I went here for the first time since Covid, I had been here once before a few years ago. My friend and I got a table in their large tent which had about 20 tables, because the outdoor dining was chilly and the indoor dining was limited. The servers were very friendly, the menu looked great, the wine list is a little lacking but not bad. I worked in the food industry for over 30 years, so I understand the tremendous hit that some restaurants took during Covid and the need to raise prices. However I ordered the buffalo mozzarella appetizer it was $17, It came with one ball of mozzarella which was not buffalo and it tasted like an average store brand, it came with tomatoes which were mealy and not salted, fresh basil which was nice and a couple of drops of balsamic vinegar. If you're going to charge me $17 for an appetizer it better be tremendous and it was just OK. I ordered the linguine with the fresh pesto which was tremendous but again it was $23, my friends mushroom ravioli was also delicious but also $23. After being there for two hours we finished our meal and cappuccinos, they added 20% gratuity it was two of us, which I understand because of Covid but again the tent was jampacked when we left, the tables were not 6 feet apart and the indoor dining was also packed. I understand some restaurants didn't do take out or didn't react quickly during the fist wave of Covid and lost a lot of money but how much longer do I have to pay five dollars more per appetizer and entrée when I know they did not have a tent prior? read more

Since the wait on weekends is long we decided to try it on a Thursday. No wait at all. Sandra and I both had pasta dishes. Both were presented well but both lacked much flavor. To us it's very average food at best. Sorry but we will not return even for the free bread. read more

Cucina Calandra - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, New Jersey

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If your looking for a nice night out or a evening out with the family Calandras is the place ! The atmosphere is perfect such a beautiful restaurant and the bakery is to die for !! So many fresh goodies highly recommend coming with a appetite! The food will not disappoint! Any of the Italian plates will be sure to satisfy you ! read more

Cucina Calandra - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, New Jersey

Horrible experience tonight. Booked a 6:15 reservation for Mother's Day w my family. At 7:30 we still saw no sign of our food. They kept seating tables but little indication the kitchen was producing anything. We had told our waitress (who seemed to be doubling as a bartender) that my daughter had to babysit at 8 and we needed a rush on the food. Still another 10 minutes and nothing so we left. Will never return. read more

Decent food and good quantities for prices paid with ubiquitous $20 off $40 coupons in the mail. Can also stop in for the half-price pasta on Tuesdays. Otherwise, it ends up being overpriced for what you get, and I likely wouldn't stop by. Complimentary cheesy bread and olives make for nice starters while waiting. I've tried the trio of fish, the pasta with vodka sauce, a pasta special (with eggplant, mozzarella, basil, and basil oil), and the Italian Country Salad. All were very good and the salad came with a lot of chicken. Service is usually decent and the outside patio is nice during the summer. Free loaf of bread when you leave, too! read more

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OVERALL: Good restaurant, excellent service, nice ambience. Food good but a bit disappointing. Appetizers: Arancini, classic Sicilian rice balls, should have been only lightly browned and typically served with a light tomato sauce on the side. These were significantly over-fried, to the point where they had a rather thick, hard crust on the outside. There were peas (traditional) in the center, but the rice tasted soft and without body. The stuffed meatballs were tender and nicely prepared, but they were served in a pool of sauce and covered with a rather thick layer of melted cheese. Both these appetizers had potential, but they did not translate well, from the original, light Italian recipes, to our table. Entrees: The Orecchiette with salsicce e rabe (Orecchiette pasta with sausage and broccoli rabe) was quite good. The brown sauce in which it was served was light and delicious; the broccoli rabe was cooked properly, and I was surprised that even the stems (more than I thought were needed) were surprisingly tender; the Pizza Margherita was prepared as they do in Italy, although the use of fresh tomato made it likely to become soggy, had it not been served promptly; the Penne Norma was very good, but what appeared to be eggplant was a bit overdone. The wine selection was adequate, although the night we went, our preferred wine (Gavi di Gavi) was not available. Their pinot grigio was quite good, with a nice balance of fruit and acidity, which was surprising, for a moderate priced wine. Service was excellent, and the server assigned to our table was courteous, knowledgeable, enthusiastic and attentive without being intrusive. We found the ambience to be pleasant, but the restaurant was surprisingly noisy, for a Tuesday evening. Which leads me to recommend this weekday, because most pasta dishes are discounted significantly, as was the wine. One of our dining companions enjoyed a Margarita, which was well made, using Rose's Lime juice - a nice touch that only an experienced bartender would know. read more

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The bread is to die for - warm with cheese in the middle - yes please. Great outdoor set up. But menu with items in all price ranges. Had the chicken milanese and would recommend although it is soggy leftover so devour the giant plate there read more

Best broccoli rabe I've ever had. Amazing bread always an amazing meal. Yum yum yum yum delicious! read more

My favorite dish is The Lamb chops ! And I will Be back soon ! Thank you so much For the dinner read more

Came in for lunch while in town, having had a great experience at Calandra's Caldwell location and once I read what was on the California Panini, I immediately jumped on it! The excitement of it kept increasing one ingredient after another and before I knew it, it was gone before letting "the phone eat first." Quick and amenable service just made the experience better. Whenever I find myself in these parts, I'll be sure to go back and try out the rest of the menu. read more

My favorite dish was the gnocchi serentino. Gnocchi Serentino is a classic Italian dish that combines the mouth-watering, soft and pillowy texture of potato-based gnocchi with a simple, yet delectable and flavorful tomato sauce. Its balanced combination of textures and flavors makes it a savory, heavenly, and scrumptious favorite among Italian cuisine lovers. The dish's use of high-quality ingredients and traditional cooking techniques also adds to its rich, comforting, and satisfying reputation as a meal. Overall, Gnocchi Serentino is an incredibly delicious and well-loved dish that is sure to satisfy anyone's appetite. read more

The outdoor space they're offering is very nice, but the food is just ok for the price. Very expensive for not great quality, and only bottled water is available. read more

Amazing authentic Italian food! Family friendly, Unique choices, daily specials and deserts to die for. You will never leave unsatisfied. My favorite part is always the fresh, warm bread. I usually have a classic Italian dish such as a homemade lasagna or chicken Parmesan. The dishes are plentiful and the portions are so large I usually take half home for a second meal. I always feel the love the chef puts into each dish. Deserts? There is nothing you can dream of that they don't have. My favorites are the gelato, tiramisu or cheesecake but none will disappoint. I can't wait to go back! read more

Cucina Calandra - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, New Jersey

You want top notch Italian cuisine ? Go to Cucina Calanda. The food has never disappointed me since I first tried this place out 8 years ago. The service is always friendly and knowledgeable especially Henry he's practically family. The ambiance of the restaurant makes it the perfect spot for a date night or the perfect setting for a nice family dinner. I highly recommend this place to anyone and everyone! read more

Cucina Calandra - My favorite Stuffed Meatballs - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, New Jersey

Cold and rainy April day but it was warm inside the cuccina.the cheesy bread and dunked it in olive oil. The salmon special was grilled to perfection in a soy blaze and the bed of broccoli rabe with garlic was a great accompaniment. The waiter Christian was very good and I took the puttanesca special to try for dinner. read more

Cucina Calandra - You don't see many street lights indoors. - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, New Jersey

If I could rate this restaurant zero stars, I would. The only reason I'm giving any stars at all is because Henry the pizza guy is fantastic. My family and I have been going to Calandra's (all three restaurants and bakeries) for years. We went to Cucina Calandra for Christmas Eve dinner last year 12/24/18 and had a decent experience, so we decided to return on 12/24/19. Our reservation was at 7pm. We (the whole party) arrived prior to 7pm and were not seated until 8pm. The waiter was inattentive and didn't bring bread/water or take our drink order for at least 30 minutes after we were seated. Our food order was not taken until almost 9pm. We slowly received some of the group's appetizers after 9pm (which were clearly thrown together - potatoes undercooked) and the main dishes did not arrive until close to 10pm, THREE HOURS after our reservation time. We had a 2.5 year old in our party as well as two elderly people - 89 and 95, who had to wait an extraordinarily long time to eat. In addition, I had been awake since 4:30am as I had to work on Christmas Eve, and by this point in the night, I was hungry and in pain from a migraine that only got worse the longer we waited for our food. Icing on the cake - my scallops were overcooked, two dishes were missing ingredients, and the artichoke we ordered but never received (We were told it fell on the ground and was the last one in stock.) was added to the bill. We asked to speak with a manager several times. The assistant manager finally came over and said she would get the head manager to speak with us, but we'd have to wait because he was the chef. ??? Many moments later she returned and said he left to go home. ??? The bill was greatly reduced at our insistence, however, that did not make up for the fact that many of us left without being fed. No one tried at any point to improve our experience. We weren't offered more bread or a round of drinks or even an appetizer that they could deliver quickly. Unfortunately for Cucina Calandra, North Jersey is heavily saturated with Italian restaurants - ones which have better service and food. There is no reason to ever return to this location when we have a plethora of options elsewhere. (We will, however, return to Calandra's Italian Village in Caldwell which consistently offers good food and service.) The only redeeming thing about Cucina Calandra is Henry, the pizza guy who made my nephew a pizza in the shape of a snowman. He is always lovely to interact with and we appreciate his kindness and work ethic. Perhaps we should have asked him to make us a few extra kids pizzas. At least we all would have eaten! read more

I grabbed lunch with a friend after being close by and finding it in Yelp. The recommendations from the server were on point. They make a wonder bread that if I am guessing was made on the premise. It was very well seasoned with cheese, garlic and butter. There were several great lunch options available and had a hard time deciding. The server recommended the Chicken Milanese salad which had pieces of fresh mozzarella. It was simply amazing. Thank you Cucina Calandra and Yelp for this great find. Great Job guys!!! read more

Cucina Calandra - Chicken Milanese Salad is amazing. - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, New Jersey

Careful!! Had dinner here last tonight with three other ladies. Split the check 4 ways. 2 ppl paid cash 2 ppl paid with CC. Waiter, Rashad, tried to pull a fast one and charged more than double on my friends CC and pocketed the cash. Called him out, he played dumb, and gave back the cash out of his pocket of about 2k (just from my view) But, how many times did he do that to other people today alone??? We called the manager over and he gave Rashad a slap on the hand since HE was probably in on it. Otherwise, that waiter would've been fired on the spot & the dinner paid for. Be careful!!!! People will go that low. Obviously, I'll never go again.... First & last time. read more

CUCUINA CALANDRA is the best! My family and I went there for my birthday. The service was outstanding! They really took care of us. Our waiter, a bus boy, and the manager cleared our table for during all the courses. The homemade pasta is amazing! The bread is just delicious. We will definitely be returning very soon! read more

I had lunch with my nonna today at Cucina Calandra, her favorite restaurant. Just by looking at the menu made my mouth water. Chef Henry is the best, that is for sure . for lunch I had Spinach ravioli with a butter sauce and pignoli nuts and my nonna had lamb chops. Both dishes were exquisite!!! The staff always make us feel like home and we love their service. read more

Cucina Calandra - Spinach raviolis with a butter sauce and pignoli nuts - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, New Jersey

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I had a beautiful dinner here with my family. Not only was the food amazing, but so was the service. We had a great time together. We will definitely be coming back. read more

I was so looking forward for a good Italian meal here but that was the case. Took my girls here for dinner and blah. No good. My one daughter had the steak and fries. Over done. And my other had rigatoni w butter and it was too al dente. Me? I had the Mahi Mahi and that was not only over cooked but bland. The side of shrimp? I couldn't tell what it was. However, the drinks, music, and bread were the best part. Just call me a picky eater an Italian one at that. read more

I am writing this as we are still eating dinner :) Everything here is fantastic! The bread that came out was just crazy! Had the cheese butter and garlic baked into it! We got the stuffed meatballs and a stuffed artichoke for an appetizer. Both were great! The meatballs had mozzarella baked on top of them perfectly. Main course I got the gnocchi and pink sauce , my wife had the rigatoni in vodka sauce. (The vodka sauce was excellent.. I've had too many tasteless "pink" vodka sauces in my life that usually have NO vodka in them) Our Daughter had Chicken Parm and loved it as well.. it did look really good .. she gave the chicken parm 9.5 out of 10 lol this kids picky so that is a bonus. The atmosphere is really nice and you wouldn't realize you are about 100 yards from route 46x The service was very attentive and friendly as well. The manager came over to check on us as well. Love it and we will be back! :)) read more

I've been to Cucina Calandra many times. Usually I like it. Gnocchi di Sorrento and Chicken Parm are usual favorites. My party was super excited when we heard about the cheese wheel night! My friend and I planned on getting the pasta. While it looked awesome while the chef was making it, it was by far the worst pasta dish I have ever eaten. Tasted like pasta water and loads of black pepper. The service was rough tonight too. Took about 30 minutes for us to get anyone to take our drink order. Maybe it was an off night, but it was bad enough that I might not be coming back. read more

Always a great meal, great service and great time. Highly recommend a trip to any of Calandra's restaurants.

Service was terrible tonight. We had a waiter jump on our table because no one "could find" ours... Meatballs were just that - meat-balls. Pasta was chewy, drinks were ok. Menu online doesn't reflect what they offer. We went for the cheese wheel pasta... didn't have it, they only have it Tuesdays and Fridays apparently. Someone who was in the tent with us got the wheel though, because they knew the owners. Kids menu doesn't exist even though it was online. Pizza wasn't available either. My server did her best but overall the experience will have Cucina Calandra off of our list of restaurants to visit going forward. Pasta Shop for life (In Denville if you want real food). read more

My husband & I went here last night to celebrate our anniversary. My husband remembered going to their other location years ago & had a good experience. Our waitress Vanessa was really friendly & recommended some good dishes for us to try. The bread that is served at the table was warm, filled with cheese, and tasty, as it should be since they started out as a bakery. For drinks my husband got the limoncello martini & I got the peach Bellini which which both had a great fruity taste. Our appetizer was the 2 large stuffed meatballs with 2 kinds of cheese (mozzarella & ricotta cheese) in a tasty tomato sauce although the meat itself we both felt could've used more seasoning. For our dinner my husband got one of the specials of the day which was pasta in a fig & Gorgonzola sauce topped with walnuts. My dinner was Salmone All'arancia which was Pan seared Atlantic salmon fillet crusted with pecans, served over cinnamon traced baked sweet potato medallions, surrounded with a blood orange gran mariner reduction. Portions were good for the price & I ended up taking my meal home. For dessert we had they home made gelato in Pistachio flavor which was creamy and not to sweet real natural flavor. We will definitely return to this restaurant again & the best part was you get free bread on your way out! read more

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4.5 stars. Really enjoyed my dinner here. Interior of restaurant is Mediterranean themed. They serve a delicious bread basket which is a round bread stuffed with cheese. Get a cup of sauce to dip it in. Ordered the antipasto which was phenomenal. A wood board piled with grapes, delicious olives, excellent prosciutto, salami, provolone cheese, fresh buffalo mozzarella. Ask for balsamic vinegar to accompany. Us two were so satisfied we skipped additional appetizers or an entree and went straight to dessert. Girlfriend ordered the fruit eclair. She didn't enjoy it, mainly because it didn't suite her personal tastes. I enjoyed my tartufo. They give you a free loaf of Italian bread from their nearby bakery on the way out. read more

Food and service was amazing! Highly recommend it. We had such a great time. Our waitress was super nice and sweet! Definitely coming back. read more

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Espresso martinis with a splash of Bailey's...yes please! Calamari with a light aisian dressing...as an Italian, I was skeptical but...omg! Yum, so tender! Thank you Calandra's for being my happy place during this past miserable year of COVID. Ps...Trish gives your fig martini two thumbs up!!!! read more

Cucina is my families top choice for when we go out to eat. Birthdays, date nights, Sunday dinner whatever the occasion, we always go to Cucina. The food is amazing and without a doubt Chef Henry the pizza man, is one of the main reasons we always go back. He is so kind, genuine, makes great pizza, especially the character pizza's he makes for the toddlers. You can't beat it. read more

I had my baby shower here in February, and everything was absolutely perfect! My guests are still raving about the food, especially the penne vodka! The ballroom upstairs is beautiful and a perfect place to have your special event! read more

Cucina Calandra - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, New Jersey

So many menu items are delicious, it's hard to decide every time! From classic to unique dishes, always leave satisfied! If no room for dessert, gotta get one to go! read more

So I've passed this restaurant many times and decided to stop in. Got here around 630 order my appetizer and my drink. I waited 45 minutes to an hour for my food. I've been asking for a box for my appetizer(it was a huge amount) since I ordered it which was at 630... check came and still no box. Don't get me wrong the food is really good but the service from my experience could be much better. read more

Let me start off with service and dinner - superb! 5 stars! I had to give 2 because of the Italian Cheesecake disappointment! I went on Tuesday which is Pasta night - 1/2 price pasta and Calandras Wines. The pasta was delicious, the cheese garlic bread was yummy. After dinner I wanted something sweet! I immediately saw the Italian Cheesecake and was sold! This is my absolute favorite dessert and a frequent carving of mine! I was ecstatic to see it on the menu as it is hard to find around here. With Calandras also being a bakery, I thought I was gonna be in love! What a disappointment! This was like a fake NY Cheesecake let alone an Italian cheesecake. It has no flavor. Then they do this like burnt top, not even sure what to call it, that just absolutely ruins it. Italian Cheesecake is the ricotta goodness and creamy and this was solid and tasteless. I don't even think it was ricotta. Total let down. My delicious meal was so good from the start and ended so badly! Epic disappointment! read more

Cucina Calandra - Pasta night! - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, New Jersey

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Great place. Chef Henry is such a good guy. Loves the kids and makes amazing pizza designs. Such doughy crust and great pasta and soup. Always a great time at Calndra's. read more

What a great find! My wife and I were heading to Willowbrook for a family Sunday brunch with our 15-month old twin girls, but the mall was absolutely loaded, so we kept driving west out Route 46. My wife said somebody in a Facebook group told her about this place, Cucina Calandra, indicating that it was kid-friendly. Everything about the experience, from the time we sat down until we left, was top-notch. The wait staff and busboys smiled, and were quick and attentive. The bread (freshly baked with cheese - yum!) was still warm when it hit our table, the menu was extensive, the portions were very substantial. I ordered the special seafood ravioli - lobster and crab meat in the ravioli, with shrimp and scallops mixed in the sauce. Excellent. My wife had the Brodetto Scoglio (seafood in a tomato-based broth) with whole wheat fettuccine, which she said was excellent. Bonus #1: kids under 3 eat free! We ordered grilled chicken with broccoli for the girls, and they brought a portion of pasta - 2 girls, 2 meals! We got leftovers for days. Bonus #2: sending us (and all diners) home with a free loaf of Calandra's bread. Very classy. We were also visited during our meal by Jody, the manager, who was incredibly warm and friendly. She invited us to try one of their special kid pizzas. They make them in the shape of Mickey Mouse and Spongebob - how cool is that? The meal was a little on the pricey side, but, hey, you get what you pay for, and there was tremendous value. We will definitely be coming back - outstanding job, everyone! read more

I took my kids here for their birthday on the recommendation that they can "make their own pizza". Truth be told, they can "order" a face or shaped pizza of their choosing that Chef Henry can make but they do not touch it which my kids are disappointed in. Adult portions were huge and delicious tho and everyone was very nice and accommodating. Didn't make a reservation but also didn't have to wait for a table of 4 on a Saturday at 6:30pm read more

Valentines Day dinner- The restaurant is nicely laid out with plenty of elbow space for all. The hostess is very friendly and the manager did come around to check on guest. The food quality was very good. The downside: The service was lacking and quite often needed to look for someone to fill water . We went on Valentine's Day and they did hand us some bread to take home from their bakery but other then that, there were no specials for the day or a lovers desert, so to speak. The biggest disappointment were the portions. When you think Italian, you think Grandmas house and plenty of food. Not here. You would think for $28, you would get some sort of salad with your meal but no, everything is extra and the portions were small. I ordered scallops and shrimp and and received three small pieces of scallop and four small shrimp next to a mountain of risotto. Felt completely taken advantage of and will never go back. Which is very sad because I wanted it to be my go to place, but not when my hard earned money is not appreciated. read more

Cucina Calandra - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, New Jersey

I don't get over to Fairfield that often but I was at Cucina Calandra for lunch today and I honestly have to say that I had one of the best lunch dishes I have ever tasted. First off, the staff (headed by Jody) was superb. Kasey was our waitress and couldn't be nicer or more knowledgeable about the menu. I decided to have a special on the menu, grilled salmon with a light sesame seed sauce over a mango salad. It truly was one of the best dishes I have ever had...anywhere. The fish was super fresh and grilled to perfection. The sauce was light and the mango salad was off the charts. In short, this was a perfect experience. My friend had the Polpette Di Carne ( 2 big meatballs smothered in fresh ricotta and melted provolone cheese and delicious marinara sauce). The meatballs were so big that my friend could only eat one but told the waitress to pack up the other one because he was going to relive the wonderful experience tonight for his dinner! Oh, did I mention the pipping hot crunchy delicious bread that was brought over to the table? Just amazing! If you live or travel near Fairfield Nj and don't check this place out for lunch, dinner or a drink in their very cool bar, you are nuts! A hidden gem in a hotel. Don't be fooled about its location in a hotel...you cant beat this restaurant anywhere!!!! I live in West Orange and work in Bloomfield and I will be there for lunch tomorrow. Enough said... read more