My fellow Yelpers, admittedly I have not been very active writing reviews lately, it was once one of my great pleasures to share my experiences at restaurants, service providers, whatever I was doing I would consider sharing a review here and my goal was to reach Elite status, which I did before the Pandemic! However, sense then I just haven't been very motivated to share my experiences. Comes in waves I guess. That said, I still trust the Yelp community and reviews and swear by them when the quality of a place is not known to me. Well, as it relates to Grissini Northern Italian Oasis in Englewood Cliffs, I'm sorry to say the community let me down! 3.3 rating for a restaurant that meets you at the parking lot with superior service. Ryan, thank you, made us feel welcome before we actually entered the building. Once inside, GM Michael and hostess welcomed us and sat us quickly in the main dining area. Then Domenica and team made every moment of our dining experience special. She literally made sure we got every craving we walked in the door with Satisfied. After taking a look back through the reviews, I am confused by the observations and experiences that were shared to justify them. If you are looking for a high end experience, you have to pay for it! Notions of Value are personal, but must also be reasonable. Also, this is an old school rustic style establishment, it doesn't have vegetarian or vegan on the sign outside, which should indicate they offer rich and flavorful experiences, and I might guess that salt is involved, Along with some pretty tasty protein. My Yelpers, we need to do better. I almost missed this place due to the 3.3 ( I typically run a filter). My wife and 4 year old got there early, around 6:45. The place was half full but was busy an hour into our meal. We got a Margarita pizza for my kid to start (no basil) and it came out quick, hot, as ordered and was delicious. My wife and I shared a Caesar salad. Just a side note, I love when a place never says no. I asked if it came with anchovies, while the answer to that question was no, it was quickly followed with, we can add them. So I got my anchovies and enjoyed the salad. My wife got Cavetteli with sausage and broccoli rabe and loved it, I grabbed a quick taste but wanted to focus on my Chicken Scarpiello (spelling sorry). I used to get this dish at Pietro's in the city and miss getting since my office moved. So I immediately asked Domenica about it and she confirmed it was very tasty, which it was. But what sealed it was letting me know it didn't come out with peppers and sausage but that it could be added upon request. So, once again I got the dish I was craving exactly how I like it. And it was perfect!. My wife and I shared the 7 later cake with a Scoop of Vanilla ice cream, it was light, flavorful and Delicious, I coupled it with the perfect Cappuccino. After receiving our leftover bag, I head out to meet the Valet, so my ladies didn't have to wait in the cold, only to find that Ryan noticed that we had gotten up from the table, and just had our car waiting. My 4 year old was almost as pleased with this as I was! I had to let Michael know our experience far surpassed the review score on Yelp, and even though I know the reviews themselves are more valuable than the aggregate score, it bothered me that the critical mass on this place was so misleading. The Bicycle restaurant across the street has solid 4.0 ratings, but it's really not in the same league as Grissini. So, I guess it just comes down to having aligned expectations? I hope this review helps to level set yours, the next time you are in the area and are looking for great experience that you don't mind paying for. read more

Idk why this place is only rated 3.3?! The service, fresh made pasta, HALIBUT (best I've ever had), and porterhouse were offffff the chain!!! read more

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Had a fantastic early Sunday dinner on 8/24. Service, food and atmosphere was amazingly on point. Great food, wine and top notch service. Fine dining at its best. read more

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Food was okay, it was a bit too salty. The service was excellent, very friendly, always coming to check up on us. The interior of the restaurant was very unique and nice. read more

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Food Amazing, exemplary service, cool ambiance. We will come back when visiting again. read more

Grissini Restaurant - Flambé - Italian Near Me - Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

The server recommended the chicken dish but really didn't like it because chicken was very dry we barely finished it. The food was overall just ok. They only have valet parking and the place is small and everything was overpriced. I won't recommend. It was not a good experience. read more

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Just got home and couldn't write a review sooner! One pasta dish was better than the next. The porterhouses steak was perfectlion. And the pumpkin pie with ginger snap crust was to die for. A true dining experience.. We left full, happy, and already talking about when we're coming back. Highly recommend for anyone looking for great food, great service, and an overall unforgettable dining experience. read more

Upscale Italian restaurant. Valet parking . Pricey but worth it. Please take nice car as they are parked for all to see! Attentive service. Food good but overpriced. read more

We have a party of four, order plenty of dishes to share. Most of them were disappointing. A dozen oysters on the half shell was very lean in size. Linguine white clams sauce was dry and too much butter. Squid ink pasta with seafoods texture was chalky. Porter house steak medium rare was too raw in the center. The only good dish for this dinner was the soft shell crabs, if this is the only thing I have, then this would have been a five star review. read more

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JC from Westchester Was invited to my best friends daughter graduation lunch, we went to Grissini in Englewood NJ, It was a festive atmosphere with friends and family, but the food was really delicious, two different green salads, Seafood salad, baked clams, fried Calamare, eggplant rolletini,shrimp in a lemon sauce, then the pasta, we had Penne a la vodka and rigatoni in marinara sauce, main dish they had Salmon and steaks and both were delicious, and great Negroni The staff was wonderful,very pleasant and professional, everything was on time nice and warm, so thank you to Grissini's For such a great selection, And valet pkng very good also,thanks And always remember "Mangia Bene-Vivi Bene" ciao read more

Went for Mother's Day Brunch at the strong suggestion of family members. Arrived to a dated restaurant with pretentious staff and average neighborhood Italian food at lofty prices. We could have had much better. Won't be back. Response to business owner: Thank you for your reply. I always appreciate a thoughtful response from the business owner. Unfortunately, the dark interiors and tired design choices do not reflect a recent update. Old Italian restaurants continue to look old when a new coat of 1985 is applied. As for the food, it wasn't bad. It was expensive. The food was as good as any good neighborhood joint--just double the price. The staff service efforts follow the money. Regulars and big tippers get the best of the house. We can find much better elsewhere. read more

This was our first time at Grissini. Nice place for dinner. The hostess was very accommodating- however our dinner experience would have been more pleasant if our waiter was more attentive. The food was good. I had the branzino, it was amazing. I was disappointed that the side dish came out about 10 minutes after my main dish. The seafood pasta was good, loaded with seafood. For appetizers, we had a grilled octopus and the tuna tartare. The grilled octopus was alright served with roasted potatoes. The tuna tartare was amazing. The tiramisu and cheesecake was very good. I will definitely be returning. read more

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Ambiance: rustic, dim lighting - good for family or even date night. Love that they have coat hangers near every seat - makes it super convenient, even for purses. Super friendly waitress - chatty and tried to make us as comfortable as possible (asking if we wanted the temperature to be adjusted since we were right under the vents, etc.) Food: Steamed Clams [5/5]: basic steamed clams in white sauce. Super fresh and clean (no sand or grainy bits) - can't complain - it was yummy maybe a bit on the saltier side. Meatballs [4/5]: juicy and dense. Loved the red sauce - was creamy and slightly sweet - not sure what combination of meats were used but would check with waiter if there are restrictions (didn't taste like pure pork or beef) Pizza [3.5/5]: was good, thin, just your average good pizza lol nothing spectacular but was yummy :) Lamb [4/5]: i don't eat lamb but my dad ordered it and he said it was super tender, fatty, and juicy. Loved the seasoning on it. Gave it a 4/5 bc when he passed a piece to my sister, I got a whiff of extra lamb (like it was reaaallly lamby) and I personally believe that if it is cooked and cleaned well - the smell should not be so.... Pungent.. Branzino [4/5]: not pictured, but it was the entire fish served with some sides. Branzino is pretty high quality in itself so great texture - a little on the bland side. Tagliolini Neri [4/5]: great squid ink pasta - not fishy and al dente. Seafood was fresh and clams/mussels were all super clean. The sauce however, was VERY salty. Pappardelle Con Funghi Selvatic [4/5]: probably my favorite dish out of everything. Great pasta texture, sauce was light and creamy (not over or undersalted lol) and I love mushrooms :)). Tiramisu [5/5]: honestly i think all italian restaurants make tiramisu well haha - haven't been to one that messed this up. Yummy and creamy - had a hint of rum in the sponge cake as well (not strong but you can definitely taste it) Portion sizes were all shareable for us so we all got to try a little bit of everything. Overall it's a good restaurant but just average - didn't blow me away. read more

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Fantastic experience all around! The food was outstanding (no surprise knowing Chef Franco) with a warm, genuinely welcoming atmosphere and excellent service. Great wine list and beautiful ambience. Looking forward to next time! read more

Grissini has been here for as long as I can remember living in New Jersey. The front is always lined with Bentleys, Mercedes and other exotics. I know it's more of a pricey restaurant in New Jersey and it always has been. We were there for a quick dinner on a Saturday. You can tell that the pandemic and the current environment is having an effect. It was 7pm and only half full. While towards the end of our dinner there were still a few tables left. So onto our dining experience. We valeted our car and checked in. Pretty painless. We got seated and this is where both me and my wife smelled something a little funny. Formaldehyde. Anyone that has gone through medical training will know this smell. I'm not sure why the inside of a nice restaurant will have this smell but it was a little off putting. Once the HVAC kicked in it went away so I didn't ask for a new table or anything. We ordered the meatball and calamari to start. Calamari was fresh and very crispy. No complaints other than the portion size was a tad small. Meatball was nothing too special at all but our kids wolfed it down. Main entrees were the ink squid seafood pasta and the porterhouse for 2. The pasta overall is good. Nothing that is mind blowing or anything. The porterhouse for 2 was a nice steak. Meat was well cooked but I do have to say it is way too over priced. $180 is the most I have ever spent for steak. The steak was more expensive than most of the dedicated steak houses that I have been to. Atleast it was good steak but at $90 per person it's not worth it. I should have asked for the price before ordering it as it had the "market price" on it. I would have been perfectly okay with a price upto $140. But really $180 at a non-dedicated steakhouse is absolutely ridiculous. Most of the specials on the menu doesn't have any prices on it. I'm sure this restaurant caters to the "I don't care how much anything costs" crowd. While I have no problems paying a premium for great quality food there are limits. And Grissini hits those limits. Food 4 out of 5. Service 4 out of 5. Value 0 out of 5. They should really consider posting all prices. read more

Grissini Restaurant - $180 porterhouse - Italian Near Me - Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Nice experience with good food, if they get the order right. Layout is a little different but is fine if seated in the dining room area. Things are tight. Pasta was good and cooked properly. They did seem to struggle getting orders correct and server attention was average at best. Bread is the highlight. read more

I don't know how to write back. lol. Hey L S, "Our restaurant prides itself on using high-quality ingredients... It's this commitment to quality that may reflect in our pricing compared to other establishments that may opt for lower-quality ingredients." - How are you defining quality? Are you ordering from farms, local producers, organic produce, organic dairy? You are telling me your fish doesn't come in frozen? Importing some cheese and pasta, maybe olive oil, doesn't mean your food has an overall quality beyond those ingredients. "Regarding your comments on service, we strive to treat all our guests with equal attention and hospitality. It's concerning to hear you felt otherwise, and we will look into this matter promptly." - How are you looking into this? What will you do with the server? How do you even define hospitality for your staff? The staff is a reflection of management, and the male manger was rude and only concerned with those people he recognized. Towards the end of the night, management disappeared and staff began to hang out in groups, neglecting their service duties and complaining about tips from other customers. It seems as if you do strive to treat all guests equally, unfortunately your standards seem very low. read more

Service is great from the moment to pull into valet parking Our waiter was super knowledgeable about menu options and The Italian atmosphere take me back to Tuscany. The fresh Italian bread is a great start to this true Italian meal. We order salads, pizza and pasta!! We figured we would try a little of everything to give a true review So we're back again no even a whole 24 hours later. My daughter say she can eat here everyday!!! read more

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I wanted to really like this place. Food is overpriced, seafood over pasta and there were 2 mussels and 3 clams. The rest were "calamari " rings, for $40, I don't think so! The service was hurried and I think I figured out why they play loud music on top of loud talking, they don't want you to settle in. They want you to eat, pay your bill and vacate for the next crew. read more

I can't even begin to say what a gem this restaurants is. From the moment we were seated it felt like home. Jo was amazingly knowledgeable, extremely attentive and by the time we were done with dinner, I felt like I had a new friend and family member. Add to that the amazing food and the fact that they comped out desserts in honor of my celebration, I don't think 5 stars even touches on the awesomeness of this Italian diamond. Thank you for the amazing meal and the even more amazing evening. Just wish you weren't 800 miles from home read more

Grissini Restaurant - Fettuccini Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

The food was good but the noise level was horrible, making it nearly impossible to talk at the table.

Okay... so this place is very expensive that is true 100% but it was soooo delicious and the service was great. I wish the parking was a bit better. I am giving it a 4 star because the prices are super high and parking was annoying but the food and desserts were delicious. Also, the drinks were on point and not cheap with the liquor. I will definitely save this place for special occasions like once a year. read more

Grissini Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Fantastic service, the food was delicious, hot and happening on a Wed. With lots of birthday parties

We went on a Thursday evening & did not have a reservation. We were seated immediately as the restaurant was 1/2 full. It quickly filled up and every table was occupied. We shared 2 appetizers among 3 adults. The burrata was served with arugula and prosciutto which was delicious. The Polpette al Sugo alla Romana (meatballs in ragu sauce) were a delightful consistency & full of flavor. Entrees were Veal Chop, pesto gnocchi & ravioli. The ravioli was a special of the day. Food & service were excellent. The atmosphere was nice. read more

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Just to set the record straight, Grissini was started by Joseph Anton from River Palm. He recruited Tom to go into this venture with him. I have to set the record straight and can't keep covering up the fact that Joe was the one who started Grissini restaurant. read more

Great ambience and service. The iconic restaurant of Englewood Cliffs has been around for decades. The restaurant is long and narrow with an open kitchen and a bar. It's decorated elegantly, definitely with the history of the restaurant. Food is pretty good and standard. Nothing really outstanding though. Not that much unique for Italian. It's also not that bad so I'd say mediocre as I've had better italian at many other places. It's very overpriced overall with both food and drinks. Caprese with 2 pieces of tomato and couple of mozzarella is $20. I'd say it still makes a pretty good date night place that can be checked out once in awhile. read more

Grissini Restaurant - Carpaccio and caprese salad - Italian Near Me - Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

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I had high expectations for this restaurant, which is why we brought our best friend here for her birthday. For starters, it was immediately obvious that aside from possibly 1 couple and the restaurant staff, we were the only non-white people in the restaurant. That should've tipped us off. The stares from other diners when we entered the restaurant and then when we were being seated, and obvious lack of attention to service (failure to bring a bread plate though asked 2x, having to wave down the servers) were not welcoming to say the least. As for the food, the birthday girl had the chicken marsala. The chicken tasted as if it had been previously frozen. The mashed potatoes and vegetables looked like something you'd get served in elementary school. I had the Paglia e Fieno - the pasta itself was decent but the cream sauce was on the salty side and the prosciutto was not fresh. To be fair, our other friend ordered the Tagliolini with shrimp and didn't have any complaints. Also, I will note that our waitress was accommodating with my drink which I initially did not like. However, the most upsetting part of the night was that I had expressly requested in our reservation notes that the staff include a candle with dessert to sing happy birthday to my friend. The staff was very well aware of this request because both the host and waitress asked who was the birthday girl in the group. During dinner, the staff sang happy birthday for several other guests. But when it came time to do the same for my friend, nothing. Dessert was brought out without any acknowledgement that it was her birthday. To add insult to injury, the birthday girl's cheesecake tasted as if it had been previously frozen. Our other friend had a small bite and confirmed that it was bad. I raised this with the waitress and she deducted our 3 beverages from the bill which was appreciated but did not take away from our overall negative experience. In sum, if you're looking for great quality Italian food with a diverse crowd and great service, this isn't it. I recommend the Little Italy neighborhoods in the Bronx or SoHo. read more

The hostess was dressed quite inappropriately! There was a sign right behind her which read customers need to be dressed appropriately. That doesn't apply to the hostess? I booked the reservation on OpenTable. It would have been nice if Grissini's honored that info. I indicated that we were dining there to celebrate a special birthday! Nothing. The food was overpriced and nothing special. read more

I had the most fresh fish in butter sauce from here! I still think about it lol Although the food was a bit pricy, the ingredients were super fresh! The clams oreganata was yummy. My friend got the tuna tartar and said she had better. Overall we had a great experience. read more

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I'm from Puerto Rico and I happened to come across this wonderful, homely place. The staff were warm and welcoming, the place was peaceful and classy. Even the aroma in Grissini is delightful! I would recomend this place to any family, couple or for just yourself if you want the real royal treatment! If I could give a 10, I definitely would! Unfortunately, we weren't able to try the food because we were only passing by, but all the people seemed to only be quietly chattering because they seemed to enoy their meals so much! Every plate gave a warm aroma that made your stomach rumble. We will definitely stop by again and try all the food we can! read more

The food was delicious, the service impeccable. As far as ambience, very nice as long as you're not offended that they play FOX not NEWS!

I typically don't write about free meals* - but I see Grissini could use some love! It's true. I'm so out of place upon walking in. I have no designer bag, my hair is au natural (and usually looking like a rat's nest), my Nissan Altima looks like it's straight outta Compton not Englewood Cliffs, NJ and I've never seen an episode of Real Housewives. This however did not stop me from having a damn good meal. Listen, this isn't your local deli where you're walking out with a $15 meal - wham bam thank you ma'am. This is where you go for a leisurely lunch, enjoy a fine red and impress whoever you are eating with and drop some money on a gorgeous meal. Linen table cloths, fine service and $25 entree's are to be expected, and that's just at lunch! I started off with a minestrone and a chicken arrabiata (spicy peppers). I was feeling under the weather and needed some sustenance. I don't like minestrone soup, I liked this one. Slopping up the steaming broth filled with fresh vegetables with the Tuscan bread, made me feel better. The chicken entree was perfectly cooked, juicy, spiced, with sauteed peppers and onions. It was a hearty meal and it was delicious. Ending the meal with coffee & tea and some biscotti makes me feel like I'm powerbrokering in Milan, not Bergen County. It's definitely an upscale, old school NYC/NJ style Italian restaurant. I also seemed to see a lot of business lunches going on, which makes total sense. You'll end up dropping some dough, but if money ain't a thing, or you're looking to splurge, you'll find some great fresh food here. Pro-tips - Valet! Parking is pretty much non-existent. Reservations - this place seems to be a fan favorite locally. * I was treated by my lovely gal pals from a PR company and not by the establishment itself. read more

Grissini Restaurant - Minestrone soup - Italian Near Me - Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

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I found this place online in an article about New Year's Eve events in North Jersey. It was a pre-fix 4 course meal, toast at midnight, DJ with dancing very good service! The place: there is valet parking with high end cars in the parking lot. You drive in, give your key to the valet and proceed into the restaurant. The restaurant has three sections. One is a small seating area by the entrance, one is attached to it and has a full bar with TVs (great for watching the ball drop) and one in the back. In the evening, the place had dimmed lighting and white table cloths with small candles. Service: the manager is there at all times and is happy to greet customers or accommodate requests. It gives the restaurant a family feel. Service varies as it is done by different waiters serving the tables at once. There is no assigned waiter. Food: the salad I got was a bit disappointing. The salad mix was dry and needed more dressing. The pieces of cheese helped balance the dryness but it wasn't my favorite dish. The oysters and scallops were made to perfection with the sauces giving them just the right touch of zest. For my third course I got a chunky piece of halibut with tomato and olives sauce. It was great and too big for me to eat in one meal. I took it to go. The dinner ended with a light and fluffy cheese cake that I literally inhaled. It must have been made with ricotta. I tried a bite and next thing I know the cake was gone... Other: this is not the young and vibrant scene you would get in Manhattan. The patrons were mainly families and groups living in the north jersey area. New Years: DJ was amazing. We got a lot of dancing in and had a fun doing it. I would defiantly come back here for the atmosphere and the food. read more

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Excellent Italian restaurant in NJ. Excellent appetizers, pasta, Italian main dishes, cocktail and dessert. Food: 4.5 Service: 5 Decor: 5 Price: 4 Excellent Mussel w/ marinara sauce, Meatballs, fresh Oyster, spaghetti bolognesse, linguine alla vongole, seafood pasta, spaghetti carbonara, tiramisu, warm chocolate cake w/ vanilla ice cream. I would not recommend their shrimp entree and steak entree. They were below average. Overall, Grissini is one of the top Italian restaurant experience in NJ. No need to drive to NYC to get high quality Italian meal. Highly recommended. read more

On a holiday celebration my family and I decided to give Grissini a go (group of 6 people) - the resturant itself is small with a romantic ambiance (imagine soft Italian music playing in the background with dim lighting and candles). We made a reservation a week in advance, but we were squished onto a table that could barely hold all of us and everything we ordered. Our waiter didn't care much for us and let us feel it - he was extremely inattentive and walked by us multiple times when trying to flag him down. For appetizers we ordered calamari, Zuppa Di Cozze Marinara, and the Polpette Al Sugo Romana. The Zuppa Di Cozze had a DELICIOUS Mariana sauce and was cooked to perfection and the Polpette Al Sugo Romana brought back memories of my grandmother's meatballs in a delicious Ragu sauce! Other then the appetizers I wanted to mention the bread that they brought out was ice cold, like they just pulled it out of the refrigerator.. For our main entrees we had the Ravioli, the Pollo All'Arrabiata (chicken was so chewy and rough), Gamberoni AlVino Branco, and the Scaloppine A Piacere Picata (below par - Grand Luxe makes a better version) and for dessert we had the tiramisu which comes in a personal bowl (nice touch), the chocolate 7 layer cake (below par), and the peanut butter Tartufo (it was my first time trying out peanut butter tartufo and I have to say it was great!) read more

Succulent Birthday Dinner @Grissini Restaurant even though that due to pandemic the restaurant is working with smaller Menu. I was pampered by the Chef who prepared my dish regardless it was not included in the small Menu . I reserved an outdoor table and the ambience was peaceful. The Mexican Server was attentive was not able to explain in Spanish some items from the Menu. Overall experience was fantastic. read more

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Four of us had an early Sunday dinner and it was fabulous. Starting with the bread which had a great crust but soft inside. We had Eggplant Rollantini, Ravioli, Lasagna, "Sunday Gravy"special, and the Shrimp with white wine. We all loved our dishes. We have lived in the area for over 35 years but this was our first time here. It is now on our short list for a go to, special occasions meal. All the dishes came out hot and even the plates were warm. Nice size portions, so some take home too leftover. They say you get what you pay for, but this place really delivers. read more

Great night with coworkers , we share our Amazing appetizers pumpkin ravioli homemade, carpaccio with figs and mozzarella, our delicious main courses chicken piccata, whole branzino fish and grill salmon complemented the night . All this with a chill bottle of Santa margarita Italian wine. Service very attentive and friendly . Love this place ..... read more

Grissini Restaurant - Pumpkin Ravioli, Carpaccio - Italian Near Me - Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

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Waiter was not nice/ food Portions was so small/ and fed not tasty. Wouldn't come back

Had a wonderful dinner with my entire family. Service was great and the servers were very personable. I ordered the fried calamari for appetizer and the filet mignon for my entrée which was delicious. My wife ordered the linguine with white clam sauce and she loved it. Everything tasted fresh and the atmosphere was very warm. It is a bit pricey but personally I don't mind paying for great service and food. This was my second time here and It certainly won't be my last. 5 Stars!!! read more

Grissini Restaurant - The fam - Italian Near Me - Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey