A decent Italian meal is hard to come by these days — too much of this, not enough of that. Are the days of enjoying Nonna’s homemade favorites long gone? Fortunately, Monroe’s Scalia family does Italian right.
Scalia & Co. Craft Kitchen and Bar, located in the heart of Monroe, is the brainchild of the Scalia brothers — Vito, Peter, and Marco. Owned and operated by the three brothers and Mark Glielmi, the casual Italian eatery brings Nonna’s homemade dishes to the table.
The Scalias know what they’re doing when it comes to Italian nosh. The family has been providing Monroe with the best in Italian fare for 40 years at the Best of Little Italy deli, located next door to the restaurant.
A little exposed brick and some industrial touches lend an urban, Manhattan-esque vibe to the two-story space without the hassle of traveling to the city or dealing with its sky-high prices. Take a seat at the bar for some fresh local oysters and one of the nine imported and local craft brews on tap, or in a cozy booth for some homemade pasta and a specialty pizza. Our recommendations: shrimp and pesto pizza (crushed tomatoes, homemade mozzarella, roasted garlic shrimp, and homemade basil pesto) and the calamari with garlic-basil aïoli.
If you go…
Scalia & Co. Craft Kitchen and Bar
785 Shoprite Plaza, Rte. 17M, Monroe
845-395-0906; www.scaliaandco.com
