It may sound crazy, but I have yet to find a really good pasta spot in NJ. NYC, no problem, but I…read moredon't always want to cross the river. I think I finally found a spot where I can confidently get good pasta AND dessert. My partner and I stopped in this week, and we were immediately met with cool, industrial-style decor and a BOMB playlist. The staff was super friendly and helped a lot with specials and recommendations, as it was our first time. For drinks, we started with a Fig & Melon cocktail and their Old Fashioned. Both were great, but I think the old-fashioned wins over the Fig & Melon. It's smoky and sweet, while the F&M was citrusy and refreshing. To start, we ordered the Mozzarella Sticks Di Bar Mutz with Mutz Hot Honey & Sour Milk. Personally, I am tired of hot honey on everything, haha, so this wasn't for me. If they served it on the side first vs drizzled on top, I probably would have enjoyed it more, as the mozz sticks alone were delicious. The breading was more like a garlic bread than the traditional coating. It also comes with extra hot honey on the side. For our mains, we shared the Spicy Rig and Trottole. Again, both are really good, but the Trottole was the CLEAR winner. The short rib was rich, and the overall dish was perfect for the savory lover like me. The Spicy Rig was lighter, and the bite of pasta with basil was excellent. For dessert, we ordered the mile high espresso martini, affogato martini, which had ice cream they make in-house, and the Samoas cheesecake. Every single thing was delicious! It's a good problem to have when you're dining somewhere, and you're battling it out for who has the best dish. Can't wait to come back and bring friends!

It was really hard to get a normal time reservation at this spot. But we managed to snag a bar top…read moretable And when we got there, we realized why it was so hard.The only have like 6 real tables at the restaurant. Vibes are cool. I like the open concept kitchen and the music was definitely on point. However , the food was mostly disappointing , I would say. The mozzarella delicious. Butter cake delicious. But all three pastas that we ordered were definitely not worth the price. I was really excited for the spicy rigatoni that I got and I asked the guy how spicy it was. And he said, 2 out of 10, but when I got it, it was definitely 0 out of 10 spicy. He said too many people complained about the spice level. So they dumbed it down, but it just tasted like tomato sauce with no spice at all. Unfortunate. There were a couple of other appetizers or things on the menu I would be willing to try, but I won't be running back to this spot anytime soon. Especially since it was a good distance away from me.

Bellissimo: Please Stop Rushing Us!…read more Bellissimo is one of my favorite restaurants in the area. I've probably eaten here close to 100 times over the last 15+ years, and I probably take my family here a couple times per month. The food is good, prices are fair and you absolutely can't beat their lunch special deal (soup, salad and your entree for a set price). However, I was somewhat annoyed after my last visit. It was our last lunch before sending my daughter off to college. We were eating our first course, the soup, when someone came over to anxiously clear off plates. Two people finished their soup, but another two were still eating at the table. This drives me nuts. I wish they'd just wait until everyone finishes a course before clearing. What happened next is what set me over the edge. People came out with our salads and one guy was trying to take my daughter's soup away while she was still eating it. After we stopped him, he then wanted to just squeeze it on the table beside her. Sheesh. I was so annoyed and didn't understand why they're rushing us. There were only 5 tables of customers there for lunch that day. What was the F'ing rush?! Our waiter, who has been there for years, blamed it on some new kitchen waiter they got. Regardless, it ruined the meal and we didn't even get the main courses yet. That general culture here of anxiously clearing plates away has always annoyed me. I wish they'd wait for everyone at the table to finish a course before clearing for the next one. I still love Bellissimo and will definitely be back. But please... let us eat!

Came in this weekend to celebrate a bday. Had a table for4,…read morekeep in mind unless you 5 or more there are no reservations. We srrived at 5:15pm and we waited 5 mins for a table. As usual we brought 2 bottle of red and 1 of white wine. They were nice to chill the white wine for us. We ordered the fries calamari with the tomato sauce. I ordered from the special menu the stuffed pork chop on the bone, wow mind blowing. Mushroom, roasted potatoes, a big old chop stuffed with Mozzarella cheese in a tomato ragu. Totally delicious, and so big i think all we needed was a side of pasta to make it a winning dish. I end up ordering a full order of linguini in clam sauce aling with the chop and the wife and I ate like royalty!. The meal was excellent, the waiter was nice to bring us a bday platter with fresh stiffed mini cannoli !

Wow! My latest meal here was a 6 out of 5…read more Friendly, attentive service throughout the evening. We began with the seafood salad...a delicious mix of tender squid, scungilli, octopus, and shrimp over lightly dressed arugula. It was a beautiful portion and paired perfectly with their warm focaccia and garlic infused olive oil. Then came the complimentary salads before the best grilled lamb chops entrée I've had in years. Outstanding. A full rack of tender, flavorful, juicy baby rib chops served with broccoli rabe and roasted potatoes. OMG. While devouring this meal, I was a bit without words. Did I mention it was a full rack?! We also enjoyed a bottle of their house Cabernet with dinner. Very smooth and a solid table wine for the price. It paired beautifully with the lamb, and the other entree we got...homemade fresh pasta with short rib ragu. Wow... that really was the best entrée I've had anywhere in a long time, and it puts Bosfa in my top three restaurants. P.S. Sign up for their rewards program!

this place is JUST ok. I didn't even know it was there until I saw it on yelp and decided to check…read moreit out. ambiance is...different. it's recently renovated and everything is in shades of black and white. it lacks the cozy comfy atmosphere of an Italian restaurant. the environment feels a bit sterile. a few of the tables are plastic folding tables covered in table clothes. chairs are mismatched but cleverly covered to make them all look the same. food was just ok. portions were HUGE. i literally carryed a giant bag of leftovers of out the place. i can eat....and i couldn't believe the size of these dishes. drinks were delicious! staff was super friendly but the food came out a bit slow. the experience was overall average and I'm not sure if I would go back.

Food is excellent, service is great and staff is friendly. Owner is always present and…read moreaccommodating! Italian food is CHEFS KISS! Highly recommended

Pesto Italian Bistro (Located in Park Ridge Shopping Center)…read more168F Kinderkamack Rd. Park Ridge, NJ 07656 As soon as I entered this bistro, I was impressed with the nicely decorated interior that was adorned with lots of Italian themed wall art. The servers greeted me and made me feel right at home. Throughout the meal, they were very attentive and always refilled my water glass and cleared any excess plates. The CP entree also included complimentary rice balls and a house salad (not pictured), both of which tasted phenomenal. I couldn't say I was completely on par with the main course. The mozzarella cheese did not have a golden char. The cutlet was on the chewier side and something about the breading was off. However, the homemade sauce was the best part of the dish; it was thick and flavorful. Although I can't vouch for this CP, I was satisfied with their service and the other menu items I tried. For this reason, I'll definitely explore their other entrees except for the parm. #pestoitalianbistro #chickenparmreview #njchickenparmratings #parkridgenj

I came to dinner here two days ago and it was good. My family liked it. I don't think it's anything…read moreto write home about but they were big fans of the focaccia bread and My Husband really liked his chicken Saltimbucca I had gluten free pasta and it was OK. It lacked a little bit of flavor but not terrible. The only reason why I've taken one star off was for the value of the price. I thought the entrées would come with some more sides, but otherwise everything else is great and will hopefully return sometime soon.

Food ok. Service horrible…read more Shrimp amalfi had too many flavors going on, very spicy too. The chicken Milano and meatball linguine didn't taste great. Bread and gelato tartufo was awesome! My outlook may be better if the service was better. Seemed like kids were running this place but I know u can look young and be older. Slow slow service. They offered 20$ gift card credit but I refused bc I'm sorry to say not going back .....

Osteria Crescendo was an exceptional dining experience from beginning to end. The restaurant is…read morebeautifully decorated, and the service was absolutely stellar. We chose the seven-course tasting menu, and every dish was both beautifully presented and delicious. The chef personally came out with each course to explain the history behind the dish and where the ingredients were sourced. His enthusiasm and passion for every offering made the experience feel especially memorable. A truly special meal with outstanding food, thoughtful presentation, and impeccable service. Highly recommend!

The setting is nice, attempting a classy feel. The staff is friendly. The drinks are better than…read moreaverage. The octopus appetizer is very good, although I wasn't enamored of the sauce provided. The ravioli was good and tasty. Overall a good experience.

Lunch specials are great! Food is terrific! Staff is so friendly and accommodating GG. They are…read morealways so cheerful!

Great local Italian spot in Tappan. Have driven past here many times over the years and after…read morereading the reviews decided to try it. Yelp reviews were spot on - delicious food, great service and casual low-key ambiance. Loved the special baked brie with shrimp app - chicken rollatini and veal piccata. Save room for dessert - excellent tiramisu and creme brulee --- highly recommend!

Verana easily climbs into my top Italian restaurant choices! My meal was amazing from start to…read morefinish. Foremost, the restaurant has a beautiful atmosphere with lots of greenery and elegant lighting. Our waiter provided top tier service throughout the night. The appetizers we ordered were perfect shareable bites and so delicious. The homemade focaccia was light and crispy. Perfectly toasted! This comes at the start of your meal for all of the tables. I loved the fried calamari, burrata and prosciutto, and the pear salad. I was most intrigued with the mussel flatbread appetizer. It was topped with a light buttery sauce and garlic. Very good! The meatballs were also a standout for me. In addition to an amazing start to my meal, I loved the cocktail options. From various spritz choices to Negronis, you can tell the cocktail menu was carefully crafted. Verana is known for the best chicken parmigiana. Not only did this dish deliver, but the portion size was unreal. Some of my dining party finished it. However, I have amazing leftovers for today. You have an option to get a side of homemade pasta. I went with the spaghetti. All pasta dishes are made from scratch. Other honorable mentions include the pasta normica and bolognese. Moving on to the sweet dessert options! The cappuccino's had a nice and bold coffee flavor. The pistachio gelato and apple tart were music to my ears! So fresh and really hits any sweet tooth. The tiramisu had a nice pairing of coffee flavor and cinnamon. My first dining experience at Verana will definitely not be my last. I can't stop talking about all of the incredible dishes that my family and I tried. Thank you Verana for an incredible meal!

Really enjoyed the food and ambiance. Only negative was it was noisy - not so easy to talk…read more Started with a cocktail, was solid; had the tuna appetizer and a pasta with truffle/mushrooms. both were fresh and delicious. Had the apple dessert, and really enjoyed it as well. i'll definitely come back.

Great value for the price. Pizza great. Service good and quick. Nice local establishment for casual…read moredining, including outdoor area.

Had a large order take out with my family! Two of us are celiac/ gluten free. We both had a Caesar…read moresalad, no croutons and add grilled chicken. Even without amazing croutons, I think this was the best Caesar salad I've ever had. It was SO good. It hit the spot for both of us and we ended the meal happy. I really appreciated how the upcharge to add meat wasn't crazy. The others in our party also enjoyed their food as well and the wait time was decent. Will absolutely come back again!

Food- A+++ never disappoints!! Their vodka sauce is incredible!…read moreSave room for their warm cookie sundae! Service-A++++ Jodi is always super friendly! Ambiance- cozy vibe! My absolute favorite.

Food was great, service was excellent the new menu had a lot of different choices. The owner came…read morearound to check in on us a few times. I asked for something off the old menu and they were happy to make it for me no questions asked. I highly recommend this restaurant