La Primavera is a hidden gem. I found them by accident when I was a simple guy who just went to Fridays before seeing a movie. Well, Fridays shutdown and La Primavera was there to step in. I've gone there by myself many times, and will continue to do so. It's simply an amazing restaurant. Don't believe me? Go in and just have the Rock Shrimp. That alone will reel you in. Everyone I've taken here adores the restaurant, the food, the staff. It's simply one of the greatest local restaurants you'll be happy to have finally discovered. read more

I have been going to Primavera for many years. The menu has many options for appetizers but the clams oreganata are the best my family and friends have ever had! The service is exceptional - Alberto and Segundo always make us feel welcome. The ambiance is very comforting and homey. The food is excellent and portions are sizable and affordable. The wine list and bar offer plenty of options. read more

Meh.... Got off a plane returning from Florida yesterday. My fiancé and I decided to stop at Primavera and try the food there, it's near where we live and we pass by it all the time so we were curious. We arrived at about 530 on Sunday and it was not crowded at all. There were maybe 4 to 6 other people in the entire restaurant. The entire weight staff was standing at the bar watching soccer on TV, mind you this is never OK in any location, but this restaurant is a 'Fancy wannabe' place. The servers were very aggressive and taking our order, even though it wasn't busy in there. We just wanted to sit and sit our wine for a few minutes. I got their Ortechiatte pasta dish and my partner got the chicken Parm. This pasta dish was just floating and oil no flavor whatsoever. My friend said the chicken Parm was OK. We spent before tip, $80 for two entrées and two glasses of house wine, ridiculous. Food wasn't great and the service wasn't great and the whole experience was unfortunate. There's so many great Italian restaurants in the immediate area. I would certainly not recommend this to be one of your choices read more

Excellent service food and I cannot say enough how much I love their entire menu. My husband brought me here after he found it one day. He used to just go by himself before we were together. I found it odd. But now that I know the waiters and restaurant I understand that this restaurant is a true find. Amazing food and service. We love coming here and it's my favorite spot since our move to the suburbs. read more

Primavera - Pork chop Giambona - Italian Near Me - West Orange, New Jersey

Waitstaff wonderful. The dishes are large but mine was on a huge amount of pasta which was stuck together and fish was overly salted ... ugh, so disappointing read more

We came on a week night when it was very quiet and dimly lit. They poured large glasses of wine and gave complimentary bread and pizza. The have a full bar and martinis to offer on the drink menu. Service was fast. We were surprised at how quickly the food arrived to the table. They offer many homemade desserts, we were full so didn't try any. At the end of the night they packed up our food to go for us. read more

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Primavera never fails to provide an excellent dining experience. From the waiters, to the bus people to the servers, They all work together like a well oiled machine. The Florida Rock Shrimp Arabiata appetizer is a must any time i'm there. Veal Milanese is another favorite of mine. Also, they make a great Martini. read more

Probably our fourth or fifth time @ Primavera, and it is becoming a go-to restaurant. Do not let the unassuming exterior fool you, there are great eats inside! Sunday they open 2pm and we usually arrive near then. This last visit, main entrees were: Penne Rigate con Vodka; Red Snapper special (and it was, very), Sole meunière (sweet as can be) and the Bronzino. Portions are generous, seasoning is spot-on. The Casamigos Reposado margarita sure hit the spot as well! Quiet, nice atmosphere, very pleasant servers. You'll not be disappointed. read more

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Local Italian that has been around for years. We ate last night with another couple. My wife ordered a Skinny Paloma and I ordered a Dark and Stormy. They didn't know how to make either one , so we instructed and they still messed up my wife's and it had to be replaced. We shared a chopped salad and it was very good. For mains my wife had a shrimp and flounder combo and said it was delicious. I had the seafood capellini which comes with lobster, shrimp, muscles and clams. While the shrimp and lobster were cooked well, the muscles and clams were very overcooked and tough. All in all a good meal with a couple of misplays. read more

Small, quaint. Wait staff very attentive. Everything we had was delicious! We will definitely be back.

It doesn't really look like much of anything from the outside. The inside is clean, but there's nothing so spectacular. There's only a few parking spots in front, and the rest is an adjacent lot. However, the service is friendly, knowledgeable and attentive, but the food was quite tasty as well. They are not much on frills, but they are executing a robust and consistent Italian menu. The only complaint I could really make is that the entre portion size was almost double what it needed to be. I'll have delicious leftovers tomorrow :-P Tonight, my caesar salad was a nice rendition. Properly dressed, with freshly shaved parmesan. Could have offered some anchovies, but no biggie. Tuna sashimi was spot on standard. Chicken Giambotta, chicken savoy nicely executed classics. May go another time and get a couple of apps so I have room to try one of their homemade desserts. They offer a nice selection of wines and have a full bar. Website menu could use an update. read more

This place is Fabulous! I took my mom and my uncle for their Birthday. Table for 6! The food was perfect I had the Bronzino the protein and the veggies were top notch! More the that the staff treated us like regulars (even though it was are first time)! Special shout out to the Matte De Norberto a very personable gentleman and did everything to make our visit great. Like I said the staff is amazing the food was Fabulous! The interior was warm and cozy located in a small strip on Pleasant Valley way this place is a true Gem in the middle of the Burbs!! read more

I went here with four buddies and what a great experience! I had the chicken breast with linguine and a lemon sauce, and it was out of this world! My friend had the lasagna and enjoyed it, the service was timely and attentive, and I will be back! read more

Consistent Our regular place to go Fresh And well prepared food and excellent service Well worth a visit. read more

This restaurant has been here for years & never disappoints. We went for an early mothers day dinner & not crazy busy so the service was great. Highly recommend the rock shrimp appetizer!!! read more

Hadn't been there since moving further away and before COVID. Glad i returned. Cute little neighborhood place...nice ambiance (there happened to be a party of 8 celebrating something that got a little loud but probably a "one-off"). STILL the best Rock Shrimp Arrabiata you will get ANYWHERE (i actually asked for it no salt/no spice for dietary reasons...D-licious!)(however overpriced). My friend LOVEDDD her Lasagna. My Veal Chop Milanese was good, maybe a little dry. Good drink. Desserts looked good but we were too stuffed. VERY ATTENTIVE Wait staff!! read more

Was in New York/New Jersey for a week and a had few Italian dinners and this was by far the best I had .

The food and bar is great. Service is attentive. Great place to go with a group or just for lunch

This was our first time here. The food was delicious. The service was impeccable. The atmosphere was casual and full of chatter which made it very pleasant. read more

Great food and atmosphere. The service was a bit slow, but friendly. The caprese salad was good, but on the small side. Usually we share this dish, but this really wasn't a generous size portion. Our friend enjoyed her shrimp cocktail and salad. My husband said the chicken francese was very good - and he's very fussy about his chicken francese- so that's a big compliment. My angel hair pasta with shrimp, arugula and sun dried tomatoes was excellent. The bread was OK - nothing special, but it was warm (which is nice.) I would return. read more

Primavera - Shrimp and crabmeat cocktail - Italian Near Me - West Orange, New Jersey

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Consistent excellent food. Service is impeccable Been going for years and never disappoints. All dishes are made well -beautifully presented and friendly knowledgeable staff Highly recommend read more

Food was delicious had the salmon Al fondo and was delicious service excellent waiter were outstanding will definitely come back

Always excellent, deep string menu with lots of choices and all done extremely well. Service is off the charts second to none. Highly recommend read more

I had tried this place years ago, didn't enjoy it, and never came back.. THEN... I was invited there for a business dinner. What a mistake not coming back sooner. Food and service are both great. The chicken dishes were perfectly made and pasta delicious. Regret not coming back sooner but look forward to getting back again soon read more

Normally we spend Easter with family and a home cooked meal, but this year we decided to eat out, as some of the family were on vacation. Normally, they are closed Sunday but we made a reservation at 2. We were sat on time but it didn't take long to find that they were extremely understaffed. It took us about 30 min to get menus and another 30 to order. Then the waiting came for our food lasted over an hour. We ended up leaving at 5 pm. I got the lobster rav (three people at my table got it, but only one dish had the scallops that were supposed to be in it). We didn't say anything because at that point, no one knew when it would come back. The food was still yummy none the less. My bf got the short ribs w/risotto which was yummy and very filling. So tender it just pulled apart. Not sure if I would come back, but if I do, I'll pick a slow time. read more

Primavera - Italian Near Me - West Orange, New Jersey

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Having eaten there previously, we really enjoyed takeout this weekend for a seven person family dinner. Person who took order the day before was extremely gracious, and upon pickup they insisted on carrying food to car. They were happy to combine several portions into large foil trays when requested. Everything was good; particularly enjoyed pear salads, capellini nona (with eggplant in sauce), and pollo sorrentino (with sausage, potatoes, peppers). Beware if you are garlic sensitive, though :) read more

I had visited this restaurant years ago. I was so excited to see it had made it through the pandemic. I have always enjoyed the good food and ambiance. The new location is nice and they have outside seating. I preferred the bar setup of the old location but as always another great dining experience. Looking forward to my next visit. read more

We came here for lunch one day. ALL of the entrees were excellent and the server was highly attentive. Every plate was empty at the end of our meal. The pasta fagioli was excellent (served at a hot temperature though) and the Seafood Cobb Salad ($12.95) was also excellent. It has spring mix greens, grilled Cajun shrimp, crab meat, a hard boiled egg, red onions, avocado, tomatoes, bacon, vinaigrette & crumbled gorgonzola. Tip- the cajun shrimp are spicy- a little too spicy for my taste. read more

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5 stars !!! Real Italian cuisine. Best chicken parm I've ever tasted. Great service. Everyone was so kind and attentive. Would highly recommend anyone to come try this spot out! read more

I only gave 3 stars because the decor & atmosphere of restaurant interior need updating. But food was great. A friend took me here for my birthday. He had the salmon with basmati rice & bok choy, I had the tortellini Michelangelo. Both were very good. Pasta handmade. Fresh chicken. Salmon also fresh never frozen. The crowd was mostly 50 and older so this isn't the scene for the 20 & 30 year olds but delicious food and very attentive service. About 3 people came to our table throughout the night. All of them friendly. Our water glasses were never empty. read more

Primavera - Tortellini Michelangelo - Italian Near Me - West Orange, New Jersey

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The reason I was back in NJ for this short trip was the wedding of an old friend of mine. They were having a dinner for some folks the night before the big day and I was invited up. The setting was Primavera Restaurant at the hotel where everyone was staying. I was not due to check into my room until the following day, so this was a dry run so I wouldn't get lost. It was actually very easy to get to. I was the last to arrive as most everyone else was already staying in the hotel. Once I arrived we were seated at our large table and it was time to catch up with some people I hadn't seen in years. Appetizers were ordered. Calamari? Check. Antipasti with fresh mozzarella, olives, tomatoes and peppers? Check. Clams? Check. Mussels? Check and check mate. Everything was really good and it just kept coming out of the kitchen. I wasn't sure if I was going to have enough room for a main dish. For my main dish (turns out I had some room left) I had Red Snapper which came with a mango and avocado salsa. It seemed like fish dominated the menu here so I thought that might be a good way to go. It was very good. I probably could have very easily eaten the salsa by itself. Service was very good. We don't really have Italian restaurants like this where I currently live. Northern NJ has a bit of an edge to it that you don't see in too many other places. It is one thing I miss from living in this part of the country. The servers definitely had a bit of that edge along with the Italian thing going for them. Authentic and very NJ. read more

Primavera - Italian Near Me - West Orange, New Jersey

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This place is a hidden gem. Doesn't look like much from the outside but inside it's old school fancy. The food is fantastic. I hade chicken Marsala. The side pasta was perfectly aldente. The crab cake app is huge and solid crap cake with little filler. GREAT restaurant read more

Went here on a Thursday night for an event. Beautiful venue and great service. We had: 1) Calamari - crispy, good quality, not too salty 2) Mozarella, tomato, and red pepper - plentiful, very natural tasting and all three in combination was good 3) Chicken Marsala - my favorite of the night, succulent with plenty of sauce and mushrooms, I had some leftovers the next day for lunch and dinner also :) 4) Salmon - average, still soft inside, sauce was good with it 5) Eggplant parm - average, nothing special 6) Salad - had too much dressing on it but otherwise average Overall, I'd come back for a special occasion. read more

It's a solid 4 stars but I support small business owners. The Caesar salad was terrible. Very dry. Not enough dressing. The crab cake was amazing and doesn't need a bed of warm lettuce. The pasta fagioli was amazing. The pork chop was amazing. Again, it doesn't need to be covered in warm lettuce. The chicken Marsala was also very good. read more

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This is a very good Italian restaurant located in the Wilshire Grand Hotel. Its patrons are mostly in their 40's and up and the decor is old-school, but the food definitely made up for it. I had the pork chop calabrese - the thickest pork chop I've ever eaten in my life - and was astonished at how moist and juicy it was on the inside, while being completely cooked. I was impressed! My fiance had the rack of lamb special which he said was good, but not the best he has had. The presentation was lovely. Dessert was unfortunately lackluster, hence the 1-star deduction. Drinks were fairly priced. We'll be back! read more

With a $100 Gift Certificate, in hand (a gift from the mother of a friend, who my wife assisted with a health-related matter), we visited Primavera for the very first time, early one Friday evening. Since it was our first visit, we were pleasantly surprised by the warm & comfy interior decor. We were greeted/seated right away at a small 4-top table ... which was positioned directly underneath an extremely warm heater/blower. We immediately asked the waiter to turn it off, and he obliged. I requested a wine list. I don't consider myself to be an oenophile (wine expert), but I am not used to seeing a plethora of Merlots and White Zinfandels on the menu of "better" Italian restaurants. While the prices were predominantly in the $24-$34 price range, there were no decent quality choices that I could identify. I settled for a "meh" Red Zin, for $28. Not a great start ... The bread was fresh, but just "okay." We never asked for more. There was no flavored, or Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for dipping -- just a few perfunctory, ice cold & foil wrapped butter pats, in the basket. My wife & I ordered a "Crabmeat & Shrimp Martini" Appetizer, which lacked in both presentation and flavor. It came in an old fashioned glass shrimp cocktail dish, and consisted of several flakes of crab, and two cold, recently defrosted, shrimp. The accompanying sauce was so bland, that I requested a little cocktail sauce, to make it more palatable. The three entrees (one for our teenager) were acceptable, but as they say, "Nothing to write home about." My wife's Red Snapper was the clear winner. Her fish was properly cooked, fresh & tasty. My "Capellini Shrimp & Arugula" entree was definitely hindered by the quality of the shrimp. The dish was oversauced, "diner" quality ... albeit, a much smaller portion -- and obviously without the soup, salad & dessert included at most diners. Sports fans, it gets worse. When the check was presented at the conclusion of our meal ($112 + tip), the waiter steadfastedly refused to accept our legitimate $100 Gift Card (shiny black card w/La Primavera logo.) He insisted that "our" card was intended for "the other" West Orange Primavera Ristorante, which is situated inside the Wilshire Grand Hotel, which is located just a few hundred yards up the same street -- Pleasant Valley Way! That both restaurants are owned by the same family ... was apparently irrelevant! Anyway, a long and (uncomfortable) argument ensued. I even asked to speak to the Manager; but the waiter insisted that I deal only with him. Although I never really raised my voice, I was so insistent that he finally condescended "to discuss my request" with someone else (the owner, perhaps?), only to return, rather sheepishly, more than ten minutes later, to finally tell us that they would, indeed accept our $100 Gift Card. Needless to say, I accepted his apology for the misunderstanding, paid the overage, in cash; left a (somewhat generous) 18% tip; and we left hastily ... just in case he decided to change his mind! Thanks again, Primavera. Way to put a damper on what should have been a pleasant family dinner, in West Orange's only "upscale" Italian restaurant. read more

Primavera - Our three dinner entrees. - Italian Near Me - West Orange, New Jersey

Poor service Sauce tasted like paste Eggplant parmigiana had hardly any mozzarella If you like noise it's the place to be Oh and they don't know what capellini is read more

Can't believe there are so few reviews for this restaurant because it's not new, and there was a steady flow of diners! Came here for Pasta Night (glass of wine, bread, salad or soup, and a wide selection of pastas for $16 on Sundays & Tuesdays). The bread was served warm (and was great for soaking up any leftover pasta sauce) and everything was delish. Can't believe this restaurant wasn't on the radar sooner. The place is very unassuming from the outside but has a quaint interior. Ordered the merlot wine, house salad, linguini vongole & tiramisu. Had a taste of the mushroom soup and the orchiette rabe & salsiccia (both good). Also, the complimentary mini slices of pizza were tasty. Only complaint was that the entree and dessert weren't bigger. The dishes looked pretty clean after we were done eating because nothing was left behind. Will return. read more

We went to Primavera after discussing many different options. We had decided Reggiano's sounded good, but then it turned out it had been bought and changed names. When I called, it was La Primavera, the sister restaurant to Primavera (kind of confusing...). They were full with a holiday party, but the person I spoke with gladly made a reservation for us at Primavera. When we arrived in the parking lot of the hotel, we were a bit worried that we were under-dressed. The Wilshire Grand looks FANCY! Although Primavera is a nice place, we were not under-dressed. It can be fancy, but can also be casual. And yes, my husband & I were the youngest people by about 40 years and there was a slightly unpleasant odor (somewhat like kitty litter??). However, the service & the food were spectacular. We were immediately shown to our table and had our seats pulled out for us. Throughout the meal, the servers (I think there were about 5 different people serving/helping us) were so attentive and even friendly. The bread was ok - warm from the oven, but not as crispy on the outside as we like. My dad did have to ask a second time for some olive oil, but then it came immediately. The Minestrone soup was highly recommended by the waiter who took our order, so my parents & I went that route and my husband ordered a simple salad. The Minestrone came in a HUGE bowl and I immediately thought "I can't eat this all!" I did. It.Was.Fabulous. The veggies were crispy, the noodles were soft and the flavors were wonderful. I would go there again just for this soup! My husband's salad was elegantly displayed and so colorful. He devoured it. For our main courses, my mom & I split the Pollo Balsamico (Boneless chicken scallopini sautéed with sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, fresh rosemary in a balsamic vinegar sauce over sautéed spinach), my husband ordered Chicken Parmigiano and my dad went for the Pollo Scarpriello (Pan seared scallopini of boneless chicken, sweet Italian sausage, vinegar peppers, broccoli rabe, seasoned potatoes) - which is totally what I would have gotten had I not cared about calories! The Balsamico came already split into 2 plates (so nice of them!) with a generous portion of mashed potatoes & sauteed spinach each. I definitely cleared my plate and, of course, tasted the other 2 meals. The Parmigiano was cooked perfectly - moist, yet crispy, with a generous portion of linguini. The sausage in the Scarpriello was a bit over-cooked for me, but the potatoes were just right. I definitely would have liked this meal for myself! My mom ended with a cappuccino, and with it came a complimentary plate of DELICIOUS almond biscotti - crunchy and full of flavor. MMM. My mom actually said "too bad we don't live in this state," because we would all go back. We were still raving about it the next day! They definitely need to fix their website so it's easier to find, but that doesn't seem to be a problem. It was somewhat empty when we arrived, but by the time we finished our meal, it was hopping. (Cute note: when we left, my mom & I asked a waiter where the Ladies' Room was. He said "I've never been there, so I don't know! But I can tell you where the Men's Room is...") :) read more

Hadn't been here in a while and it's still amazing! The food is good and the waitstaff attentive. It was a bit loud and packed at 5:30 pm on a Saturday, so reservations are a must. read more