The fare here is cheese plates, salumi, a large variety of antipasti, different bruschettas, typical fritti style stuff, some pizzas, multiple types of meatballs.....all served in small portions meant to be shared intimately with a small group....as well as a few staple entree dinners. Â Â I wouldn't recommend viewing it as what we'd normally call family style, cuz I dunno if your kids would be into it, and bringing a litter of hyper ankle biters in a place where there is constant small hot dishes moving....it would totally ruin the intimacy vibe....but for a family of adults or close friends....its hard to beat the combinations of variety possible w this style eating.
For 3 people, we started with 1 espresso n 1 blood orange vodka martinis, 1 belini, and 1 large bottle of peligrino, the mussles in wht wine sauce, and a mix plate w spek, Prosciutto, provolone....and thin sliced pork belly wrapped w loin, caprese salad, and a bruschetta slice w goat cheese. Â The sliced meats were all tasty, none too salty......the cheese was nice (therewas also shredded parmasean on every table), all actual local or DOP stamped stuff. Â Mixing things around a lil....the mussles w little bits of the spek in the same bite were great. Â The mussles were good, about 15 of them in a great sauce for dunking. Â Our friend seemed to enjoy her bruschetta, goat cheese isn't really my thing or Rogers. Â My cocktail, the espresso-tini was pretty good. Â Creamy. Â Rogers, the blood orange-tini, was really good. Â Very crisp and refreshing, and I'm prolly ordering it next time. Â
Next up, fritti n meatballs. Â We tried the spicy pork meatball in sweet sauce, very juicy n def a lil kick, a solid meatball that would pass in either of our homes, a calamari, which was cooked pretty perfectly....a tad salty, very tender, nice amount of tentacle for all 3 of us. Â Arincini (fried risotto balls) w chs and peas.....good amount of them for sharing, were nice n crispy, but soft n creamy inside. Â The fried polenta sticks w pecorino were an interesting touch, very much resembling steak fries. Â For desert, our friend ordered a cappuchino, which came w a rock salt on a stick stirrer, and an order of very light zeppolies w a trio of sauces: chocolate, fleur di cel caramel & nutella. Â They were very good, and the salted caramel sauce was so good it was almost sexy.
The restaurant also offers quite a long list of wines, liquors, and red or white sangrias and some Italian beers both bottle and draft. Â As a special tonite they were also having a wine pairing flight w meats n cheeses, with an option to sit in bar w the locally sourced cheese maker.
The environment is very casual yet classy without being stereotypically kitschy, def a great place for a date, game night, or girls night out.
Not one thing brought to the table besides goat cheese that I wasn't into. Â Â A big interest in trying the wild boar ragu on pasta.
Roger and I will definitely be back here. A good place for tappas in Jersey is a major notable. Many restaurants now offer extensive tappas style appetizers, but this place not only makes it all just that, but does it well.
The service was very genuinely welcoming and friendly, very patient with our various questions and super attentive even stopping multiple times just to refill our little water glasses, even tho we had multiple big bottles. Â Roger left a pretty heavy tip, which he usually only does when he's extremely satisfied w service.
Overall a very satisfying experience during a really rough set of circumstances that gave us all something positive to focus on and chat about.......as I said earlier....Good Food, Good Drink and Good Company....
A solid recomendation for any1 into tappas, curious about tappas, or just lookin for a drink n some small stuff.....just keep a mental tab on that bill.....these little plates of greatness, just like dim sum, can sneak up on your wallet while time flies in conversation.
I've been dying to try this place. Can't say my curiosity was for naught. I love this place! It's got a lounge feel and reminds me of a nice Italian joint in the city. It's a little pricey but the atmosphere and the food and wine make it worthwhile. The service was subpar as our waitress was a little too laid back and was very sloppy when it came to opening our bottle of wine (isn't this supposed to be a WINE bar??). I would have thought that this skill would be a must to work here but apparently it isn't.
I started out with the artichoke and the white bean bruschettas. They were absolutely delicious! My boyfriend had the Milanese which was equally delicious. We didn't order entrees because we were just stepping out for some wine (we got a bottle of the Pinot Noir, Borgo) and snacks. The food was great, the wine was ok, the service was meh, and the atmosphere was perfect for a Friday night. I highly recommend Spuntino for a date or group night out. It's a bit pricey but it's a more sophisticated night out than their neighbor, Shannon Rose. The choice is yours. Enjoy!
I still really like this place, came back on a weekday right before closing. There were a few people in the restaurant. The food quality was still good at this time.
The seafood salad was fresh but a little under seasoned; the crab area was delicious but a little on the oily side; the meats were perfectly sliced, the burratta was rich and creamy
Or bar tender was a little wacky, she put our meat and cheese order in without realizing that the person who does the slicing left, so we were sat there waiting a little but before my wife reminded her of our order, she got someone from the kitchen to slice it for us.
I really like the wine selection and the fresh meat selection, better than any Italian place I've been to before.
1 meat, 1 cheese, burratta, carbonara, seafood salad, 1 Moretti pint, 1 glass of red, 1 Prosecco $55 ($31 for food, $24 for drinks) for the quality and variety this is not too bad.
I couldn't agree more with the reviewer that said the pizza was terrible. Â They really need to revamp their recipe since this is a very popular item at a restaurant that encourages sharing small plates.
The rest of the food was decent. Â I do like the idea of sharing various dishes, however I wish there was just a little more of each on the plate. Â I felt like I could have easily eaten 4 things which can really add up! Â I really enjoyed the atmosphere, the wine, the cheese plate was great, and out waiter was very helpful and accommodating.
Would be great for a happy hour place where you might want to order a few small items and chat.
After a Father's Day viewing of Superman (when will they let us start reviewing movies on Yelp?!?) we headed over to Spuntino's on a whim. Â My first impression was wow, they have this kind of food next to The Shannon Rose? Â Everything on the menu sounded great and lucky for us it was an Italian tapas restaurant. Â Our server was awesome through the entire meal and we definitely put her to work. Â We ordered a TON of small plates, most of which were pretty solid. Â My only gripe was about half of the food was slightly under seasoned, but nothing I couldn't fix by shakin' it like a salt shaker. Â The wine list was impressive and heavily featured Italian wines. Â I opted for their Italian spin on a Manhattan, which was damn good. Â It was smooth sailing up until the dessert course when they served me a stale orange olive oil cake. Â Seriously, that thing was hard as a rock wtf? Â The waitress was extremely apologetic and removed it from the bill with no fuss at all. Â I'd definitely come back here next time I'm in the area.
Review Source:Great local spot, very friendly staff, decent wine list, tasty tapas. Â Do not deprive yourself of sampling the cheese selection. Â Although not a huge list, the ones they do offer are very good quality. Â Dessert: Â just say Ciambelle! The menu describes these as Spuntino-made donoughts, do not be fooled by this pathetic description of what you will be served. Â These tiny pillow-like, warm and soft on the inside, lightly crispy outside, covered in powered sugar (before you say, that's a zeppole, trust me, it's not. Â It could be a cousin, a lighter, more delicate cousin!) are brought to you in a brown paper bag - very rustic! and accompanied by your choice of dipping sauce. Â Since I could not make up my mind in which I wanted to sample, the bartender was develish enough to bring me all three! Gotta love great service! My boyfriend and I both agreed, the salty caramel was the perfect crown for our little treasts... much as he fought me on dessert that day, we ate the entire bag!!!
Review Source:Came to Spuntino on Saturday night with my boyfriend.
1. Our waitress ( I can't remember her name: she was tall and blonde!) was awesome! I mean she was hands down the best waitress I've ever had. My boyfriend and I are vegetarian and she was really helpful with the menu, and even gave us suggestions.
2. The food choices are great. So many things to choose from
3. Favorite food - the basil pesto pizza. Absolutely delicious!
4. Only reason I'm giving 4 stars and not 5 is some of the food was lacking that extra bit of flavor; a little drying.
5. Great place for a date, or even to come with a group of people! You won't be disappointed
This was the most amazing dinner I've had in a long time.
And that's coming from a 100% traditional Italian.
I actually made this account just so I could tell Yelpers about my amazing experience at Spuntino, Italian Tapas & Wine Bar. I went with four others and we ordered a ton of food--lamb meatballs, prosciutto, fontina and honey, shrimp scampi (the best I've ever had), pastas, feta and asparagus bruschetta--needless to say we were full by the end of the night. We also ordered dessert and coffee--ciambelles with nutella, chocolate, and salted caramel dipping sauces, and cappuccinos.
Everyone agreed that the food tasted fresh, light, and delicious. No one left uncomfortably full or hungry, but rather "just right".
I recommend Spuntino to every true-hearted Italian in northern New Jersey that thinks restaurants can't replicate the food we know and love--not only do they replicate it, but they exceed expectations. Bravo, Spuntino. Bravo.
P.S. Our waitress Tammy was phenomenal! She was knowledgeable and made us feel very welcome.
Went to Spuntino on a date and it was a surprisingly good spot.
The ambiance of the restaurant was very low key yet very romantic. The lights were low and it was a nice space.
The waitress was really helpful in choosing our wine as well as some of our dishes. Â We ordered the following dishes:
1. Mussels
2. Brushetta - Tomato and Basil
3. Spicy Pork Meatball
4. Naked Lamb Meatball
5. Margherita Pizza
6. Hanger Steak Con Salsa Verde
Everything we had was delightful. I personally enjoyed the meatballs, especially the naked lamb one. Â I also liked the hanger steak since the meat was tender and the salsa verde was flavorful. Â The sauce for the mussels was delicious. I am one that doesn't like mussels but this dish was okay in my book. I kept asking for bread to dip in the sauce.
However, I wouldn't order the Margherita Pizza. The crust and cheese weren't too good. There just wasn't enough ingredients on the pizza itself - cheese, tomatoes and basil. Â Those ingredients are essential to a Margherita Pizza, you know?
All in all, it was a very good meal.
The most important thing you should take away from my review?
They have a full bar!
Spuntino never lets us down!! Â Their menu and specials change seasonally, which keeps us coming back, and there has literally not been one thing I've ordered that I haven't liked. Â There's nothing else I can say. It's awesome.
Loses a star for tiny water glasses, though. I mean, TINY. Â I get that the tables are small, but... really?! Â No more than two gulps allowed? Â And they always look at me with crazy eyebrows when I kindly and politely ask them for a bigger glass of water, like it's not allowed and they can't imagine why I would be thirstier than that. I don't get the logic behind it.
Don't get me wrong though. Â Overall I'm happy with the experience and the service. Â And I love the food and the concept. Â I'd recommend it!
My wife and I really had a good time here. Even while we waited for a table, the wine and cheese with honey at the bar was delicious. Nice ambiance and décor. We had 5 selections and a bottle of wine and the check was very reasonable. It's tapas style but the portions are still good. I want to commend our waiter Jeremy who was very attentive and was good with his hospitality. I'm in the service industry and we were impressed. I recommend this place highly.
Review Source:Haven't been here for a while.  Seems the crowd is thinning out a bit   Although the food is good I know the people I brought with me were a little dismayed at the portions size.  I realize it is tapas however if there are 4 people ordering perhaps they can give you 4 meatballs and 4 pieces of bread and charge you a bit more.  Or at least advise you better when ordering.  At least the bread guys ... Come on.  3 pcs of toast for a table of 4?
Review Source:Was looking for a place to have a decent glass of wine and maybe a little bite.  Normally we would avoid any place that stoops to roadside billboards - but for some reason we threw caution to the wind and stopped in - glad we did - started off with a couple glasses of barolo and a Salumi & Formaggi plate - perfect pairing - the prosciutto was sweet  the sopressata just a touch hot - they played nicely with the parmigiano reggiano and telleggio - as we had dinner reservations that night in the city we didn't want to stay and ruin our appetites however the group next to us received something in a brown paper bag - intrigued we asked and was told they got the CIAMBELLES - curious we ordered them too - and heppy we did those- tasty deep fried balls of doughy goodness went nicely with the prosecco we ordered
Review Source:I love the idea of Italian tapas, but this place isn't really authentic Italian. Â We tried one of the pasta's, didn't like it at all. Â The sauce had too much onion and garlic in it. Â Pasta was over cooked. Â The broccoli rabe and potatoes were really good. Â The bruschetta tasted like the one you get from cosco, not fresh. Â I gave this place 3 stars, because our server was sweet and attentive and the concept is great. Â Good for a group of people, who want to share a bunch of apps together, but definitely not a place to get a memorable meal.
Review Source:Nice ambiance, good food, wide array of wines at a variety of price points.
Went here for dinner last weekend and was very happy and pleasantly surprised. Â The food was very good. Some dishes were a touch under salted, but everything was extremely fresh, plated nicely, and flavorful. All of the fritti came to the table so fresh that they were burn-your-mouth hot (a good thing!). Favorites were carciofo fritti (artichokes), broccoli rabe with sweet sausage, and patata pizza. Â
Our server, Tammi, was friendly and very knowledgeable. She was able to recommend several wines, and not just the priciest ones. We found the entire staff to be attentive and welcoming.
Also, because splurging on a sitter might mean skipping a night out (we have a 4y/o), we were pleased to find Spuntino very welcoming to our daughter.
Will definitely go back!
Went there with some girlfriends after I heard how good it was.  I was not disappointed and will most likely go again.  There is much to choose from on their menu for many different tastes out there.  I knew what I was getting into when I went, knowing that the portions are tapas (appetizer sized).  I actually like that concept because you can try a few different things, instead of gorging on one entrée.  Careful when ordering, though, because the dishes add up and it can become somewhat pricey. The atmosphere was very nice and the service was very attentive.  My favorite was probably the Truffle Funghi Risotto, the Patata pizza and the Arancini. I would go back.
Review Source:I read most of the reviews about this place before I went to the restaurant with my wife, cousin, and his girlfriend this past Saturday. Â I was not particularly excited and a little wary of the small dishes but my wife really wanted to try this place out. Â We went at 8:00 on a Saturday and had to wait about half an hour for a table for four.
I was really pleasantly surprised by Spuntino. Â The food and service was outstanding.
My wife and I arrived about half an hour before my cousin and his girlfriend so we headed over to the bar. Â The decor and atmosphere was nice. Â The bartender was very knowledgeable and awesome. Â I informed that we would like a dry oaky white wine and the bartender politely and energetically went over the menu with me and gave us two to choose from. Â She was more than happy to provide us each with a tasting. Â We settled on the Bramito which was delicious. Â She also went over the menu with me and made numerous suggestions which we, for the most part, followed. Â
Once my cousin and his girlfriend arrived we went to our table.  We started off with the prosciutto, provolone and Gorgonzola.  All were top notch.  The mussels and shrimp scampi were pretty good.  The goat cheese and caramelized onion  and the prosciutto and mozz bruschetta was excellent.  The roasted beet and goat cheese salad was delicious. Â
Personally, I do not care for truffle oil but I enjoyed the french fries. Â The arancini was something new to try and was very flavorful. Â The broccoli rabe was very good. Â
My absolute favorite was the braised lamb. Â The bartender described it as "a hug in a bowl." Â It was awesome. Â Also, the portion was really nice. Â The wild boar ragu was also amazing. Â The other dish in the top three for me was the salumi pizza. Â
We probably ordered about fifteen dishes and had a lot of leftovers. Â My cousin and I are pretty big eaters. Â
This is a great place to go with another couple to enjoy really good food and wine. Â Despite my initial hesitance, I would strongly suggest that you go to this restaurant.
Been here a few times, the first time around the holidays after my man and I went shopping at Target. We sat at the bar, took a few minutes to get the bartender's attention but once we did she took good care of us. We munched on the cheese plate, some crostini and a bowl of pasta. All were good and there is a large selection of wine. The place is beautiful and a much needed "chic" spot around here. It's a nice new addition to the area and I would def. return. Come with a credit card as the prices are steep for NJ. I do have to add the 2nd time we came here, the service declined somewhat but they were busy so it still seems to have work out some quirks at the bar. Our first round took 20 minutes.
Review Source:2.5 stars, I guess this is what you would consider a hot spot for this neighborhood. Service was friendly, but incredibly slow. Waited at 30 least minutes for sever to take our check. We couldn't get back to the city fast enough.
Food is average. Wine selection was interesting because they had exceptional bottles displayed, but none featured on the wine menu.
I had been here before sometime in the summer, and I liked it before, but I think this place has gotten even better! The quality of food and wine you get is excellent for the price.
I ordered the bruschetta, of which we received 3 varieties... gorgonzola, apple & walnut, goat cheese & caramelized onion, ricotta & roasted grapes. All were delicious, although I would have preferred apple butter instead of fresh, tart apples on the gorgonzola bruschetta.
I highly recommend the brussel sprouts. These are simply sauteed in olive oil with shredded parmesan on top, but they are so fresh and delicious. I also highly recommend the truffle fries. You cannot go wrong with the truffle fries. They are thinly sliced crispy French fries that are cooked with truffle oil, parmigiano reggiano and Italian spices. It's just perfect. Not soggy or too greasy, not crunchy, and the truffle oil, cheese and spices are all balanced perfectly. And for a tapa plate, the size is pretty generous.
Also highly recommended: the filet mignon con chianti reduction, medium rare, and the pistachio gelato.
Caprese salad is also very good. The mozzarella is very fresh. Shrimp scampi crostini was good, but I am not a huge seafood lover. The white wine butter sauce was excellent.
I would skip - the naked lamb meatballs with rosemary and olive oil. They were dry and bland. I did not try any of the pizzas or pastas so I cannot comment on those.
We ordered a light, fruity white wine, which would have been great with an all seafood meal too. Wine list has many choices and is reasonably priced. They also serve cocktails and beers but I didn't really pay any attention to those.
Our server was excellent, very attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. We were there on a slow weekday night, and he didn't smother us or ignore us either. Never had to ask for anything, and he offered for us to taste the white wine before we ordered. Very good service.
The ambiance - It's very big! I love big, open restaurants. I can see it getting very busy on the weekends, even with the size. It's a little dark inside. They have walls filled with racks of wine. The decor is very open, clean and modern without trying too hard. We had a very nice booth seat with a view of the open kitchen.
Summary - For the quality of food and wine, service, ambiance and price, you cannot go wrong really. We paid just $80 for 7 tapas, dessert, cappuccino, pepsi and a bottle of wine. For a similar restaurant in NYC you would pay twice the price for what you get. I think this place is going to explode once people get a little more used to the concept. People just need to give it a chance!
These previous reviews are absolutely terrible. Â Here's the TRUTH about Spuntinos. Â
It is an "Italian Tapas & Wine Bar" so DONT expect large portions.... Previous ppl expected to get full off 4 or 5 tapas for 2 people. Â no. Â Get like 8 tapas for 2 people.
People may be expecting large italian dishes but get disappointed when they see the size of the tapas. Â THERE TAPAS- they are small!! not like Carmines entree dishes!
THE ALCOHOL- really good selection. Â People previously said its overpriced?? deff not. Â I got a bottle of Sangiovese red for $24!! it was Amazing!! get it!! You do get more bang for your buck if you get a bottle.
THE FOOD- The cured meats are really good, and i suggest getting the porchetta. Â its only $4 for some good slices of meat. Â Thats pretty reasonable.
The BEST food was - Burrata Moss special, the cured meats. the aranchini balls, the truffle and fungi RISOTTO was AWESOME, goat cheese & Caramelized onions. Â
There are probably more great items, but those are the ones i tried and liked the best. Â
I like the concept of putting an italian spin on traditional spanish tapas. Â If you are expecting authentic spanish tapas, DONT come here (no patatas bravas, no jamon iberco, no manchego, no shrimp in Garlic) italian classics but in tapas form. Â
The owners of this place must make BANKKK. Â I actually thought of puting a "twist' on tapas but they beat me to actually making a restaurant with the theme. Â SHUCKS. Â
Good for a date night or a nice night out with a group of friends. Â Not to pricey. Â $70 for 7 tapas, and a BOTTLE of wine! good deal. Â
TRY IT! i recommend it.
Stopped in for a business lunch with 8 people. Â We were treated pretty well by the wait staff. Â The food was all very fresh and the presentation was great. Â We started with the SWEET & HOT SOPRESSATA, CAPOCOLLO, PROVLONE and the PARMIGIANO REGGIANO. Â All were very tasty and the Hot meats were perfect.
The second course was FUNGHI & SALSICCIA, which was just ok and the GRILLED SHRIMP SCAMPI, which was great.
We also tried almost every BRUSCHETTA and each one was better than the next.
We finished it all off with a PIZZA SPUNTINO, SALUMI...and I was stuffed.
**Forgot to post the draft until now...review is from early Fall 2012**
Went with a party of 4 after a movie and we had a really great time here. Place wasn't packed but it was later in the night when we arrived.
We were seated at a very nice table in a comfortable area. My only gripe was the AC was blasting inside, so I was very glad to have a sweater with me which I brought for the movie. I'm not usually cold in restaurants either, this was a whole new level though haha.
That being said we had a very kind, funny and knowledgeable waitress, Cindy. She allowed us to taste-test 1 or 2 wines before ordering a whole glass or a bottle. 2 of us went with white sangria, which was very large glass and decently sweet. The other 2 ordered a bottle of red which they regarded as "amazing & delicious".
We proceeded to order our tapas in "rounds" so that we wouldn't be overindulging or cramped at our table by the food. The bruschettas were fantastic, we tried 3 different kinds--but hands down the goat cheese with caramelized onions was the table favorite.
We also had 3 cheeses and 3 meats--all very fresh and tasty, accompanied by some toasted Italian bread which we all enjoyed.
My boyfriend and our friends said the stuffed mushrooms were the best thing we were served all night--I unfortunately cannot speak to it due to a food allergy, but I don't doubt them.
My friend's boyfriend commented that the meatballs were a miss, but we are all Italians with nana's that can cook the classics better than anyone. However the goat cheese and red pepper pizza was great and the panzanella salad was awesome!!
We will be back, we enjoy sharing food and tapas. The atmosphere was fun and super low pressure. The knowledgeable staff was really a great addition to our fun evening.
After a Friday night of way too much drinking in the city at my favorite watering hole. I pulled myself up by the britches late in the afternoon on Saturday (11/10/12) to take myself on a little date. Heck why not, right. So I figured on a movie and dinner. So I goggled a few locations within reasonable distance of not having to much road rage with NJ drivers. That hood ended up being Clifton, NJ an area with a movie theater, some retail therapy and something yummy for the tummy.
Ventured into Spuntino got a open invite to sit at the bar. Its was a pretty quiet time, just a few other people on that side of the bar. I liked the look from the start, very clean lines, long bar, nice lights...only two tv's which could be good and bad. The bartender got me going a the house Prosecco did not disappoint at all.
I only tried a few things did not want to get tipsy and full so then I would just fall asleep during the movie. I had the grilled shrimp scampi, I think my toes curled it was so yummy. The calamari could have used a bit more flavor. I almost went for the Calabrian Wings..but that would have been overkill.
I will for sure go back and enjoy with some friends as its that type of place.
Love that I found it.
Wine bar? Tapas?? I just wanted a sub! My wife wanted to go here so I went along. Pleasant decor excellent food (we has the pick three bruchetta (?) Â meat and cheese platter I asked our server Robin who by the way couldn't have been nicer, for a lunch menu and has a sandwich with the salad. simply fantastic. For dessert....cannoli and the almond cookies with freshly made whipped cream. A little pricy though $82.00 plus tip. Ask for Robin's area, she is very attentive.
Oh yea, price included drinks
So the wife and I had to kill some time between a wedding ceremony and its reception not long ago and while we battled afternoon traffic trying to figure out where to spend this unexpected amount of free time Sara tells me about this place she went for a work lunch the other week. Being only a short distance from the reception hall I figured why not.
Now when we walked in we were duded up nice. Me in a suit and tie and Sara in a very pretty dress. I thought we were gonna be way too over dressed for an after work/weekend hangout spot. Actually I thought we blended in very nice. The marble topped bar and dark wood decor kept the place looking classy while the wait staff in black or white collared shirts and jeans kept things casual.
The wine list looked killer and even though I was not in the mood for wine I did see a couple of options I wanted to try. I had a specialty manhattan which was ok. Then I had the barkeep mix me up a good ole manhattan which was MY-T-fine. Glad to see that bartenders are still skilled at making the classics.
I'm only giving three stars cause I didn't partake in the full experience so next time I'll hit it up right and give a full review.
Been here on multiple occasions and wanted to give a review for all the couples out there. Â
The decor is rustic and modern with an open kitchen. I always enjoy watching chefs create different plates, adds something to the experience for me. Menu includes a wide variety of tapas and essentially an encyclopedia of wine. Â We always enjoy finding a good wine list and trying a new bottle. Â Prices are very affordable and fit almost any budget.
I have read a lot of differing views about the food. Â I like to consider myself a bit of a foodie and I can tell you overall I have never been disappointed. Â The goat cheese and caramelized onion bruschetta is heavenly. I do wish they offered more meats and cheeses but they do a nice job pairing the ones try serve with different dips. Â If you go to an Italian restaurant and order pizza it's your own fault, step out of the box and try something new.
Service has always been welcoming and prompt without being overbearing. Â
Tapas dining means small plates so yes the portions are not huge and yes the bill can add up quickly but everything is clearly outlined and priced. If you don't want to spend a lot stick to different cheeses, veggies, and wine by the glass. Â If you are looking to indulge a little get a bottle of wine and some lamb chops. Â Your wallet may scold you but your stomach will rejoice.
Nice place considering it's located next to Shannon Rose. Â Interior decor is nice too, definitely gives me a feeling of wine bar. Â We had several appetizers - truffle fries, meatballs, pizza, rice balls, and the gnocchi. Â The gnocchi was awesome, and I would definitely recommend that. Â The server was very accommodating and seemed like she knew what she was talking about in regards to the wine list.
I like this place, it's refreshingly different!
Did a girls night here on Friday to celebrate our birthdays and my friend's finalized divorce (we celebrated the marriage so why not celebrate its dissolve, right?). We briefly mentioned our reason for visiting upon being seated and within a few moments we were each presented with a glass of champagne. Such a nice gesture!
First round - prosciutto di parma, ovoline mozzarella (balsamic glaze), and fontina (honey). Served with crostini. Â The glazes complimented the cheeses beautifully.
Second round - mussels in white wine, arancini (fried risotto balls), and the chicken meatballs. The white wine sauce had way too much butter for my liking, but the mussels were nicely cooked. The risotto balls were different but surprisingly good. The chicken meatballs were flavorful and moist.
Third round - prosciutto and arugula pizza, Truffle french fries, and 3 types of bruschetta (gorgonzola apple and walnut, goat cheese and caramelized onions, and sweet peppers). Pretty nice size, considering. Â They were larger than we expected. The fries didn't do it for me but the pizza hit the spot.
It was a celebration so dessert was in order - Ciambelle (think "small zeppole") and the deconstructed tiramisu. Â We liked the Ciambelle, but the tiramasu was a little too espresso-y for us. Â I wasn't digging on that and neither were my fellow birthday girls.
Total damages - $100 (I should mention that we enjoyed some wine as well). Â We found our server (Cindy) to be very attentive without being overbearing. The manager checked on us a couple of times, too. Â
Small plates = small portions. Don't come here ravenous - come here slightly hungry with a bigger appetite for wine and conversation.
When I asked for a table, I also asked for a sweater to keep me warm. My server replied, yeah I've been freezing here all day. Minus one star.
Its tapas - small portions - and the prices sort of reflect the small plates. We ordered chicken meatballs, two personal pizzas, pasta w/ eggplant and brussel sprouts.
Chicken meatballs - pretty darn good. Lots of sauce. I'd love to throw them on a long roll and make it into a meatball parm. They offer to make it into a slider on the menu and I might need to try that on my next trip in.
Personal Pizzas - good bang for your buck. I would come here order these, wine and be a happy camper. Thin enough, decent ingredients - me happy.
Pasta w/ Eggplant - under sauced, under seasoned. If you get a bite with eggplant, cheese, Â and pasta, it isn't bad but there isn't enough eggplant to do that all the way through so most bites taste like plain pasta. Not good. Minus half star, usually it would be a whole one but the rest of the food was good.
Brussel Sprouts - I love these and order them whenever they are on a menu. These one's held up their end of the bargain. Simple veggies with olive oil and a little salt/pepper.
Oh - I almost forgot - they bring a nice large bottle of water to your table. Yay, then they bring you shot glasses to drink it from? Wha? Retarted IMO. Minus 1/2 star. Should be a whole one but yelp doesn't let me give them 2.5 stars.
Overall, I'd return, but I won't become a regular. Maybe if I bring my own drinking glass next time.......hmmmm.....
Had dinner here after a movie with my wife. Â The ambiance is a bit like a swanky/upscale Olive Garden (trust me, it's better than it sounds). Â We had a drink at the bar before sitting down to dinner. Â The bartender was very nice and made me a great Manhattan. Â Our server was also very nice and walked us through the menu, promising we could order as much as we wanted but stop when we were full, and only pay for what was brought to the table. Â The food taste was well above average and we were quite surprised with some of the items we ordered (pro tip - order a bunch of the bruschetta!). Â For dessert we shared some vanilla ice cream with espresso which was also quite good. Â Afterwards we sat and talked at our table for at least an hour but our server never pressured us into leaving. Â
Overall we were very satisfied and will definitely be coming back!
Went with a group of 7 on a Saturday night. We were seated promptly at a large comfy table.
The dining room was spacious and charming. Tables were a nice size. Wine racks line the walls. Decor was understated, rustic and appropriate.
Everyone ordered Sangria (only available by the glass, no pitchers). Decent Sangria, large glass, not really worth the $10 pricetag.
Plates of tapas started arriving very quickly after ordering. Unfortunately, the food runner didn't know what some of the dishes were or who ordered them. There was at least once instance where she gave the wrong dish (a cheese plate) to the wrong diner who actually ate it by mistake.  Several people at the table ordered various meatballs ($6 for 3 bitesized balls) (they have classic beef, lamb, chicken, pork, veggie) and she did not know who ordered what or which meatballs were which. IN fact she actually said, "I am not the server, I dont know who ordered what" and when asked if these were the chicken meatballs or beef her answer was "I dont  know". Not a good answer when some people do not eat red meat.
Arancini ($6) (fried Risotto balls with peas and mozzarella) were meh. The risotto was fairly overcooked (nothing al dente here) and the crust was very thick. Not bad, not great.
Chicken meatballs were bland and generic. Lacking basic seasoning and texture. The spicy marinara was spicy hot with a lot of red chili. Not a great depth of flavor. How an Italian place can get by with less than stellar marinara sauce is just a shame when it is so easy to make a great one.
Brussels sprouts ($4) were undercooked, underseasoned, no one at the table ate more than one bite.
The star of the show was the truffled french fries ($6). Shoestring potatoes, perfectly crispy, salted and seasoned nicely with the faintest aroma of truffle oil.
Desserts ($5) sounded better on paper then they were. A deconstructed Tiramisu was lady fingers with a large bowl of fluffy, espresso laced marscapone cream.
Cannoli were two tiny ones on a plate. The shell was hard and thick. Not very crispy or light. The filling was neither here or there. Not sure what it was made of because it didn't taste much like ricotta. Definately not one of the better cannoli's I have had.
Gelato was fine. A very large serving.
The Ciambelle which is basically fried dough, is served in a paper sack, dusted with powdered sugar and chocolate sauce on the side. Skip it. You can get better zeppole at any street fair in NYC all summer.
Overall, not particularly delicious food. Nothing was horrible, nothing was terrific. Pretty much exactly what you would expect from a shopping center Tapas joint in Jersey.
You can play this place a couple different ways. You can get seated at a table for dinner as usual, or you can sit at the bar, drink wine, and order cheese and cured italian meats that are sliced fresh in front of you to order (my plan of attack for next time).
Because of the tapas dynamic, you come away from this place having tasted a broad range of flavors, which I thought was fun. Not every dish is awesome, but they're mostly good. The bruschetta are 2x normal brushetta size, so be careful not to over-order like we did.
So far, so good. Â We've been waiting for this place to open, since (although the Clifton area has lots of Italian restaurants) Johnny Carino's closed. Â It was so convenient to have a good spot near home, and for the quantity of Italian restaurants around here, the good ones are pretty scarce. Â To be fair, we haven't done a sit down dinner yet and haven't tried out the wine selection.
We were in a hurry and grabbed some take out. Â The service was great (fast and super nice). Â The food was tasty, not authentic Italian, but good. Â We tried the arugula salad, chicken meatballs and the eggplant pasta. Â Everything was fresh, the portions were just the right size and everything was packaged in nice to go boxes. Â Next time we try the wine!!
I really thought that for their first week they'd try harder to impress. Â A friend and I went for lunch; we were bombarded by three greeters competing to show us to our table. Â Once seated, the waitress came by to introduce herself and provide us with a bag of prepackaged bread sticks; dry, broken pieces of cardboard. Â Moving on. Â After ordering our wine (noteworthy selection), we ordered bruschetta, nothing special, and according to my friend, she can make the same thing at her house with her eyes closed. Â
They had a lunch menu which for $9 you get a sandwich and a salad. Â Great deal. Â Sandwiches were great and the Italian chopped salad was fantastic. Â With this great meal and the beautiful decor, we were starting to enjoy ourselves. Â
After the meal, dessert was offered.  I decided to treat myself and ordered the tiramisu and an espresso.  ALL WRONG!!!!!  it was just the cream  with three dry lady fingers sticking out of it.  I wanted to just pour my espresso right onto it so it would have more of a taste. Â
Then...we waited for the check. Â We waited. Â Waited. Â Looked at our waitress that passed us by three of four times. Â Waited.... Â It was not packed... Â Waited.... Â About twenty minutes went by...we got our check for $80 something dollars..."That's all I have to say about that"
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