Restaurants

UNION CENTER'S "RESTAURANT ROW" OFFERS PATRONS "BON APPETIT"!

It's fast becoming the "Restaurant Row" of Union County! For American and ethnic cuisines spanning the globe, one need only stroll through the Union Center special improvement district where some 20 restaurants and specialty food establishments await the palette.

Once known for its strong German influence, Union Center is now home to a new wave of restaurants that are newly tempting Union Center patrons with specialties from their homeland.

Emily's Portuguese Bakery & Restaurant recently expanded while Adagio Bistro Italiano has opened within the past few years to bring the aroma and aura of Italy to Union Center. Adagio (Italian translation: "leisurely") offers a fine northern Italian lunch and dinner menu ranging from fried calamari to bistecca to homemade asparagus ravioli to spumoni.

Adagio Bistro Italian 1020 Stuyvesant Ave.

"Adagio" means "leisurely" in Italian and it's the appropriate way to enjoy a meal at Adagio Bistro Italian. just ask Yankee leg-end Phil Rizzuto, who dined at the restaurant soon after its opening in September 1998. Featuring northern Italian food, Adagio is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

The lunch menu includes special sandwiches and salads priced between $5 and $7.95. The dinner menu offers such special-ties as homemade asparagus ravioli with fresh tomato, herbs and chopped walnuts; homemade linguini with rock shrimp, mussels, salmon and leeks; grilled polenta; gnocchi bolognaise; pepipe gnocchi with spinach, cheese and vodka sauce; vitello milanese caprichosa — breaded veal with fresh tomato, onions and mozzarella; salmon toscano; risotto pescatore with Italian rice, calamari, mussels, clams and shrimps; seared filet mignon with black peppercorn and glazed. shallots in barolo wine sauce, and griglia abbondanza, a grilled mixed seafood dish. Desserts include sorbet, spumoni, tartufo and tarts.

The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday for lunch from noon until 3 cp.am. and for dinner from 4 until 11 p.m. — mid-night on Friday and Saturday. Sunday hours are 2 to 11 p.m.

Union Center has always been home to quality pizzerias (i.e., Mr. Nino's, AMICI'S Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria, Gepetto's, Cioffi's ).

Mr. Nino's Ristorante & Pizzeria 1026 Stuyvesant Ave.

An Italian favorite in Union Center since 1990, Mr. Nino's actually is two restaurants in one: the pizzeria for casual dining, and the dining room, with its gourmet Italian dinner menu. The chef creates a variety of seafood, chicken and pasta specialities for dinner, and desserts begin with a homemade tiramisu. Patrons are welcome to bring their own liquor.

Mr. Nino's pizza menu revolves around Mr. Nino's classic Italian and Sicilian-style pies and can accommodate special request. Mr. Nino's is open seven days a week, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and until midnight on Fri-day and Saturday.

Amici's Restaurant & Pizzeria 2036 Morris Ave.

Amici's is owned and operated by Steve Patricco who is no stranger to the Township of Union. A born and raised Union resident, Steve is the proud owner of a restaurant that celebrates its forth anniversary in January. Steve has also owned other businesses in the town in the past, and is on his way to making Amici's a well-known spot for great food and catering with a personal touch.

Amici's not only provides great Italian food and catering, but also offers a school lunch program and daily lunch specials. The lunch specials provide customers with a variety of options including a wide selection of wraps, salads, fruits and soups.

The menu at Amici's consists of many family recipes. Steve is known for his homemade made meatballs and lasagna, manicotti and penne vodka. Other specialty items on the menu are chicken francese and linguini Stephen. The menu provides something for everyone's taste buds." You come to Amine's as a customer and you leave feeling like you are one of the family. Restaurant hours are: Tues- Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 9. p.m.; Friday, from 10 a.m to 10 p.m; Saturday, from 2 to 10 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 8 p.m

And Chinese restaurants (Golden China and Great Wall Kitchen), but the current trend seems to be towards smaller dining facilities. Brazilian Kitchen 958 Stuyvesant Avenue has opened Union and The Coffeepot provides food to the earlier morning and returning bus commuters.

Gepetto's 1967 Morris Ave.

Gepetto's is now serving Italian and American fare in Union Center at its location across Morris Avenue from Municipal Building.

The Gepetto's formula revolves around its pizza but its complemented by an oversized menu with specials that change weekly. In addition to the lounge area and restaurant, Gepetto's offers a private dining room for 50 guests and upstairs party room for 40 quests that can be rented for buffets and parties. The restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. until I am

Cioffi's 929 Stuyvesant Ave.

Similar accommodations, including a liquor license and private dining room, are found at Cioffi's Italian Restaurant near the southern gateway of Union Center. Cioffi's offers authentic Italian cuisine, including its famous rigatoni a la vodka and a full menu of veal, seafood, chicken and pastas. Parties from 20 to 60 can be accommodated in the private dining room, and catering is available for all occasions.

Owned by brothers Carmen and Joe Cioffi, the restaurant is popular not only with Union County residents, but NFL teams as well. "They'll stay at the Airport Marriott, then come over for dinner," Carmen said. "After an NFC championship game, we hosted the Vikings."

The restaurant is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to IO p.m.; Friday and Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday, from 1 to 10 p.m.

Mood Restaurant, 1996 & 1998 Morris Ave is owned and operated by Gilbert Quesada and Raphael Figuero, the theme at Mood is Asian, & Latin. There is a full range of sushi as well as fish, chicken, meat, pasta, wraps & pizza. Liquor is available and we are known for our specialty drinks. There is nightly entertainment available. We get DJ’s from all over the tri state area and have sporting events on our 6 flat screen TVs. The restaurant is available for private parties, and corporate events.

Visit us at www.moodloungenj.com

Van Gogh's Ear Café where the menu is as eclectic as the décor. "We cater to the arts," said in-house artist and café employee Glenn Carrick, whose interpretation of Van Gogh's "Starry Night" serves as the background mural to the café's entertainment stage. Every Sunday evening at 8 p.m., live jazz performers take to the stage ($3 cover charge) while an open mike for instrumentalists, poets, and other artists is offered on Tuesday evenings from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. followed by a featured independent artist. Works of local artists are featured on the café walls every six weeks.

Union Center has several sweet little places to go and eat." Cases in point: Paddy's Place and Joe's Place offer good food and a cold beer

So the next time your mate asks, "What do YOU feel like tonight?" whether it's Italian, or Thai, or Portuguese, or American, or Puerto Rican, or Chinese, or German, or even bagels, hot dogs, or ice cream head over to Union Center, Union County's unofficial "Restaurant Row"!

UNION CENTER RESTAURANT GUIDE

CATERING

Amici's Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria, 2036 Morris Avenue, (908) 688-1226

Cioffi's Italian Restaurant, 929 Stuyvesant Avenue, (908) 964-3300

Gaiser's, 2015 Morris Ave, (908) 206-9822

Lutz Pork Store, 1055 Stuyvesant Avenue, (908) 688-1373

RESTAURANTS

Adagio Bistro Italiano, 1020 Stuyvesant Avenue, (908) 624-1500

Amici's Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria, 2036 Morris Avenue, (908) 688-1226

Barangay Union Grill & Food Mart, 1045 Stuyvesant Avenue, (908) 687-3339

Blue Ribbon Bakery and Café, 988 Stuyvesant Avenue, (908) 688-3200

Emily's Portuguese Bakery & Restaurant, 962 Stuyvesant Ave, (908) 688-5647

Gepetto's, 1967 Morris Avenue, (908) 687-4222

Golden China, 954 Stuyvesant Avenue, (908) 687-8828

Great Wall Kitchen, 1058 Stuyvesant Avenue, (908) 964-6616

Gusto y Sabor, 2022C Morris Avenue, (908) 686-6380

Joe's Place, 2032 Morris Avenue, (908) 851-9615

Mood, 1998 Morris Avenue, (908) 964-4800

Morris Thai Cuisine, 1975 Morris Avenue, (908) 688-5678

Mr. Nino's, 1026 Stuyvesant Avenue, (908) 688-8443

Nemos Seafood, 1035 Stuyvesant Ave, (908) 687-5300

Paddy's Place, 999 Rosemont Avenue, (908) 686-8935

Prestige Bagels & Deli,1200 Stuyvesant Ave, (908) 686-7898

Van Gogh's Ear Café, 1017 Stuyvesant Ave, (908) 810-1844

This page was last updated by csti on: November 15, 2009

Restaurants