Best Contemporary Italian Restaurants in East Rutherford

Family friends and family converged from two states and three locations and the four of us were so happy with Stella 34 Trattoria from start to finish. I can’t rave enough about our server and am quite embarrassed that I do not remember her name but she was extremely helpful to our Spanish speaking friends, attentive and gracious and friendly and the service was mega-professional. We were made to feel welcome , allowed to visit beyond our allotted time and just comfortable from start to finish. The restaurant is beautiful with of course the signature view of the Empire State Building (I used to see that from the East Side), tranquil, clean to a fault, noise level perfect for our older crew, the food delicious, an awesome Pumpkin Margarita was enjoyed along with Prosecco. I recommend especially the giant prawns with garlic and the cauliflower with brussel sprouts appetizer. I’m Coming back for a cocktail and pizza!

We were so pleased with our first visit to Carmine's. My husband and I usually travel to NYC alone, and have never gone before because we heard how large the portions are - and they are NOT kidding. There were 7 of us for dinner, and we shared a Caesar Salad, Cheesy Garlic Bread, Rigatoni Bolognese, Eggplant Parm, Veal Scallopini, and Tiramisu and it was perfect portions. Only thing we took home was the Garlic Bread (which the 19-year-old scarfed down likely before it made it to the hotel fridge.) Paul our server was fantastic - happy to see our family reunion the day after Christmas with family from Myrtle Beach. The restaurant is crowded and loud, so expect that - but it's a fun environment and you can tell it's mostly families just having a great time. This dinner capped off a perfect day celebrating the 19-year-old's first Broadway Show.

Delicious breakfast and lunch. Live the vibe and kind staff! There is something for everyone.

We plan our trip to NYC around eating at Carmine’s. This time we ate at the upper West Side location. We usually eat at the Times Square location. But this year it was booked solid for Christmas a month in advance. We were wowed again with an awesome meal at Carmines at 91st Street. We had the garlic bread with cheese. We always ask to add the cheese. So wonderful. We also split the lasagna. It is the best we have ever tasted. We brought over half of it home. I would recommend either Carmine’s to anyone wanting authentic Italian food at its best.

We all enjoyed our food and our wine and the long time we were allowed to sit and talk after dessert. Two of us had the daily ravioli pasta special, two had the prix fixe meal (with the tiramisu for dessert - yum), and one had the salmon. Our server was very patient, putting up with all our questions and with how long it took us to order because we were catching up on a few years of history in our lives. A plus is the location - easy to get to via subways from the east and west est side of the city, not far from Union Square, Madison Square Park and Gramercy Park.