I attended a baby shower here over the weekend. I was immediately impressed by the simple elegance…read moreof the dining room. The staff gave ample time for my family and I to say our hello's before greeting us with drink options. Upon sitting down our server brought us fresh bread and butter with flakey sea salt on top. For appetizers we had The Ralph Piccolo Pizza, Ricotta Crostini, Cacio E Pepe Fries, and Prosciutto Di Parma. All were insanely incredible. Great flavor, crispy where it needed to be crispy, soft where it needed to be soft. For my entree, I had the Crest De Gallo Pasta. The pomodoro sauce was on the savory side. It was a set menu and I am vegetarian, it was my option. It was good! I would love to return to try the Spicy Vodka Sauce Rigatoni. I am a spice lover. For dessert I had the most wonderful, rich, smooth chocolate mousse. The dish was called The Chocolate Spuma. It came with crumbled pistachios and fresh raspberries on the side of it. The flavors and textures together were perfect. The staff were so kind, had great humor, and fabulous manners. They held themselves very professionally. The head server for the event and the manager were lovely. I just had to pull the manager to the side and compliment all. I live 1.5 hours away but I would gladly book a weekend trip up to Maplewood, just to eat here again.

Very nice staff and overall food quality was excellent. We ordered quite a bit of appetizers and…read moreeverything we had was well executed and service was prompt. The standout for us was the snap peas side ( so refreshing and tastes so good) and the garlic shrimp was amazing and flavorful. The ambiance is nice but it gets so packed so if you get overstimulated easily, just prepare for this.

Delicious food, bright and relaxed atmosphere, and great service all around. Artie's is a fantastic…read morefamily-friendly restaurant that not only specializes in wood-fired pizzas but also baked goods like breads and pastries. I always love trying something off their seasonal pizza menu; during my most recent visit, I loved their maple bacon pizza, which had the perfect balance of sweet and savory. They don't accept reservations, so expect it to be pretty busy, especially during the weekends. Note that they also only have a limited cold food menu during the off hour between lunch and dinner.

Still easily my favorite pizza in NJ, no contest. Since moving to the new location, Artie's is…read morebetter than ever!! The restaurant itself is spacious and has an inviting atmosphere. Love going in the warmer weather when they open up the doors and have the bar serving on the patio. And let's face it, if you know anything about Arite's you know that there will always be a wait on the weekends. Having the bar and the patio makes waiting a breeze! The food is seriously better than ever. I actually think the pizza is even better at this new spot than the previous location. The sleeper favorite for me is the maple bacon pizza. Takes the white pie to another level and has become a go to for me. Always, I repeat always, order the meatballs and save the sauce for your pizza crust. The farmers salad is always a must for me as well. No one does a salad like Artie's. Give this place a shot because trust me, you won't be disappointed.

This place is so good. Everyone we eat in or do take out, the food is fresh, tasty, and piping hot…read more Everything we had tonight was excellent. Did not remember to take pictures of the fried calamari and garlic bread, as we ate them all in a short time. Service was not bad. The kitchen/cook deserves all the praise. Highly recommend!

Pasta Flavio: where it's not all about the Flavor, for better or worse…read more To be fair, this order was takeout, so the judgment is mainly on the food, and nothing for the ambiance. Service was on time, order was done correctly... we _think_. To be clear: * Don't rely on the menu descriptions. The alfredo sauce, for example, is not the creamy texture you're used to. It's cheesy bits in oil. Not bad, but not what I was expecting. And "truffles" were invisible - just the oil, not shreds of mushroom. * Compared to my favorite local establishment, The Pasta Shop in Denville, the pasta is a noticeable step lower in texture. There are fewer varieties of pasta here than the Shop, but on the other hand, much more customizable plates. The Pasta Shop is set up where you can order from their standard menu or their daily specials, withhold an item if you're allergic. Here at Flavio, you can choose your meat(s), sauce(s), toppings (up to 7, and then I imagine you can choose more at a cost). And you get a lot of meat - my chicken was hidden in the photo, but stirring turned it all up. And it wasn't too salty, and nicely grilled. But the other toppings, you get less. My arrabiata pepper was shredded in very sparse amounts. Struggled to find other veggies. Only a few garlic cloves, tho nicely roasted. Verdict? Will sacrifice quantity (of what can be ordered) for quality and stick with The Pasta Shop.

I come here every year with a large party. Which they are very patient and accommodating too. The…read moreservice is always friendly and I am impressed by all the specials that the wait staff can memorize! The appetizers are shareable between 3 to 4 people. The burrata is always a favorite as well as the friend calamari. I usually go with the chicken parmesan meal. It's served on a bed of large pasta. It's a huge piece of chicken so come with an appetite or a take home portion. All our plates were polished off, showing off the excellent taste of all the different dishes. There is street parking and it is BYOB. The wait staff did come around often to make sure the glasses were full. My friends raved about the creme brule and the tiramasu was also great.

NOTE: Basilico is primarily BYOB, but has started to offer a very limited assortment of wines…read more Basilico is established, well-regarded in the realm of reasonable-yet-up-scale Italian dining in the Essex/Union county area, and rightfully so. I recently visited to celebrate my mom's birthday on an early Saturday afternoon. The food was spot-on and the service was very attentive. The atmosphere is nothing too over-the-top, but classy. A solid 'occasion' destination. We were first treated to a bread basket with an assortment of fresh breads and focaccia, with a trio of dips/spreads (a tomato/red pepper-ish dip, butter, and a bean dip). So good, we had to get a second basket! Annnnd onto the apps - we (a party of 6, 2 of which were kids), we ordered/shared the: Tartare di Tonno (Wild tuna tartare with cucumber, homemade chips - $17.95) - amazing, very fresh and believe it had some sort of dijon mustard kick that really took it over the top Calamari Fritti (Fried calamari with marinara sauce - $15.95) - crispy and served with a nice marinara sauce. Polpo alla Griglia (Tender charred Spanish octopus, chick peas, julienne carrots, string beans, radish, parsley, lemon, extra virgin olive oil - $20.95) - the octopus was perfectly cooked, and the chickpeas/carrots, etc., added some delightful brightness to the dish. For my meal , I opted for the trout stuffed with crab meat, capers, roasted potatoes and broccoli. The trout with crab meat was delicious and a nice sized portion as well. For dessert, we all shared the: Apple Cobbler (Served warm with cinnamon ice cream - $13.50) - absolutely divine! Probably the best one of the lot. Baked Alaska (ce cream, almond pound cake and baked meringue - $13.50) - fiery presentation and all, this one did not disappoint! Tartufo Trio (A trio of chocolate, vanilla and hazelnut semifreddo - $13.50). All in all, Basicilo is a neighborhood Italian institution, and rightfully so. Definitely worth keeping in the rotation and considered for occasions.

Still the best! The table side spicy vodka chicken parm is ridiculously good. Aside from the…read moreinstagram-worthy presentation, the table side saucing means a crispy cutlet while you eat it. So. So. So. Good. And they still treat you like family. There's a reason it's always busy at Cara Mia!

Absolutely way over hyped. Carpaccio was small and not very good for the price. Shrimp scampi was…read moreterrible. No garlic whatsoever and basically lemon and flour sauce. I didn't even eat most of it because tiny shrimp was very overcooked and spinach it was served with tasted like it was boiled in bad fish stock. I agree with the guy above who mentioned that the bread was stale and fried zucchini was lackluster at best. My husband got the much touted parm which tasted like the sauce was from a can of spaghetti o's. We didn't bother with dessert because I didn't feel that tartufo that likely came from Bindi was $16. Service was fine but air was not working and we were all crammed into a tiny little room which was so loud you couldn't hear the other person. I would not go back.

Frequent visitor to boccone Host and chef (and of course…read morethe food) full of life and personality it's a wonderful restaurant Some part of menu is fixed but delicious and terrific like chicken fantasia and salmon Then specials like mango salad and a mushroom with cheese which is unforgettable and should be on the regular menu Bread pudding is a must too! Chef will accommodate for vegan and vegetarian too!

Oh my goodness, how come I did not eat at this restaurant until tonight?…read more We were greeted by Nick. Then Silvio the owner came by to give us all the specials for tonight. We ordered the portobello mushroom with balsamic vinegar and goat cheese, veal chop, black ink linguine with sea scallops and baby shrimp, and bread pudding. Everything was so delicious! Service was top notch. Price was reasonable given how delicious the food was. We will be back! Highly recommend.

Finally came to the Eataly restaurant and wow - I'm blown away. From the ambiance, to the service,…read moreto of course the pasta, it was all perfection. I always crave a crisp coca cola, and Eately's brand is absolutely phenomenal. The menu is large with all kinds of pastas, pizzas and much more. They do offer a $25 lunch price fixe that comes with two courses. I wanted pasta, so this offering didn't really make much sense for me. They have plenty of pasta options for course 1, but for course 2 you can only get rice, potatoes or focaccia. I do wish they had some kind of green or salad option here. Pasta dishes are around the same price as the lunch special anyhow. The cacio e pepe was divine. Silky, creamy and perfectly al dente noodles. The lunch portion is perfectly sized too. Fettuccine alfredo comes out in a cheese wheel which is always fun. I'm sure you can't go wrong with anything here. Eataly really just knows how to do it right.

The dining options at short hills are limited, and Eataly is probably the best option…read more I've always found the food at Eataly to be tasty and consistent. Maybe I'm just ordering the right thing? The pomodoro pasta is one of the best I've ever had. This sauce is really delicious and complex. The pasta is really nice quality and al dente. Very good. Recently we came for brunch and it was just ok. The eggs with asparagus, ricotta and pancetta - We asked for a soft scramble (not soft). They had sliced raw asparagus tossed in little olive oil on sliced bread... needed to be more than just that. It would have been a lot tastier if they seasoned the ricotta and toasted the bread. Still, I like coming here and it's a great restaurant for a mall. It's also easy to bring kids here which makes it very convenient!

We had our wedding dinner here and it was such a great experience. They were able to accommodate…read morealmost 55 people and everything went smoothly. The service was amazing and the staff was super accommodating. Mentor was awesome to work with and very responsive. Our guests couldn't stop talking about how good the food was, and everything came out in a timely manner. Drinks were quick and delicious, too. Being able to play my own playlist was such a nice touch and really made the night feel special. I'd definitely recommend this place for small events or even just a regular dinner - we loved it.

Great authentic Italian spot! The menu features a lot of fresh, daily specials and an impressive…read moreselection of seafood dishes. We especially loved the shrimp risotto, it was perfectly cooked and full of flavor. The pasta fagioli soup was also excellent and tasted very homemade and comforting. This place is clearly a local favorite because it gets extremely busy, so I highly recommend making a reservation ahead of time. Would definitely go back!