I live a mere 12 minutes from Villa Nuova and had never…read moreheard of it until a friend told us about them?! He gave us a generous gift card that we used tonight. W O W We drove up to a humble building and entered into a welcoming and a very nicely decorated restaurant. I loved all the red "pops" for Valentine's Day! Giovanni seated us and Chris was our server. Both were warm and friendly. We really enjoyed our conversation with Chris and he gave us a few special treats as "first timers." I flipped for the focaccia bread! It reminded me of Lamberti's on Haddonfield-Berlin Road back in the day. This was even better though - I "kinda" had five pieces lol! We started with salads that were super good! I barely like tomatoes but these grape ones were so tasty! Now onto the star ... LOBSTER RAVIOLI in a brandy sauce! This dish was AH-MAZING and one of the night's specials - from the tender pasta and scrumptious lobster, to the incredible sauce and two succulent large shrimp. The chef added some sun dried tomatoes in, per my request - absolutely delicious!!! My Sir was grinning at me! I couldn't stop ooh'ing and ahh'ing at the "symphony " of flavors in my mouth! He had Veal Parmigiana with a side of Vodka Rigatoni, that he loved (it's his go-to dish that he bases restaurants on). I cleaned my plate, and took the remaining brandy sauce home - this gold wasn't going to waste! Chris hooked us up with two bread more bread baskets because he noticed how we were inhaling it- we took the remainder home too! A treat was meeting Peppe and his wife (?) on the way out. What lovely and gracious people! You can tell that they genuinely love what they do, which is why their food is so damned good! We already talked about going back - my eye is on the Calzone!

Saw a review of the meatball Parm so I figured I'd give it a try. OMG it was fabulous almost beyond…read morewords. The best I ever had and it wasn't $15. It was 10. The taste is still in my mouth, and I hope it stays there for the rest of the evening. Excellent.

Patio dining is where it's at!…read more We visited Filomena's Lakeview with another couple on a Wednesday evening. We enjoyed a pre-dinner drink at the bar, and we were so impressed by how friendly the bartenders were. They were engaging and social. They set off our evening on a high note! My Pink Jaguar cocktail was beautiful and caused quite a buzz among the bar patrons! We opted to sit outside, and we are glad we did. The space is open and breezy but fully covered. No need to worry if a passing shower makes its way overhead. Steamed clams in white wine and Truffle fries for the table to start. Yum! All entrees are accompanied by a house salad or Ceasar salad. Our group ordered the Limone Chicken, Chicken Sfiziosa, Steak Frite, and the Eggplant Meatballs/Risotto. Everything came out piping hot and delicious. We loved everything. I know their linguine is house made, but not certain of the other pasta varietals. Cheesecake and Cannoli for dessert, because why not? Really nice experience! Our server was sweet and super-efficient. My only question for Filomena's Lakeview is "Where is the lake?" :)

Traveling in from Ohio for this week's 4th of July and stopped here before visiting family. The…read moreoutside of the restaurant was very large. We arrived around 3:45 PM without reservations and they immediately took us to an open table. Iced Waters were instant. Our server was very pleasant and she took our order. Bread quickly followed with two types served: Italian with sesame seeds and focaccia; however I was puzzled that it was served with a plate of hot peppers and onions in a juice. It seemed off but perhaps it's a Jersey thing. I've been all over in Italy and have never seen this. Olive oil would have been fine along with a splash of balsamic vinegar. Either way I skipped bread condiments. Next came the Fried Tomatoes topped with Lump Crab as an appetizer, but once again I had another head-scratcher, as this dish wasn't typical. First the entire dish lacked seasoning plus salt. Then red tomatoes were used and we all know what happens when you try to fry one. It turns to water after you cut it. The lump crab is what probably made this dish pricey but 3 thinly slices of a red tomato caught me off guard. Now for the final knock out: I ordered the Bone In Pork Chop and impressed that I was asked how Iiked it prepared? I said 145 degrees. She said, you mean well- done. I stated no, that would be in a range of medium. Lo and behold, it was fantastically preparation temperature, but it came topped with the same peppers and onions concoction that came out with the bread. I had no idea that this was a smothered situation. My broccolini was also a mystery. The mashed potatoes were mid. Now on to my daughter's chicken Parmesan: She said that it lacked flavor and had to add salt and pepper and also stated that the sauce was loose and there was too little of it. My wife enjoyed her Salmon. Jersey is cooking differently!!!!! I forgot to add: Underneath of my pork chop I discovered a mysterious piece of corn. I had no corn in my dish??????

This was a gem. We found it while getting off major highways, heading to Rowan University…read more Service was excellent. Many selections of slices. The BBQ chicken and the Italian Trio were among our favorite. Crisp and chewy crust, good seasonings, flavorful sauce. Try the garlic sticks - reminded us of freshly baked pizza crust - so good!

Delicious pizzas and salad. Great service as well. We tried the pepperoni & sausage, margarita and…read morethe Sicilian trio pizzas. Surprisingly the Sicilian trio square pizza was our favorite as the crust was unbelievably crispy and light! The other pizzas were amazing as well! Definitely a pizza restaurant I would go back to. Friendly service and good food. Pro tip- pay with cash to avoid fee.

We had such a wonderful first time experience! Luigi took the time to come over and talk with us,…read morewhich made us feel so welcome and added such a personal touch to our meal. You can tell he truly cares about his customers and takes pride in his restaurant. The food was absolutely delicious, the portions were incredibly generous, and everything tasted so fresh. It was obvious that each dish was made with care, and you could really taste the difference. The cozy, intimate atmosphere made the entire experience even more enjoyable. Thank you, Luigi, for your kindness, hospitality, and for making our evening so memorable. We can't wait to come back and will definitely be recommending your restaurant to family and friends!

Mamma Rosa was a wonderful surprise!…read more We've passed this little restaurant countless times. A friend was raving about how unassuming and how delicious everything was. Well in that case, let's go! There are only 7 tables and it's first come, first served. No reservations so don't bother asking! - Bruschetta - the perfect amount of salt and spice! - Burrata Appetizer - warm, delicious and perfect to split with a party of four - Homemade Meatballs - tender and fantastic. Like your mom makes! - Caesar salad - solid choice - Grilled Lamb Chop - my husband had leftovers from this that he actually ate! - Fettuccini with Sausage - homemade pasta cooked perfectly - Penne Vodka - silky and al dente - Pappardelle Special - truffle, mushrooms, red sauce. So flippin' good! We were too stuffed for dessert, as per! Special shout-out to the staff. They are warm, efficient, and make you feel like they've known you for years. We had the opportunity to meet the chef and that was a huge treat. We couldn't gush any more about how amazing everything was. He was humbled by our enthusiasm! Cash only and BYOB. Any restaurant with a pay phone on the wall is a-okay in my book. Old-school Italian in the house!

We had our son's Communion luncheon here last Sunday and it was great! Gia was so friendly and…read moreresponsive and more than easy to work with for the planning. We always wanted to host a party in their courtyard and the outside space was perfect for our crew of about 40 people-both adults and kids. There were plenty of tables and room to mingle, having an inside room reserved for us as well. Our 2 servers were very attentive, always asking if anyone needed anything and accommodating even our crazy kids. We had the caesar salad, gorgonzola salad, penne vodka, orichette, chicken parm & veal saltimboca-it was all SO delicious! The shrimp pancetta app, meatballs & chicken cutlets for the kids were also big hits. We had our rehearsal dinner here over ten years ago and in more recent years have had their catering trays on many occasions. We've always said how good the food is! Thank you Bistro Di Marino!!

Updating my review for purposes of providing an essential photo of Shrimp Caesar salad !!read more

Been coming to Cotardo's for many years. Had to write a review after reading the ridiculous 1 star…read morereview by the gentleman who decided not to return to Cotardo's after 40 years, simply because he AGREED to a salad upcharge and then was mad about it- lol. Cotardo's has always been an excellent value. Good food, nice portions with FREE garlic bread, side salad & soup. Plus, being BYOB saves so much money if you have any drinkers in your party. We find their prices to be quite reasonable, as costs have recently skyrocketed. I'm guessing the man complaining about the salad upcharge hasn't been shopping for produce in quite a while. Should the restaurant lose money because you think since its your birthday, or whatever, you should get something more expensive instead of the free option already offered? Restaurants have had to adjust due to costs- I think Cotardo's has done an excellent job of balancing value with quality. Also want to mention that their servers are amazing! Always friendly and accommodating.

sunday night dinner calls for delicious italian food and boy did we get it!!!! the lore of this…read moreplace was nice to read, and the service is just as nice!! our waiter was very kind and attentive. everything came out at staggering times so it never felt like too much. we got the aldo calamari to start which was very yummy! our entrees came with soup and salad and lemme say....soup in the summer is usually a no for me but this garlic bread and creamy tomato soup combo....i will be thinking about it for days. chicken cacciatore and chicken parmigiana were both great, but we were so full from the other course we both took about half of it home. if you are in the area and are looking for classic yummy italian food, i def recommend giving this place a shot!

We stopped in for one pre-dinner martini on Friday 7.17.26. We had reservations at Hearthside…read moreCollingswood. The bar area was mobbed but we were able to snag two stools. I love how huge the bar area is and how you can also sit at high tops. Service was friendly and extremely efficient. Drinks were delicious and boozy. Martini menu was a nice size. We ordered a cucumber and a pear. Staff members were checking in with us periodically to make sure we were ok or if we wanted to order food. Great service. Valet was efficient and made getting in and out a breeze. I had eaten here in the bar area a couple of years ago but did not write a review. Definitely recommend this spot. I wish I lived closer.

Decided on Giumarellos for a celebratory dinner with my beau since he's been wanting to try the…read moreplace ever since I told him about it. We made a reservation for 8:30 and arrived about 20 minutes early so we were expecting to have a little wait before our table was ready. The place was jam packed! Even trying to find a seat at the large bar to have a cocktail before dinner was virtually impossible but we wound up finding one. The bartender made really great drinks so we were very pleased while waiting for our table. Once seated we were provided with water almost immediately and our server arrived shortly after. We put in our drink and appetizer order and then the amazing bread with peppers arrived (complimentary) and we were like two kids in a candy shop. I don't know what they do to those peppers but they're delicious ... and pair perfectly with what I call their pizza bread. Appetizer and drinks were superb and after putting in our entree orders they were placed in front of us in under 20 minutes - fresh, hot and delicious! Neither of us could finish the entrees so we asked for to go containers ... and we certainly gobbled the leftovers up the following day. Oh and there's complimentary valet parking (just tip the valets) which makes for a stress free entrance and exit from the busy parking lot. Giumarellos never disappoints and it was no different this time.

I love Pappardelle (top three; first is long Fusilli, then Pappardelle, and Tortellini and Rigatoni…read more. . . who am I kidding?! - I fancy almost all pasta types except for Angel Hair!) Anyway, Saturday night's visit was excellent - Pappardelle Bolognese for me, and for my Sir - Veal Parm. I absolutely loved my dish; he wasn't crazy about the gravy on his - said it was bland. He tried and liked mine a lot. Everything else was stellar. I'm glad that they still have their yummy scratch bread! I mopped up on that - four pieces lol (I skipped lunch and was ravenous!). Anna and Alvaro were stand outs with their excellent service and conversation :) Of course, no room for dessert - we didn't even look at the menu.

We visited Siena for lunch and very much enjoyed the experience. We arrived at 11, when they opened…read moreon a Saturday and had the restaurant to ourselves for most of the meal. Alex, our server, was gracious, efficient, and engaging. The food was fantastic! They served us bread fresh out of the oven with garlic infused olive oil, as well whipped butter with herbs. Delicious! We ordered the Antipasto Plate as a starter. Artichoke, Roasted Peppers, and Prosciutto were the highlights. We also enjoyed the Shrimp and Scallop Pappardelle and the Branzino special. Both wer delicous and the servings were so generous we brought some home! Dessert was a Crème Brûlée and Tiramisu. Ambience was a cozy Italian restaurant in a strip mall. Siena is a BYOB. We'll be back!