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Arturo's Osteria & Pizzeria
Categories: Restaurants Pizza Restaurants Italian Pizza, Italian [Edit]
180 Maplewood AveMaplewood, NJ 07040
(973) 378-5800
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
La Campagna Restaurant has been acclaimed for its sophisticated and satisfying versions of classic Italian fare. Here at La Campagna we use only the… read more »
52 reviews for Arturo's Osteria & Pizzeria
Review Highlights
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"Highly recommend the thin crust well done pie." In 11 reviews -
"...best part is that it is very reasonably priced, and BYOB." In 8 reviews -
"Wonderful reasonably priced tasting menu." In 5 reviews
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52 reviews in English
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Review from Omar B.
Rego Park, NY
5/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
Amazing service!
I still prefer Dani Pizza (kew gardens ny) but this pizza and service is really good! -
Review from Freyja G.
New York, NY
3/29/2012
We've ordered take out pizzas from Arturo's a few times and they have been some of the best pizzas I have ever eaten, and that includes Lombardi's, John's, Fornino, etc, etc. The crust is really perfect -- yeasty, chewy, flavorful and delicious.
We finally got the chance to eat in last night and had a great meal of superb, truffle-redolent mushroom ravioli, penne with tomato and pancetta, and ceasar salad. The service was very friendly and competent and the food is truly special and delicious. In comparison to any restaurant in Manhattan or Brooklyn Arturo's completely holds its own, with the added benefits of being extremely well-priced and friendly.
One added bonus we really appreciated was the small-child friendly bathroom. We can't wait to come back! -
Review from Ben C.
New Brunswick, NJ
2/9/2012
Had lunch on a weekday. Many restaurants in town were not busy, but Arturo's was full of happy people - it's a small to medium sized place with an open kitchen. Tasteful dark decor with music playing in the background - and a spotless and nice looking bathroom.
You have to appreciate how few places get it right to understand how good Arturo's is. I had a simple Margharita pizza with a side of sauteed arugula. The crust on the pizza was phenomenal - it TASTED yeasty and bready, but was thin without getting cracker-like. I can't over-compliment the "bite" of the pie - perfect. The sauce was delicious and the cheese was obviously top quality. It was cooked to perfection and served piping hot - everything was still moist and it smelled heavenly. The arugula came in it's own little cast iron pan - perfectly cooked and seasoned.
The guys serving the food are young and eager - and observant. Service was excellent without getting unctuous. The staff saw I was enjoying my meal --- and appreciated it. This is a place full of humble and kind people - it shows in everything they do.
One of the owners, Fred, introduced himself. He was clearly proud of his restaurant and he should be.
As far as people complaining about 4 and 5 star reviews, I think the system works and giving this place three stars tells me that you may want to work on your illusions self-importance so you can stop tromping on other people's hard work (BTW, ever notice the correlation between overly fussy facial hair and asshattiness? Yep, that's how you're similar to Armond White). -
Review from David S.
Morristown, NJ
4/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
Absolutely fantastic food. I have yet to have anything here I didn't throughly enjoy.
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Review from Widya P.
Summit, NJ
4/9/2012
Wow, this little place blows me away. Tasty food, simple but perfectly prepared. Their ravioli dish is so delicious and their salads are just beautiful. The good thing about this place is, it is also a family friendly restaurant. Their pizzas are great and will certainly satisfy the little hands. We will certainly come back.
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Review from Elisabeth C.
Summit, NJ
4/12/2012
I had high hopes for this place because it has a great ambience and courteous waitstaff and the food looks good. The salad was great - delicious and fresh if expensive. But I have not had pizza in months and I was really looking forward to it. The pie had a delicious sauce and great cheese and the proportions of both were perfect but the crust was very thick and gummy in most of the pie and too thin in one part. The ingredients were awesome, it must have been that the person who made the pizza was not adequately trained. I was psyched, everything was awesome about this place except for the whole reason i went there. The crust was not thin and crunchy it was bready and bagel-like. WHAT A BUMMER.
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Review from Phil M.
Hillside, NJ
12/30/2011 2 Check-ins Here
While trying hard not to sound like Armond White against all these 4 and 5 stars, the place was decent (as in I would return), but hardly worth the accolades being thrown at it.
The bread they give you is honestly a work of art. The perfect combination of a crunchy outside with an almost oily center that made it a hit.
The fire-roasted broccoli was simple yet very good.
I had their barley soup which was a bit bland and lacking a strong backbone, passable.
The meatballs were very good, and the sauce that accompanied them was even better. Simple execution, but that's where its beauty lay.
Like a lot of reviews have stated, the crostini was great. The ricotta was cool and buttery, with a touch of olive oil and coarse grated black pepper. Again, a simple presentation that paid high dividends.
Are you starting to see a running theme? The place prides itself on letting the local ingredients shine without losing its flavor in overcomplicated sauces, and I really liked that.
The pizza was good, not great. After reading the reviews on yelp, I was expecting to be blown away. That could have been my fault, but I will say the crust was good.
I had the wild boar with penne and mushrooms which was tasty, but could have used a little salt and the boar was either overcooked or didn't have enough of fat to keep it moist.
The best dish I tired that night was my girlfriends wild mushroom ravioli, which was AMAZING. One of the best raviolis I've had in some time. Do not pass up on this dish. It is the perfect size to split with a few people as an appetizer too.
In regard to the atmosphere, it's tight, but not cramped. It had a hip vibe to it with its "coffee house" meets "rustic" theme. Service was adequate if not a little on the young side. They could really benefit with having a few more experienced palates to sell the dishes better. -
Review from Mark V.
Millburn, NJ
12/31/2011
As far as a derscription goes...it is a simple BYOB pizza spot in Maplewood village. I have been looking for decent, local, wood-fired brick oven pizza in the area and am happy to say that I found it at Arturo's, twice.. in this week alone.
The menu is short and simple, just like the ingredients for their dishes. They use locally sourced ingredients to ensure that their food is as fresh as possible. There are only a few tables and it fills up quick, so I would suggest take out. Enjoy. -
Review from Angela P.
11/23/2011
A bunch of us had a prix fixe meal here for a couple dollars. Pretty awesome idea.
The restaurant is very small but it is nicely decorated. Very trendy and casual.
We got the arugula salad first . Very fresh and zingy. Then it was the Telefono pasta with fresh mozzarella and tomato sauce. Simple ingredients but perfectly executed.
We got two pizza pies, the Greco and the Margherita. I liked the Greco better due to the pesto they put on it-it added a bright flavor. The margherita was a bit plain for me, still good though. Fresh and the crust was toasty.
Desert was a tiramisu. I think they shipped it in but it was still tasty.
Awesome meal and the prices are well priced. I'm always surprised that the pizza is that cheap for its quality. Relative to the pizza places around here, this place is awesome.
**NOTE: do NOT drink the water in the glass decanters. Just don't. -
Review from the r.
New York, NY
3/12/2012
This place is great. I have been going to Arturo's for about a year and a half and finally decided to post a review.
The food is wonderful. They use fresh, high quality, local ingredients while still maintaining reasonable prices. The pizza is amazing. The dough they use is great. Not bar pie thin, but not thick, it is just thin enough. You can tell they put a lot of time and effort in making this pizza dough. One bite and you will know what I'm talking about, it retains the right about of chew/bite to it. Their pastas are all delicious, I am partial to the one with wild boar ragu. All the salads are delicious, and I usually don't enjoy salad. If you are able to make it for lunch , they have sandwiches on the menu. The sandwiches are made on their delicious bread, which tastes like it uses a dough very similar to the pizza. I have honestly not had a bad meal here. The only thing I miss, is their price-fixe tasting menu on Saturday nights.
My only warning, is the place is on the small side, so waits can be a little long on Friday and Saturday evenings. Either be prepared to wait or just take it if you live close enough. -
Review from Stephen P.
Maplewood, NJ
3/8/2012
This has to be the best pizza in New Jersey! In fact everything on their menu is delicious. The salads are made with organic vegetables and super fresh. Try the Gorgonzola Pine Nut Salad....just amazing. The Antipastpo is also delicious. For pizza try the Greco with it's swirls of pesto on top....so good! At lunchtime try the Mozzarella, Tomato and Basil on their home made bread.
The staff and owners are friendly, obliging and always greet you with a warm welcome.
What more can I say....I love this place! -
Review from Stevonno A.
Portland, OR
3/10/2012
best pizza around best homemade bread on table m yum good italian food great for vegetarians ok for vegans go eat enjoy I love it !
staff and owners are way cool and want to please -
Review from Stacey C.
Summit, NJ
Updated - 11/21/2011
This place gets better and better. Dan and Fred really know what they're doing. The pizzas are AMAZING, as is the homemade bread.
Don't miss the crostini w/ fresh ricotta, scary good.
Polpette (meatballs) are light and fluffy with a great sauce and the ceci salad is to die for. I love this place, wish everyone else didn't, so we could get in more often!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/22/2010
First of all, let's forget about pizza for a moment.
Yes, you can get very good thin crust, sour… Read more »
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Review from Daniel G.
Maplewood, NJ
10/9/2011
While the pizza is amazing, true thin crust and farm fresh toppings, it is the meals that set Arturo's apart. Whether the "Penne with Sausage Ragu" or the vegetable specials, swiss chard is a favorite, the ingredients and preparation are exceptional. Friendly, professional service tops off a wonderful environment.
It is BYOB. There are two wine/liquor stores with good selection within two blocks.
Strongly recommended. -
Review from Ari A.
7/20/2011
This place was a great pizzeria back in the day, but what they've done with it now is fabulous.
On Saturdays they have a food tasting (reservations required) that seem to be a nice way to experience their food.
I have had both the thick and thin crust, both were great. The Margherita is their specialty, but truly every pizza looks amazing.
Last time I went I shared the Pesto penne with chicken. Pastas always come with a tiny house salad made from fresh veggies. For some reason this was not as good as it should have been, perhaps the cheese to pesto ratio.
I don't think there is anything on the menu I wouldn't try and I would definitely recommend.
Pros: BYOB, great price, fast service, friendly faces, and hipster looking waiters.
Cons: outdoor tables for 2 are small. We ordered a large pie and pasta and they had to be served separately to fit on the table. -
Review from sara t.
Springfield, NJ
11/28/2011
Very good find thanks to Yelp!!!! I really liked how they source local markets/growers for fresh products. Service was good and they were very accomodating. I will definitely be back.
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Review from Kait S.
Cliffside Park, NJ
8/3/2011
Ended up here after wandering the cute Maplewood Village looking for a place to eat. On a Tuesday night at about 7:15, the wait was 20 minutes for two people to sit indoors, but we could sit outside immediately. We chose the outdoor seating, and it was great -- only downside is that the seating area is quite crammed, and the "for two" tables were very tiny.
The menu had enough to make me want to come back several times to try all of the pizzas and pastas, but my date and I settled on splitting a medium pizza. Unfortunately our waitress seemed a bit turned off by the fact that we weren't ordering a ton of food--I can't blame her, small bill equals a smaller tip. But the "Parma" pie that we got was still delicious. A blend of gorgonzola, mozzarella, parmigiano, romano and provolone cheese with freshly sliced plum tomatoes and plenty of basil for seasoning. What perfect blend of cheeses, nothing too thick, greasy or congealed like the cheese you'd see a top a NY-style pizzeria. It was melted to perfection.
I would definitely go back. With the intent of ordering more food (there are some pasta dishes that sounded and looked to-die-for), I'd opt for a seat inside so I didn't risk pushing any dishes off the tiny outdoor tables. -
Review from Susan J.
Millburn, NJ
1/25/2011 5 Check-ins Here
I've done a lot of traveling in Italy and I can say that eating at Arturo's is the closest I've come to having an authentic Italian dining experience in the tri-state area. Just as in Italy, where the best food is most often found at the more casual trattoria/osteria establishments, this is off-the-charts phenomenal, locally-sourced food served in a casual, relaxed setting. Dan Richer, Arturo's chef/owner, is passionate about using the highest quality ingredients and supporting local growers and producers and his commitment to providing customers with only the best is evident in every bite. The personable Fred Shandler, Dan's business partner and dining room manager, ensures that customers have a pleasant dining experience.
Arturo's has recently changed their "traditional" pizza dough. It was good before, but now it's incredible. For those of you lucky enough to have tasted Anthony Mangieri's pizza at Una Pizza Napoletana in nyc, this dough is similar in taste and texture and it has the slight char around the edges that characterizes traditional Neapolitan pizza. It's tangy and chewy with a creamy mouthfeel...topped with fresh tomato sauce, fresh mozz and fresh basil (the margherita)...it's just, well, freakin' delicious.
Another must-try is the 6 course tasling menu that is served on Saturday and Tuesday nights. My favorite course is almost always the hand made pasta. It's egg-based pasta in the style of the Piemonte region of Italy ...rich, unctuous and addicting! Reservations are only accepted for the tasting menu and tables can be hard to come by so be prepared for a wait. It's worth it!! -
Review from Winning E.
Parsippany, NJ
8/30/2011
Great spot.
Had a number of small plates and then split a pizza ...
they do a great job. the BYOB aspect is nice on the wallet too -
Review from Philip S.
Maplewood, NJ
6/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
We love this place. We've watch Dan Rich turn this from an ok pizzeria into a welcoming osteria using fresh, local ingredients inspired by modern Italian cuisine. He has some of the finest homemade bread and pizza dough. It was great to see him recognized by the James Beard Foundation.
It's a small place and you can find yourself waiting on a busy night. -
Review from Daniel C.
Clifton, NJ
3/1/2011
We stumbled upon Arturo's because French Gypsy Guitarist, Stephane Wrembel was playing here.
Who knew that this would turn out to be my favorite brick-oven pizza place in North Jersey, hands down.
The pasta dishes are prepared perfectly and well portioned to share for 2.
The stand out pasta dish for me is Pasta Cinghiale (wild boar ragu and mushrooms).
The brick oven - Arturo's Margherita is made with hand-made mozzarella and all other ingredients are all freshly made daily.
Dan, the owner, will visit your table at least once a night. And if you start up a conversation about his perfection of pizza doe making, he will leave you with plenty of good information. He is very informative, descriptive, and passionate about his food.Listed in: "Stand Out Brick Oven Pizza…
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Review from Andrew D.
12/17/2010 5 Check-ins Here
I love Arturo's. My wife and I come here about three times a month. It has become a destination to go when we are entertaining peeps from out of town.
The food is created with skill and creativity, without scrimping on the basics. I find myself craving the margherita pizza even as I'm chomping down on the more elaborate foods. The menu rotates frequently as ingredients become available throughout the year, sometimes even on a weekly basis.
The owners push a kind of local/sustainable food profile, and get most or all of their produce from NJ growers. It looks like everything they serve is made in-house, and they take a whole chalkboard to brag about their breadmaking process.
The best part is that it is very reasonably priced, and BYOB. So you can pick up a decent bottle of wine down the street at the wine shop (not the one on the main drag, the one around the corner from the Irish bar--the one on the main drag is snooty and I don't like them... review pending), drag it in there and get a pizza and have a whole meal for two or three for the price of a single entree at Les Halles. -
Review from Scott R.
Westminster, MD
1/17/2011
After some Yelp research, we detoured here to break up the trip from MD to Long Island to check out Arturo's brick ovens. Rather than make the hard choice, I just ordered 3 pizzas for me and the baby with the excuse that we'd take the leftovers to Grandpa in Long Island. Wifey claimed she was in no mood for pizza, but ordered a tomato mozzarella basil sandwich on a beautiful hearth bread. Her sandwich was 5 stars for sure. Pizzas were definitely 4 stars on the thin crust (a bit cracker like); but the chef stopped by for a chat, he told us to order the NY style crust next time since it's based on the same bread dough in wifey's sandwich - I'm betting that's where the 5th star happens. And I really would like to try some of the dinners from the oven.
Despite being 4 hours away from home ... I am sure we'll make the detour again on our next trip. -
Review from gabriella s.
Los Angeles, CA
11/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
AMAZING, Authentic italian pizza, I cant say enough of about this place. I say its the best pizza I ever had in all of the US. (And I have traveled all over ) Salads are amazing too, great service.
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Review from Katie J.
Livingston, NJ
6/8/2011
Arturo's in Maplewood is super delicious. First of all, if Maplewood isn't the cutest little town in NJ, I don't know what is! Parking is easy, and on a Sunday night around 8PM, the wait is not long. We sat at a communal table, which is totally fine by me. I went with my boyfriend and we decided to share a few things (our new favorite way to dine).
I started off with the beet and goat cheese salad, umm..YUM! Super good, the beets were pickled nicely and the cheese was perfect, some arugula was spread throughout which added a nice "green" flavor (how else do you describe arugula?!)
Then we had the small traditional crust Tartufi pizza. The truffle oil MADE this dish, so delicious, the sausage was crumbled on top, nothing special there.
Then we shared a pasta dish: The Telefono, the mozzarella was so fresh and the dish in general tasted refreshing. They went light on the sauce and heavy on the cheese- what could be better?..
Overall I can't wait to get myself back into Arturo's. The food is A+. -
Review from Joe S.
South Orange, NJ
9/15/2011
Really great consistency in the freshness of their Margherita Pizza's, and the brick oven is what keeps that flavorful char look on the pizza.
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Review from Adam S.
9/11/2011
Got a thin crust pepperoni here. I thought it was an above average pizza that tasted nice with a good char to the crust, some tasty cheese, and a pretty good sauce. The staff was nice and friendly. My only criticism is that the pizza is not particularly large, especially for the price you are paying for it. Despite this, however, I will happily return here if I get the chance.
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Review from Jacob L.
Rahway, NJ
10/28/2011
I went to Arturo's last night with a couple friends for the first time. I had suggested it after hearing so many great things, and I have to say it lived up to the hype. It's fighting words to say that a restaurant is "the best pizza in NJ," and while I wouldn't lump this in with the rest of Jersey's pizzeria's, I would definitely say it's the best artisanal pizza in the state. What I liked the most about it was the emphasis on home-grown, natural ingredients which really comes out in the taste of the food. We had the special (a wheatberry soup), 3 specialty pizzas (the margherita, one with sausage, and one with speck), and the meatballs. All of it was delicious, though our favorites were definitely the sausage, mushroom, and truffle-oil specialty pizza and the meatballs which had some of the best sauce I've ever tried. The service staff was also excellent.
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Review from Rich P.
Plainfield, NJ
8/13/2011
Peach salad was excellent. Pizza was good. Sat outside, it was very nice. I did not think it was 4 star like so many others.
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Review from Emil H.
Millburn, NJ
Unbelievable pizza. Really, fantastic -- and I say that as someone who just moved to the suburbs after spending over a decade living in Manhattan. The ingredients they use are high quality, which makes a difference. Like most restaurants in the area, it's BYOB, which I actually have come to prefer. They didn't charge us a corking fee.
The set up inside is a little unique: there's a hostess to seat you, but then you have to walk up to the counter to order... but a server will bring the food to your table, and the hostess brings you the check. Not a bad thing, just unusual. -
Review from Crane's D.
Maplewood, NJ
1/9/2011
Love The Crostini & Margarhita Pie
Young one Loves Cingalhi -
Review from Emily C.
Bellmawr, NJ
5/17/2010
My boyfriend and I ate here for Sunday lunch. I ordered a personal Margarita, he ordered a Montagne and then we sat at a table outside in the sunshine. Our waiter was extremely helpful and cheerful and quickly brought out a carafe of water.
The pizzas came out and while they looked beautiful, they did not taste as good as they looked. My pie had a good amount of tasty mozzarella, but barely any sauce. The sauce seemed to be the only element giving any flavor. Overall my pie was too bland to be called anything but 'ok'.
My boyfriend didn't really enjoy the Montage. He said the taste of the spinach overpowered everything else on the pie - including the speck.
I enjoyed my meal mostly because of the beautiful weather and the good vibes of the waiter. Bottom line - The next time I want good pizza in Maplewood, I'll definitely head to Roman Gourmet. -
Review from Kristin C.
Summit, NJ
3/19/2009
A few friends live in Maptewood and took us there in the fall of 2007. Excellent pizza! The margarita (sp?) is a specialty.
The only bad part is that they close at 10 even on the weekend. This is not a "pizza parlor" but a pizza restaurant. -
Review from Esther J.
San Francisco, CA
4/5/2010
Went here last night with the bf and a bottle of vino (it's a BYO).
Vino-good :)
Margherita pizza- bad :(
I was really looking forward to their margherita thin crust pizza due to the great yelp reviews and the fact that the menu states "dine in only for quality assurance". You're better off going down the street to Roman Gourmet for theirs-- sooooo much better!
It was disappointing for the following reasons:
1)lacked flavor overall. i guess they forgot the salt in everything.
2)the thin crust was not very thin and tasted like bread more than crust. it was not cooked all the way through and still wet/soggy. wish they baked it longer before adding the ingredients.
3)too much tomato sauce. it felt like i ordered flat bread with tomato sauce and nothing else.
4)the cheese lacked flavor.
5)the outer rim of the crust was black and burnt.
So overall, the pizza was very bland and flavorless. We spruced it up with parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes. It's nice that you can bring your own alcohol as it was a very cheap dinner out. Wish the pizza was better. I won't be going back anytime soon. Roman Gourmet's margherita pizza is 10 times better. -
Review from Jeff D.
Morristown, NJ
Updated - 7/5/2011
Update - since my first review I've been to Arturo's approx 20 times. The pizza at Arturros is easily the best in Northern NJ and might be in the top 5 if it was in NYC. This pizza is better reheated 24hrs later than most other pizzas fresh out of the oven.
Now for the food - every restaurant owner who owns a so called "Italian" restaurant in NJ should go here and decide if what they serve is truely Italian. This place tastes like Italy, where the ingredients are the stars. The wild boar pasta is amazing and is right up there with anything I have eaten at Mario Batali's restaurants. These brothers may be the next superstar chefs- if this place was in NYC you would never get in. Thankfully its in Maplewood and off the radar - for now!!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/24/2010
My son and I tried the traditional, NY Style pizza today (not thin crust) - plain cheese - the… Read more »
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Review from Chris S.
Maplewood, NJ
6/13/2011
Great pizza and dinners. Highly recommend the thin crust well done pie. There's a tasting menu on Saturdays and Tuesdays that's worth investing in the long-term reservation.
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Review from AJ- L.
New York, NY
5/25/2011
love love love everything about Arturo's and its no surprise that its one of the most popular restaurants in Maplewood. The pizzas and pastas are to die and BYOB makes enjoying the meal with your favorite wine even better.
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Review from Brent F.
Maplewood, NJ
7/10/2010
The service at Arturo's is impeccable. The owner is a constant presence and really makes you feel welcome. The food is locally sourced and always fresh and prepared to perfection.
The pizzas here are great alternatives to a greasy NY/NJ pie.
BYOB -
Review from Andrew W.
Monmouth, NJ
6/4/2011
Great pizza but I am also impressed that the owners are supporters of locally grown produce. I would like to see more restaurants support local urban, suburban, and nearby rural farms and source locally.
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Review from Randall B.
Elizabeth, NJ
11/18/2011
Great food and BYOB! Whats not to love? Well you sometimes have to wait for a table, but its worth it, and the servers really know what they are doing, that counts for a lot.
