Amazing food! Wonderful staff and beautiful restaurant!!! Take out is always a breeze and the bar has a great selection with unique recipes!

Pizza, pasta and good beer on tap, any questions?? Café Rustica serves a nice pint, selections included Flying Fish winter ale, Peroni and Guinness. Lunch is extraordinarily reasonable with pizzas and great hot sandwiches for just $10. Three and a half stars for me easily. Fresh crusty sliced white bread was served with a generous dish of seasoned oil, so nice for dipping. Our salads arrived instantly after ordering, solid mix of mesclun, cherry tomato, cucumber and carrot; dressings very tasty too. A chicken wrap had almost a whole chicken in it LOL way too much to finish at lunch. Veal Milanese was perfectly breaded and pan fried, topped with chunks of fresh mozzarella and tomato. Eggplant rollantini was a lush pile of veg, ricotta cheese, sausage bits and red sauce, very good. Those lunch entrees are about $14. Vegetarian rating: solid 4 stars because of the many good options like antipasti, pizza Margherita and eggplant 13 different ways :). My veggie co-conspirator had a veg panini that was stuffed with goodies and nicely grilled. Oddly enough it was served with a generous side of tortilla chips -- don't see that often in an Italian place I guess! Service was friendly at lunch, and quick!! I've learned that a mostly empty dining room is no guarantee of being served fast but here the kitchen made our hot food in very little time. The bar here has way more good beer than you'd expect from such a little place, maybe 8 stools can squeeze in side by side if everyone is good friends haha. Maybe this is the 19th hole for the little municipal golf course next door? This one-story restaurant is tucked away on Valley Road close to the veterans hospital, blink and you'll miss it. read more

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Since I keep vampire hours, it takes a very special occasion to get me to go to lunch. Today was one of those special occasions, joining some friends from my first teaching job 10 lifetimes ago. It was tough to force myself to get up before noon, but it was so worth it. The reunion was wonderful, and the lovely restaurant contributed to it greatly. Our server, Millie, was tireless in her devotion to taking photos of us on all four of our cameras, snapping three or four on each phone. My friends had a grilled veggie sandwich on a ciabatta roll, an individual Margarita pizza, Rigatoni Forestiere (or was it penne?) with sausage and veggies, and I had Farfalle Theresa - shrimp and grilled veggies, with roasted peppers and fresh mozzarella in a white wine sauce. I would have appreciated knowing in advance that there was some cream in the sauce, but it least there wasn't much of it. Everyone had only good things to say about the dishes they ordered, including me. The shrimp were tender, and I took most of the delicious pasta home; it made a nice side dish for two of us tonight, so the portion was more than ample. The pastas was served with a fresh small salad. The friend who ordered the sandwich was supposed to have her salad on the plate, but when she requested it, it was served to her in a bowl, too. I ordered coffee, and for this Starbucks aficionado, it was just ordinary. I also can't stand tiny little coffee cups, even if they get refilled repeatedly, which they cheerfully were. The restaurant was a 40 minute drive for me, so I'm not sure if I'll be returning anytime soon, but if it were closer I definitely would. read more

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I guess if you don't have any other options it's fine.. Food was fine, service was not very good. Got a pizza and can't have tomato sauce so asked for vodka sauce and they wanted to charge and extra 5.99 on top of the already 17.99 for a medium cheese pizza. When we mentioned it the manager. She was like,' well the cheif has to take the pan out and make the sauce for it' We also ordered penne vodka so the sauce was already being made. They took it off after we complained. I'm sure the locals love it cause it has a local feel, but I wouldn't go again. read more

Have eaten here several times, both in restaurant and take-out. Most recently, I had them cater a party for about 12 people at our home. I've not been disappointed. Their veal dishes are excellent and often enough for two meals. Their pastas (particularly penne forestiere) are quite tasty. The restaurant is warm, friendly, and an easy accomodates families and children. It's a strong option for take-out. And the catering experience was solid. read more

This hidden gem offers outstanding food and service. The Cold Antipasto Rustica is a table pleaser with a selection of meats and cheeses along with salad & roasted peppers and tomatoes. The Veal Parmesan is a huge dish that will leave you with a take home container or in need of a seat adjustment to get into your car. The employees are highly attentive and friendly. read more

good food/ drinks! the only issue is that there is a big step to get into the resturant and is not accessible to all. Could use a ramp/ accessible entrance! read more

I usually have no complaints about this eatery. But my spouse and I went Feb. 13 (evening) of this year (we both ordered eggplant parm) and were disappointed. I needed a magnifying glass to find the eggplant! A tiny amount was layered in sauce, mozzarella cheese (spaghetti underneath) but darned if I saw much eggplant! I was VERY disappointed as I spent $17 on this "meal" when I could have gone to Maggiano's and for the same price, gotten something 100% better. The salad here was very good. In fact, their salads are delicious. But because of this disappointment, I doubt we will go back. (I live a mile away from this establishment so it's very convenient.) read more

We've been to Café Rustica some time ago but decided to dine here again because we've been hearing some buzz about it. I ordered that night's special which was grilled mahi mahi with a cognac cream sauce over mashed potatoes and greens. I didn't receive any greens but instead a garnish of string fries on top. It was overkill on the carbs but it was still delicious. Dinner was accompanied by a pumpkin pie martini. So yummy that I had two. My husband had the blue cheese crusted black angus NY strip with garlic mashed in a red wine reduction garnished with sweet potato fries. Yes, more potatoes and yes, again delicious. So we came away still liking this place. It's a small but cozy restaurant and the staff are very friendly. The food is always consistent and seasoned wonderfully. Prices are reasonable but being there is a bar, dinner ends up costing a bit more if you drink. You won't be disappointed. read more

Cafe Rustica - Grilled mahi mahi with a cognac cream sauce - Pizza Near Me - Basking Ridge, New Jersey

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The food here is delicious and the ambience is cozy and family oriented. I love trying the special risotto's, they are always changing. My personal favorite is the puttanesca. And when I'm in hurry I order their pizza for take-out. read more

Cafe Rustica - This is the most recent risotto that I ate - Pizza Near Me - Basking Ridge, New Jersey

Place is cute, nice ambience and staff are friendly. But the food is pretty sub par. I've tried the risotto, carpaccio, salad, and a pasta - all just eh. Been here twice and won't make it a priority to go back but won't say no if someone wants to. read more

This is one of my favorite local spots. The food is consistently delicious and the service is great. Some complain it isn't the most modern, esthetically pleasing venue and they can definitely use some updates but the food really is superb. They also have a liquor license and are extremely accommodating when ordering takeout. read more

the hours at cafe rustica are limited but rheor menu of italian food is large....the waitresses are polite and helpful and the meals that come out of the kithchen are awesome.....5 stars read more

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A couple of times a month I'm in this suburban area of NJ for work. I stopped by Café Rustica with some colleagues for lunch. Service was efficient for a sit-down restaurant and we were served and out the door in about an hour. It's a small place and decorated in a truly 'rustic', old-school fashion. Lunch sandwiches were under $15, and were pretty decent. My colleagues raved about their special of the day (turkey sandwich). I tried a chicken wrap which was all right but a messy experience as dressing/sauce was too runny and dripped into a puddle down my hands onto the plate. Service was polite. Not too many choices in the vicinity and if you just need a presentable lunch option, this will do the trick. read more

I've tried pizza from different places in this area. While Rustica is the closest, it isn't a choice for good pizza. Good crust, but tasteless. The sauce and cheese need improvement. read more

This restaurant is one that I pass all the time and I wanted to try it the parking lot is crowded and so I assumed it's going to be a nice neighborhood family restaurant but good solid food. Instead what I got was possibly the worst Italian meal I have ever had and I'm not even talking about service because restaurants are in a pickle about having enough staff so I'll let that slide but the waitress obviously had no training and forgot stuff but the main thing is the food and this is possibly the worst Meal that I have ever experienced in an Italian restaurant the calamari was rubber the sauce tasted like it came out of a tin can I didn't even eat that much and my wife felt the same way . I am totally at a loss why anyone would eat here and how this place is still in business again we live in a world of McDonald's and that is all people expect no idea what good food to taste like . I think that the owner of the restaurant missed the point ( in a their response)I wasn't complaining about the service because I understand what's going on I worked in restaurants and had a catering business along time ago I worked as a chef , waiter and maître d' and of course sending back food after I complain gets me nowhere and on top of that doesn't make the food any better so again when a restaurant does not measure up and a customer complaint the response is generally much different not so much defensive but trying to correct it and there was no offer of that so I am at a loss as to what they think a good restaurant is and if he went to the Culinary Institute that he hast to go back because I have friends who went to the CIA in New York and they were unbelievable chefs. I'm sorry but in my opinion anybody can throw food together and call it good. So your comment did nothing to help me understand your situation. Good luck to you you're going to need it read more

Bruschetta was one of the best I had in my life of 34 tender and sweet years . The pizza was pretty good but it's the bruschetta that visits me in my dreams late at night. This was twice for TAKE OUT read more

Took my parents to this place on friday evening and I have to say it was a disaster from the time we were seated to the time we left.... The problem is the food took forever to make and they were not busy, and the BIGGEST problem is the air conditioning was off, making the restaurant obscenely hot. The food was its usual boring, bland self, and coupled with the heat, it just made the whole meal forget-able....with other better Italian places up the street just go elsewhere. read more

I had a horrendous experience there this past Thursday; definitely top 3 worst restaurant experiences I've ever had. The sole redeeming thing is that it seemed to primarily be a function of problems with my server, as my friend went there 3 hours later and had a great experience. Long story short, our server seemed somewhat uninterested and definitely was not knowledgeable. While he indicated that you could substitute a Caesar salad for $1 more, he did not indicate that it is the same as the house solid, but with Caesar dressing. In other words, they charge $1 more if you order Caesar dressing. This blows my mind. My friend's risotto entree came out a bit slow but mine didn't come out at all. After 5 minutes of waiting after she got her food, my server said my food would be right out. Five more minutes later, he came back and told me there was a mistake in the kitchen and someone else got my order. For reasons I won't go in to, this was pretty transparently false. I don't like being lied to. They offered me a free glass of wine because of the delay. I explained that o don't drink much and didn't want it, but they didn't offer an alternative. My friend eventually took it on my behalf, so I guess that's moot. When my entree finally came out, the scallops in it were raw. They were translucent and slimy. They clearly rushed my order to cover up their mistake, then screwed that up too. Moreover, the tomato cream sauce had so Much cream, you couldn't even taste any acid from the tomato. By this point, I was seething. Given how many screw ups there were, I saw no point in sending the dish back. Moreover, I am very reticent to give waitstaff a hard time, and saw no reason to vent and maybe make a scene. The last thing is when we got the bill, the buffalo calamari special (which wasn't good either) ended up costing $14 or $15. For calamari?!? I tipped the waiter exactly 18% (down to the cent) because he probably relies on tips, but neither he nor the restaurant deserved it. I didn't think I'd give them a second chance, but since my friend had a better experience with a different server, I may. read more

Came here on a Saturday night around 730 and instantly got a seat. My old lady and I both ordered cocktails (gin martini and makers old fashion) both were good but rather light on the pour, especially considering they were both $12+. Staff was friendly. Food was average to above average but certainly nothing special (presentation could use some serious work). However, portions were fairly large. (NY strip steak and eggplant rolotini). We both got desert (mango sorbet and brownie Sunday) and we both agreed that was the highlight of the meal. Price: reasonable given the portion size. Overall: decent experience would likely give it another shot due the close proximity to my house. read more

I came here a couple years ago and remember being delighted with the meal, and have wanted to come back next time I was in the area. Alas, this time, not so impressed. I ordered the Pollo Rustico ($17.99; "Parmigiana Crusted Chicken Breast served over Spinach Gnocchi in a Roasted Tomato Sauce with a Pancetta and Porcini Mushroom White Wine Demiglaze Sauce"). Sounds yummy, right? Well, the parmigiana chicken was kinda dry, and the "crust" was a salty dusty topping, clearly not seared into a crust. The spinach gnocchi was very bitter and too dense, not fluffy like good gnocchi I've enjoyed. I could only eat a few of them. SO bitter! The sauce was thick and WAY too salty, almost like someone had forgotten to add an ingredient that would have thinned it and spread out the salt (perhaps the wine?? and also, where was the pancetta??). And on top of it all were slightly browned green onion shreds. Nice idea, except they weren't crispy and edible, they were fibrous and chewy and I actually gagged while trying (for a long time) to chew some of them. Very amateurish plate of food. I could have done better and I'm not a chef! Also in error was the waiter never brought our calamari appetizer. Pay attention! He also said he couldn't make me a latte, but they did have cappuccino. Huh?? If you have the ingredients to make a cappuccino, you can make a latte. But I didn't feel like arguing with him, so I ordered a drip coffee instead. The one highlight of the meal was the cannoli dessert. FABULOUS cannoli! The cream was laced with cinnamon, and the shells were crisp. I would go back just to get some of those cannoli (and skip the rest of it). This is why I'm giving three stars instead of two. read more

My family and I lived in Basking Ridge for 15 years. Throughout our entire time living there, I always remembered this restaurant as a steady constant! The Baked Ziti was always my favorite, especially in a kid's portion when I was younger. The bread they serve is fabulous. The pizza is some of the best pizza in town-- and its not even a "pizza" place. The decor could use a little updating, but its still very nice. Over the entire time we lived in town and dined at this restaurant, we never had a problem with the service. Overall, this is definitely the place to go if you are looking for some great Italian food. Over 15 years, we never got let down once! read more

I have been to Cafe Rustica about five times and the food has always been great. The staff is also very pleasant but the service is extremely slow. It takes forever for a server to come to the table but once someone finally takes your drink order it gets a bit better. read more

I work near this location. I decided to stop in yesterday. They have a decent size parking lot so parking is not a problem. The establishment looks exactly how it appears on the outside, like a house. The inside decor is nice and rustic lol. I ordered the 10.99 cheesesteak sandwich and it was amazing. I really enjoyed my food at i hoped i would. The question is, why would i sit inside and hope the food was good?? The waitress appeared to be very busy in a more than half empty lunch hour. There is no cell phone reception or wifi. Thus i was unable to check in on yelp. I enjoyed my food but if i ever returned it would not be to dine in. I hope the restaurant updates at least wifi for customers to be able to receive call in a emergency or to yelp. read more

Cafe Rustica - The cheesesteak sandwich with delicious salad and chips. Amazing! - Pizza Near Me - Basking Ridge, New Jersey

Crust was decent. Sauce was very bitter on the pizza and there was very little cheese. I will not buy another slice

Very Disappointed. Moms pasta no flavor like chicken broth, Chicken dish with demi glaze chicken very dry. Last 2 visits I have been very disappointed. This use to be one of my favorites. read more

Great place for pizza or meal. Always reliable. We probably eat here or takeout twice a month. Our go to place!

I live for the chicken parm!! The in person experience is unbeatable, but curbside works great during COVID. Always more than enough food; basically two for the price of one! read more

We love the pizza! The Cafe salad is my favorite. It makes a great entree if you add grilled chicken. There is a nice selection of cocktails as well. It's a great place to meet friends for drinks or a family dinner. There's something for everyone! read more

Everything was great. Our party of four enjoyed - Chicken parm: tender and juicy The salmon: fresh and flakey A tubular pasta special with seafood (wish I could remember the name): also fresh and yummy We got the grilled pizza as an appetizer, and it could have served as our meal. Very tasty and filling. The service was great, as was my Jack and Coke. Only slight ding in my book was the chocolate cake... it was ok, but not worth the calories. All in all, we had a great time and left with full bellies. read more

Definitely enjoyed lunch at this location. Had the veggie panini platter with salad. Definitely will repeat and recommend to anyone.

The bread and Calamari was delicious. Portions are large but meals were just average. I was with a party of 8 and I had the pork chops. Very tough and honestly not very flavorful. read more

I like a good chicken dish every once in a while and the two times I ordered chicken from here it was way too think and kinda dry. I wish they would pound it thinner and cook it right. The carpaccio was just okay...the mustard aioli doesn't go well with it. read more

Solid Italian-American cuisine in a country cottage-like place. Wide range of plates offered, from pastas to pizzas to entrees. The Chicken Rustico dish (I think that's what it was) was a delicious dish with lightly breaded fried chicken breast with fried green onions and a mushroom marsala sauce. Everyone else in my group liked their dishes so this place was a good pick. Service was friendly and attentive. read more

OMG - coming here for years. Was just served a rancid pork chop. How does that leave the kitchen? Offered me to chose something else - how could I ? read more

My wife and i were last night for Valentines day, we should have stayed home. Our romantic dinner was more like pins in a bowling alley as we bounced around all night, prompting us to just bag our meal(which was good and leave. The problem was the owners wife was very unsympathetic to our plight , she had put us a table in the middle of the exit for all parties, had she said were too booked to seat you as others were, try a later time that would have worked.Iam disappointed in her lack of manners as a host and owner. BE WARE read more

Amazing taste! Their pesto wakes up the senses. Wonderful time in a very homey setting. Loved it.

They make the most amazing Fire Grilled Pizzas with fresh ingredients and your choice of meat topping(s). I highly recommend that you try their pizzas, and believe you will be greatly impressed! read more

Very nice Italian family-environment restaurant in Basking Ridge. We were there in February and the dishes were really scrumptious and the appetizers were also delicious. We ordered a cannoli for dessert, very well made. I am generally not a cannoli fan in general, but this was an exception. The first time we were there, in December 2009, we ordered a risotto appetizer. It was delicious too. read more

I ordered a pizza for pick up at this place and it was all right as a pie, but expensive for the nonsense they gave you. it is hard to even say this, but I have gotten better pizza from other much cheaper pizzerias. It provides a dark loudi-sh ambiance that I have no reason to ever to bring someone nice to. read more