Italian Restaurants in Jersey City (2025)
Dan Richer’s wood-fired pies marry local Jersey ingredients with serious craft; long praised by The New York Times and Eater, Razza remains a benchmark for destination-worthy pizza and a pillar of the downtown dining scene.
A Heights favorite for soulful pastas and cucina povera cooking, Corto is BYOB and intimate; Bon Appetit and New Jersey Monthly have highlighted its seasonal menu and handmade shapes that showcase real neighborhood hospitality.
Rick Easton’s counter-service bakery and slice shop turns out Roman-leaning pizza and stellar breads; praised with a two‑star Times review and featured by Eater and The Infatuation, it’s a weekend ritual for many locals.
Tucked at 67 Terhune Avenue between Foster Avenue and Spring Street in Greenville, Laico's occupies the ground floor of a house with a miniature parking lot and is surrounded by warehouses and factories near Newark Bay, so your GPS may give you a run for your money. Inside, a narrow dining room with a stamped tin ceiling, a bar to the right, tables to the left, colorful teardrop lanterns added in a renovation a decade ago, and a smaller sunken dining room with a backlit sign bearing Laico's create a cozy, family-run atmosphere; founded in 1972 by Louis and Felicia Laico and staffed mainly by family members for its fifty years, it is now run by their son Louis Laico, Jr. A friend and I visited on a recent Sunday and were greeted with a basket of warm bread (including a wonderful garlic focaccia) and a freshly dressed salad; we ordered several appetizers — notably the eggplant rollatini (a must‑order) with gobs of extra‑light whipped ricotta and a chunky, sweet, brilliant‑red tomato sauce, and meatballs that tasted a bit too beefy but were redeemed by more sauce, ricotta, and shaved parmesan. Our second course included sauteed escarole and navy beans (served in a thick chicken broth scattered with red‑pepper flakes, the Apulian‑style version) and the restaurant's famous pork chops: the pork chop parmesan ($27) arrived with a plate of red‑sauced spaghetti and was heavenly, so much so we took half home. There are desserts and after‑dinner digestifs and espressos "corrected" with amaretto, but after that amount of food I couldn't eat another bite — I can't wait to go back.
Chef Ryan DePersio’s waterfront destination leans Italian with seafood and house-made pasta; repeatedly praised by New Jersey Monthly for both the cuisine and skyline setting, it’s a go‑to for celebrations.
Run by the Fiore family with recipes from Lazio, this downtown trattoria anchors the Newark Ave pedestrian mall; spotlighted by local publications for its handmade pastas, aperitivi, and lively, family-driven atmosphere.
A long-running, independently owned Harborside fixture known for refined pastas and polished service; noted by New Jersey Monthly and regional guides as a classic for business lunches and special-occasion dinners.
From the neighborhood team behind Hamilton Inn and Hamilton Pork, Chickie’s channels red‑sauce nostalgia with square pies, parms, and a full bar; covered by Jersey City Upfront for its Hamilton Park revival.
A Heights landmark since 1959, still family‑owned and loved for vodka pies, classic slices, and a back‑room dining menu; spotlighted by Hoboken Girl and local guides as a true community mainstay.
McGinley Square’s indie Italian gastropub turns out house‑made pasta and Neapolitan‑style pies with a community focus; covered by Jersey Digs and Hoboken Girl, and consistently active with current menus and hours.
A reservation‑only, BYOB multi‑course feast served in a family home, this singular Italian‑American experience is highlighted by The Infatuation and local media for its generous, old‑world hospitality.
Downtown spot with house‑made pasta and Italian‑leaning comfort plates; noted by Jersey City Upfront and local roundups, it’s a convenient pick for pre‑ or post‑PATH meals steps from Grove Street.
