La Vecchia Napoli is "hidden" at the corner of River Road and Hilliard in Edgewater NJ.
The restaurant has a very family dining feel to it, you walk in and it seems like you've walked into someone's home. The entrace hall is small and has a coat rack on one side and you are seated in what looks like a large dining room but with many tables in it. Not only is the decor quant but the food is fantastic. I've been there a few times now and enjoyed all of it. I would highly recommend their penne a la vodka .. it's amazing.
The food can be a little pricey, I think the penne is about $11-13. I also recommend calling and making a reservation because it's unpredictable when others will also be jonesing for La Vecchia Napoli and it'd be disappointing to leave because it's too busy or too long of wait.
Keep in mind, there really isn't parking at this place unless you look around on the nearby side streets, but they do offer valet parking and are very prompt with the car.
3 Stars, The Record, 10/15/99 Excerpts:
“Much of the fare prepared at La Vecchia Napoli, a charming brick-faced restaurant tucked into the corner of River Road and Hilliard Avenue, awakened our palates and delighted our senses. ... The roasted artichokes could have been from any of several regional cuisines of Italy, and all should take pride in claiming La Vecchia’s version as theirs. ... Broccoli Rabe, which is often bitter, was cooked with careful precision and served crisp and tender, with only a pleasant hint at the bitter flavor that makes it appealing. The lightly browned slices of garlic we found nestled between the leaves were like golden gems, offering up a creamy sweet counterpart.”
“In every dish we tried, including those we were less keen on, the one thing that remained clear was this is a restaurant that uses only the finest, freshest ingredients available. ....You will swear you are sitting in a restaurant tucked into a side street in Naples.”
From The Record, 12/22/95
“Maybe it was fate that brought Tina and Mimmo Barracano, the couple that owns La Vecchia Napoli, from the bay of Naples and the shadow of Vesuvius to the banks of the Hudson and beacon of the Empire State Building. But what they bring diners is sumptuous authentic Southern Italian cuisine accented with local ingredients and served with style.”
“From the outside, La Vecchia Napoli looks as if it belongs on Beacon Hill in Boston with its red brick sidewalk, canvas awnings, and tall floor-to-ceiling windows bordered with lace curtains. Inside, Mimmo mans the front lines and ensures that doors are opened for guests, coats are checked, guests are seated, and meals are paced. Mimmo and Tina are like a one-two punch. First comes the service, then the cuisine. And the service is crisp, professional, and attentive. However, it’s not cutting edge: there’s always the embracing cozy confines of a family restaurant. Pictures of Naples and Italy dot the walls the same way spaghetti would if it were tossed around the room--whatever sticks, stays. It’s charming.”
“So if you don’t have the time to jet off to Naples, drive down to Edgewater where Tina and Mimmo transport guests in the New World back to the Old.”
