he literally put a wrapped straw in my drink. Shortly after that another waiter showed up who was pretty friendly. Took our order but we never saw him again until the food came out. The gluten free pasta was overpriced and wasn't that great. The sauces on both were just below average. read more

Really delicious well priced Italian staple dishes especially love the cappellini Angelo with vodka sauce, sausage, shrimp and peas.. very local very casual very delicious! read more

We had my daughters' baby shower at LaPasteria for 50 guests. A wonderful time was had by all. The staff, especially Tatiana were attentive and professional. I was grateful that the staff allowed me to do preliminary decorations the night before after the dinner service as they set up for our party; it cut down on my stress level. The food was absolutely delicious. Many of my guests actually ordered extra takeout of the awesome 'short ribs' - for their families ! We've had multiple family events here because both the service and food are consistently outstanding along with the value. read more

I've been here a few times and the food is always very good. Service is OK but some waiters are better than others (its that way in most restaurants so I wouldnt take other readers' experiences too seriously). Its kid friendly and there are plenty of choices for kids' meals. My daughter ordered the kids' mac and cheese; it was so delicious and the portion was more than enough for an adult. read more

La Pastaria - joe's chopped salad - Italian Near Me - Summit, New Jersey

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Had the pleasure of eating here earlier in the week. Wonderful service. Excellent food. Can't wait to go back!

I got married in 2010 and had my bridal shower in Summit. The atmosphere and food I will say were terrific. The staff, however, as many others have said in their reviews, has an attitude. I went back one night for dinner and asked for eggplant parm, and penne vodka on the side (offering to pay extra of course). The waitress came back and said that they could not do that because "it alreadys comes over pasta". This made it sound like the food was pre-made. Worse than that though, my request and offer to pay extra was not anything ridiculous, and I was not happy that I was not accomodated. My local office/employer has given many holiday parties to this place for years in the past and as previously stated my own personal events have been there too, but this is the last straw. The rudeness and care-free attitude of the servers must go. We do not eat there anymore, and when I have a baby shower it will be elseware where they appreciate me. read more

Love the food, and atmosphere is great for families or a date night out!! We have been coming here since we moved back to the area, they have always been friendly and courteous and food is great! read more

Ordered a Pollo Murphy dish and it tasted like grease. It had no flavor or sauce. I could smell the grease through the door after the dasher left in the stoop. The menu said boneless breast but didn't indicate it was breaded and fried. Ok, I should have checked, but the dish has hot peppers which you should usually taste throughout the dish. It was like they sauteed breaded chicken in grease and just topped with pre- sauteed veggies in grease. The side salad with th he one grape tomato and one kalamata olive was the only edible part of the meal. Definitely not worth the price, tip, tax and delivery. Last time, we ordered eggplant parm and was so salty, we couldn't eat it. And I'm a salt-aholic! Figured I'd give them the benefit of the doubt...not even going to try for a third strike. I'm out. read more

I want to thank Lynn Angelo, and let others know about the type of people who own this restaurant. I have a 90 year old father living by himself in the area. Lynn found out that he needed his walkway and driveway cleared after this past huge 18" snowstorm, and offered to help. She drove over 2 towns away and shoveled for him, just to help, asking nothing in return. She doesn't know us, just saw my post on Nextdoor. If you see this, Thank you again Lynn. Ellen read more