Best Italian restaurants in Monmouth County, NJ

81 local picks across 33 towns, hand-picked by Monmouth Guide.

Monmouth County has deep Italian-American roots, and it shows in its trattorias, red-sauce joints and handmade-pasta kitchens. Here are 81 Italian restaurants across 33 Monmouth County towns, from Red Bank to Manasquan.

Local favorites

• Albivi

  Millstone · Italian, brick-oven pizza · 4.6 stars across 220 reviews

  Family-run Italian restaurant and brick-oven pizzeria in Perrineville, run by the Castronovo family since 2004.

• Anjelica's

  Sea Bright · Italian, seafood · One of the area's highest-rated Italian spots (4.5 stars across 350+ reviews)

  Long-running Italian and seafood restaurant on Ocean Avenue in downtown Sea Bright.

• Birravino

  Red Bank · Italian · Time Out Red Bank EAT List

  Modern Italian on the Navesink with a glass-walled Pasta Lab where the fresh pasta is made in view of diners.

• Buona Sera

  Red Bank · Italian · Wine cellar with 15,000 bottles

  Longtime Red Bank Italian with Neapolitan brick-oven pizza, handmade pasta and a 15,000-bottle wine cellar.

• Dolce Fantasia

  Asbury Park · Northern Italian · Yelp top-rated in Asbury Park

  BYOB northern Italian spot for homemade pasta, short rib and house-made desserts like pistachio cheesecake.

• Federici's on 10th

  Belmar · Italian · Federici family pizza, four generations

  Belmar outpost of the century-old Federici family, known for thin-crust brick-oven pizza and Italian classics.

• Gargiulo's Tinton Falls

  Tinton Falls · Italian (Neapolitan) · Sister to Brooklyn's famous Gargiulo's

  Offshoot of the long-running Coney Island institution, serving classic Neapolitan Italian dishes from the Russo family.

• Il Posto

  Neptune City · Italian · Weekly specials, including half-price spaghetti & meatballs on Mondays and prime rib night on Thursdays (4.5 stars, 240 reviews)

  Italian restaurant serving traditional homemade dishes with a modern twist, plus a martini and specialty cocktail menu.

• Jimmy Pecci's Taste of Italy

  Tinton Falls · Italian deli & market · Local favorite for Italian subs; second shop at 4060 Asbury Ave

  Gourmet Italian market and deli since 1996, beloved for heroes on brick-oven bread and prepared Italian dishes.

• Jimmy's Italian Restaurant

  Asbury Park · Italian · Asbury institution since 1982

  Old-school red-sauce Italian (since 1982) with booths, a classic bar and a '50s-'60s atmosphere, plus valet parking.

• Judy & Harry's

  Asbury Park · Italian-Jewish · Three-time James Beard nominee chef

  Chef David Viana's Jersey-style Italian restaurant with a Jewish lens (think matzo ball soup and roast chicken) plus a cocktail lounge, inside The St. Laurent hotel.

• La Dolce Vita

  Belmar · Italian · Ocean views across from the beach

  Family-owned Italian restaurant since 1980, directly across from Belmar Beach with ocean-view porch dining.

• La Lupa di Roma

  Neptune City · Italian, pizza · 4.7 stars across 150+ reviews

  Italian restaurant and pizzeria on West Sylvania Avenue offering take-out, dine-in and catering.

• La Mondina

  Brielle · Italian · Brielle's top-rated restaurant (4.5 stars, 440+ reviews)

  Italian restaurant on Union Avenue near the Route 71 bridge over the Manasquan River.

• La Piazza Ristorante

  Allentown · Italian · 4.6 stars across nearly 400 reviews

  Italian restaurant off Main Street with a rustic dining room styled after an Italian piazza, less than a minute from I-195 Exit 7.

• Limoncello at Piazza Di Roma

  Aberdeen · Italian · Rated about 4.8 stars; reservations recommended

  Intimate Italian dining room with a garden courtyard, known for stuffed pork chops, seafood specials and limoncello spritzes.

• Pazzo

  Red Bank · Italian · Pre-show favorite near the Count Basie

  Family-owned Italian with a coal-fired pizza oven, fresh pasta and seafood steps from the Count Basie Center.

• Porcini

  Highlands · Italian · Rated 4.6 across 200+ reviews; a date-night favorite

  Intimate Italian restaurant on Bay Avenue with indoor dining, seasonal outdoor seating and takeout.

• Posillipo Italian Restaurant

  Ocean Township · Italian · Serving since 1929

  Traditional Italian restaurant dating to 1929 in Asbury Park, now on Route 35, known for seafood fra diavolo, scampi and generous dinner specials.

• Ristorante Maietta

  Englishtown · Italian · 4.6 stars across 220+ reviews

  Family Italian restaurant and pizzeria on Tennent Avenue serving lunch and dinner.

• Semolina

  Red Bank · Italian / farm-to-table · BYOB fresh-pasta specialist

  Chef-owned BYOB focused on handmade pasta and seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.

• Sirena Ristorante

  Long Branch · Italian · Ocean-view Italian in Pier Village

  Pier Village Italian with floor-to-ceiling windows over the Atlantic, often called one of New Jersey's most romantic restaurants.

• Solo Trattoria

  Freehold Borough · Italian · BYOB with handmade pasta

  Roman-born chef's BYOB trattoria serving handmade pastas, risottos, grilled seafood and brick-oven pizza.

• Sorella's Trattoria

  Upper Freehold · Italian, pizza · 4.8 stars on 90 reviews

  Italian trattoria and pizzeria on Yardville-Allentown Road with online ordering.

• Teva

  Deal · Kosher Italian · 4.6 stars; third floor of the DSN Beach Club

  Upscale kosher Italian restaurant with a seasonal menu inspired by the Roman roots of executive chef Valerio Brambilla.

• Trama's Trattoria

  Long Branch · Tuscan Italian · Google 4.7 (400+ reviews)

  West End Tuscan trattoria where chef Pat Trama cooks seasonal, farm-to-table Italian dishes.

• Tre Pizza Pasta Beer Garden

  Freehold Township · Italian / Pizza · Beer-garden patio with bocce

  Brick-oven pizza, pasta and craft beer with a patio featuring bocce and fire pits; Sunday brunch has a Bloody Mary cart and live band.

• Undici

  Rumson · Italian · Huge Italian wine program

  Romantic Tuscan-farmhouse-style Italian with handmade pastas and what it calls the largest Italian wine selection in New Jersey.

• Via Roma II

  Upper Freehold · Italian, pizza · 4.7 stars across 100+ reviews

  Pizzeria and Italian restaurant in the Yardville-Allentown Road shopping strip.

• Vic's Italian Restaurant

  Bradley Beach · Italian / Pizza · Serving since 1947

  Family-run Italian-American institution since 1947, famous for its thin-crust bar pies.

More Italian restaurants to try

• Amelia's By The Sea

  Spring Lake · Italian

  Italian-continental restaurant inside the Grand Victorian hotel, across from the ocean with wrap-around porch dining.

• Antonio's Gourmet Salumeria

  Ocean Township · Italian Deli

  Italian salumeria and deli on Sunset Avenue known for its sandwiches; closed Wednesdays.

• Antonio's Trattoria Cucina Italiana

  Wall Township · Italian

  Popular Route 35 Italian spot with homemade pasta and extensive gluten-free options; book ahead on weekends.

• Capitoline

  Asbury Park · Italian / Pizza

  Craft-casual Cookman Avenue Italian with fresh pasta, New York-style pizza and seasonal cocktails, turning into a late-night lounge on weekends.

• Capricci Pizzeria & Ristorante

  Howell · Italian

  Family-owned pizzeria and Italian kitchen in the Friendship Mall since 2006, serving pizza, pasta, seafood and panini.

• Catezza Italian Kitchen + Bar

  Red Bank · Italian

  Upscale, contemporary take on Italian classics from the team behind Centrada, in the former Catch 19 space.

• Christie's Italian Seafood Grill

  Howell · Italian / Seafood

  Italian seafood restaurant with Sicilian specialties like seafood fra diavolo and gnocchi.

• Christine's Italian Ristorante

  Atlantic Highlands · Italian

  Family-run BYOB Italian fine-dining room known for prime cuts, fresh seafood and veal chop specials.

• D'Angelo Italian Market

  Freehold Township · Italian Deli

  Italian market and deli since 2000 offering gourmet sandwiches, prepared foods, fresh cheeses and catering.

• Da Rosario Ristorante

  Freehold Borough · Italian / Pizza

  Downtown Italian restaurant and pizzeria known for big portions of fresh pasta and pies.

Plus 41 more in the free app, searchable by town and distance.

Italian Restaurants by town

• Things to do in Red Bank7 picks here
• Things to do in Middletown5 picks here
• Things to do in Asbury Park4 picks here
• Things to do in Tinton Falls4 picks here
• Things to do in Long Branch4 picks here
• Things to do in Freehold Borough4 picks here
• Things to do in Freehold Township4 picks here
• Things to do in Wall Township4 picks here
• Things to do in Howell4 picks here
• Things to do in Ocean Township3 picks here
• Things to do in Marlboro3 picks here
• Things to do in Manalapan3 picks here

Quick answers

More Monmouth County guides

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• Best pizza58 picks
• Best seafood30 picks
• Best mexican23 picks
• Best tacos15 picks
• Best breakfast & brunch56 picks

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