I was looking for a new Italian restaurant to try on my drive down 78 and discovered Lupa. I was…read morehappy to find a spot at the bar, and the staff and customers were all friendly. The ambiance is pretty, modern, and clean. For dinner, I ordered the pappardelle and broccoli rabe, which also came with fresh bread and a cold tomato spread. I finished my meal with a slice of tiramisu, and it was moist and flavorful. One of the staff mentioned that everything is made in-house. The restaurant is conveniently located just down the street from the train station, and parking was easy next door at the bank. Altogether, I really enjoyed my experience at Lupa, and I look forward to returning with friends to try more of the menu!

I was looking for a well rated Italian restaurant in Union County and Lupa Ristorante came up on…read moremany lists so I decided to check it out with friends. Lupa is located in a section of Berkely Heights that has seen a lot of recent construction, so it is very pretty and clean. You couldn't be blamed if you bypassed the restaurant. It is not very flashy looking and that is part of its charm. Be warned, there are not a lot of parking spaces behind the restaurant so you may wind up parking in the bank parking lot next to it (when the bank is closed of course). The staff at Lupa is super friendly and treats you like a regular even if this is your first time. The host was super nice, the waitress fantastic and the chef even came to our table to talk to us when we were done eating! The interior is very clean and modern looking. It's elegant and perfect for virtually any event including dates, anniversaries and family get togethers. We wound up sitting in the same area as the bar, which mostly has 2-4 seater tables and of course you can sit at the bar as well. The other side of the restaurant is where the larger tables are located. Here's a rundown of what we had: CLAMS ON TOAST Baby clams. crispy ham. thyme When I ordered this, I expected to see slices of toast with crispy ham and baby clams on top. Instead, it is two large pieces of wonderfully toasted bread with crispy ham on top. The actual clams sit in a *delicious* broth. Taken altogether these various components form a delicious bite. Be sure to dip that bread into the broth! SQUID INK SPAGHETTI lobster knuckles and claws. broccoli florets. grape tomatoes. Sherry Cream Sauce This dish has a wonderfully deep and earthy flavor. I've had squid ink pasta before and this was a wonderful example of it. The sauce was perfect and it was cooked beautifully. HANGER STEAK Truffled pomme frites. Chimichurri The steak was beautifully cooked (we had it medium rare) and the chimichurri sauce was great. However, the steak needed a bit more salt (and I'm not usually one to add salt to food). The pomme frites were wonderfully crispy and tasty. BROCCOLI RABE lemon. Kilos Broccoli rabe is a simple side dish but it is one of my favorites. It is also one that can easily be overcooked. These folks cooked it perfectly and it made for a fantastic side dish. My party and I loved our experience at Lupa and we all agreed we would happily return any time!

The food, service and ambiance are always amazing! We are regulars here because the food is so…read moredelicious. Every dish tastes wonderful but beyond that, they create a family friendly space that makes you feel welcome with little ones. It's hard to find a restaurant that is family friendly WITH amazing food, and amerigo has done it. The owner comes around and introduces himself from time to time and you can see how much he has put into the restaurant and cares. It shows in his menu and ambiance. The wait staff are all exceptional as well! Dishes we love and eat weekly (without naming the entire menu, everything is incredible) Spicy rig Chicken parm Salmon Sunday gravy Meatballs Buratta Seared tuna special Goat cheese salad special

Excellent food and service. I have been to this restaurant a number of times and can say that they…read moreare consistently wonderful. Our menu favorites are the octopus appetizer (maybe the best I've had ever), the Murray Farms half chicken and now most recently the Lamb Shank. We also love the atmosphere and that it's BYOB. Highly recommend!

Dimaio is a wonderful restaurant to eat at. The quality of…read morethe food is excellent comparable to any good Italian restaurant any where (I have been to many) The service is remarkable Kindness, respect and knowledge I highly recommended

Kids love the pizza. The restaurant is always busy and I'm so anxious to try the pork chops!!…read more Super fast and friendly service! Family favorite

My latest favorite place. Pretty restaurant, great service, and terrific food. Outstanding salads…read moreand apps. The colossal meatballs were outstanding as was my main course tuna. Eight of us all in agreement that this place was great. Oh yeah, I almost forgot the baklava from a 100 year-old family recipe.

Went here last night with another couple. It's a BYOB which is nice in these times of rising costs…read more Has own parking lot, but can get filled because they share it with a Japanese restaurant located above them. Plenty of parking in street if needed. Inside is dark and inviting and they have a cute outdoor dining space as well. They start out by serving fresh Foccacia with seasoned olive oil. For starters , my wife and I shared an eggplant tower, fried eggplant layered with mozzarella and tomatoes. Very good. Our friends shared a salad and enjoyed as well. For mains our friends both ordered the hanger steak, my wife had the salmon, and I ordered their chicken special ( a boneless breast wrapped in pancetta). Everything was not only delicious but plentiful. Owner checked on us several times during our meals. Highly recommend trying this establishment.

A friend recommended this place to me. Their pizza is good! I grew up in the area but moved to CA…read more20 years ago where they just don't make pizza like they do on the east coast. I love me a good plain cheese pizza and this place does it well. Satisfied my NY pizza craving!

Pizza: Yes. Would order again. Sandwiches: Yes. Corleone…read moreSandwich was one of the best I've ever had. "Buffalo wings": No. It's fried chicken with hot sauce on the side. Not again.​ So 4/5 stars. Will return for the Corleone and the pizza. Not for the "Buffalo wings."

We recently celebrated a high school graduation at Ancona Bistro with a party of six, and it could…read morenot have been a better choice. From the moment we arrived, the service was outstanding. Our server was attentive, friendly, and did a great job taking care of our larger group without ever making us feel rushed. The food was excellent across the board. The Chicken Milanese was perfectly crisp and tender, topped with a fresh arugula and feta salad that balanced the dish beautifully. The Penne Vodka was rich, creamy, and packed with flavor. Every plate that came to the table looked great and was enjoyed by our group. The atmosphere was another highlight. The dining room is warm, inviting, and comfortable with an upscale neighborhood Italian feel. It struck the perfect balance between special occasion dining and a relaxed family gathering. If you're looking for a place to celebrate a milestone, enjoy a family dinner, or simply have a great Italian meal, Ancona Bistro delivers. Excellent food, outstanding service, and a wonderful ambiance. We'll definitely be back.

Came here for Thanksgiving yesterday. We had never been here before, but heard positive things…read moreabout it so we were a little nervous. Everything was beyond delicious. Our appetizers and our dinners. No complaints from anyone in our large group. Staff were very friendly for working a holiday. Inside is very clean. I definitely recommend and I would come back for sure.

Consistently good. Pizza is great and eat-in restaurant is not fancy but serves up some nice…read moremeals. Family friendly and prices are very fair.

Ordered something other than pizza for the first time. (Pizza was not so great, bland and under…read morecooked) But we ordered Calamari. Couldn't chew through it! Sliced way too thick and large circle pieces. Not cooked enough? Not soaked in milk? Whatever, very tough and chewy. Will not order again. Wait staff needs some training. Love their pizza. Salad dressing is the bomb.

We've always had a great experience here - no matter whether it's the bar tenders, servers or…read morereception staff they're always friendly. Food comes up piping hot - my favorite dish on the menu is their Fish Tacos (soooo good). Ambience is that of a classic pub. They also have a heated outdoor section which is nice

Food was okay I guess. The service was horrible. I'm a high school student and I used the QR code…read moreon the receipt to pay and they told me it was the wrong payment method despite not telling me before hand. They made me pay twice and laughed at me when I demanded my money back. My friends had to stop me from punching the manager, as he did not know how his own restaurant's money system works. It was such a joke. Before the payment though, it was a pretty nice time with pretty lighting, despite being overpriced and then scamming me.

Good food and house made craft beer. It's not cheap but it's an excellent place. Been going there…read moresince 2002

Absolutely phenomenal time. I haven't been here in a while, and I've clearly been missing out. The…read morefood creations are incredible--familiar staples are reimagined with a fresh, inventive spin. The drink menu is creative, the beer is expertly brewed, and there are plenty of healthy salad options alongside a pulled pork sandwich my son couldn't get enough of. George, our waiter, really deserves to be mentioned at the top of this review. He understands the art of great service in a way few people do--always present but never overbearing. He was genuinely invested in making sure my family had an amazing experience.

They got Maine Lunch (IPA) on tap. That alone warrants 5 stars. Tried the Philly cheese steak…read more Not bad, could have used more meat and less fat. The tater tots were some of the best I've ever had. Will definitely return.

The ribeye Philly cheesesteak was very tasty with the onions and peppers. The ribeye was tender…read more The buffalo wings were ok. It was a little on the salty side. The French onion soup was really good. The soup was perfect. It was not as salty as your typical French onion soup. The mozzarella melted on top was delicious. The French bread with the soup was delicious. As for the thin crust pizza, it was great! The thin crust was firm. The sauce was was enough. The mozzarella cheese had caramel burnt marks. The crust was nicely charred. Overall, the pizza was very good. First time here tonight! And will definitely comeback to try the other entrees and apps on the menu! The food came quick and our server always checked up on us! They have a decent amount of beers on the tap!