Dolce Restaurant — Restaurant in Flemington

A classic Italian restaurant with wonderful service. We have been coming to this spot for many years. I had visited here about 2 years ago and I was not impressed. However i decided today to give it another try especially after seeing that they were the 1st place to start donating food to the doctors and staff at the local hospital back in March. All I can say is WOW!! I really enjoyed the food service and atmosphere. We made reservations and sat outside under there tent in the front of the building. The flowers plants and fresh growing tomatoes make you feel like your in Italy. We were greeted with ice cold water and its BYOB so we brought wine with us. Right away they brought out ice to chill the wine and fresh bread with dipping oil. We dive right in to our appetizers Fresh calamari cooked to a perfection accompanied by fresh and delicious sauce. Then came the salads I had the fresh garden with blue cheese crumbles nuts and vinaigrette. My wife and daughter had the classic caeser. Then came the main course I choose the pork chop special that was stuffed with fresh spinach cheeses and prosciutto. The pork chop was a big as the plate and cooked to absolute perfection. Juicy moist and very filling. The meal was accompanied by fresh vegetables and mashed potatoes. The sides were pretty basic so i ordered mushroom risotto as well wich was terrific. My daughter had classic chicken parm over pasta (enough to feed 2 kids) my wife had the crusted salmon with horseradish that just melted in your mouth. My aunt had the chicken Dolce wich looked and according to her tasted amazing. My mother in law ordered the veal she is from Italy and is a master cook in the kitchen. I was waiting for her to criticize her food as she normally does however there was just silence. Every single entree was enjoyed to the fullest as it showed it was all cooked with attention and love. After having all that food not to mention all the left overs (huge portions) we decided we did not want the fun to stop. We ordered dessert. Moist fresh limonccilo cake that had fresh lemon creme between moist lemon cake that came along side of a scoop of fresh lemon sorbet that had beautiful lemon grinds in it. Melt in your mouth treat. My wife had the chocolate cake wich i did not have but they loved it. My daughter had the tiramisu it was fresh and delicious. My mother in law enjoyed the creme brule that was perfectly done. A wonderful experience all the way. We used to come here when Norman and Fred owned it. All that I can say is Norman is truly smiling down from above knowing his restaurant is serving the BEST FOOD IN FLEMINGTON. Bravo Dolce for stepping it up and bringing a taste of Italy to...

Disappointed by Decline in Quality and Service

I’ve had pleasant experiences at this restaurant in the past, but unfortunately, my recent visit was far from what I remember. From the moment we arrived, the atmosphere felt uninviting. After about 20 minutes, our waiter approached without introducing themselves, asking if we would like a beverage or informing us of any specials. Instead, the first thing we heard was, “Are you ready to order?” – a bit abrupt. When we asked to start with appetizers, we were told the entire order needed to be placed at once. I understand this approach for…. let’s say, a steak house, where a porterhouse could be ordered due to the time needed for cooking. But based on their menu, I couldn’t find the reason for it and it’s a pet peeve of mine, no biggie though.

Later, while placing our orders, we requested shrimp to be added to one of the pasta dishes. The waiter, in a rather unusual manner, informed us, “It’s like $5 for shrimp, how many were you thinking? 4?” This phrasing stood out, but we agreed to four thinking $5 “four” shrimp.

When the calamari arrived, the portion was noticeably small – about 12-18 pieces of what appeared to be pre-battered, frozen calamari. It lacked any seasoning, no tentacles, and barely filled half the bowl. At this price point, the quality felt lacking.

Throughout the evening, service continued to fall short. Water refills and wine service required repeated attempts to catch the staff’s attention, and shared plates from appetizers remained on the table until our entrées arrived.

One particularly surprising moment was when our guest requested bread to enjoy with the sauce from their entrée, only to be told they had run out – at 7:30 on a Saturday night.

When the bill arrived, we were surprised to see that each shrimp was $5 – a $20 addition to a $23 pasta dish. While I paid without hesitation, I asked about the size of the shrimp, which seemed more like 21/25 or 13/15 at best. The waiter initially didn’t know saying “jumbo” but later claimed they were 8/10 tiger shrimp after asking the chef. As someone in the industry, it was clear this wasn’t accurate.

It’s disappointing to see a restaurant that once delivered great experiences now seemingly cutting corners in both quality and service. This visit left me feeling disheartened, and while I hope they find their way back to the standard they once upheld, this experience made it difficult to...

We wanted to try something different, and since this was a new restaurant we wanted to check it out. We were a little worried since they were new and there's usually kinks when a new place opens up. However, I have to say that the Decor was absolutely beautiful. Attention to detail was very much focused on. The food was plated beautifully and artistically. Just because something looks good, doesn't mean it will be good however, it tasted as delicious as it looked. Vegetables were not over done and not overly ladened with butter. The food wasn't hidden behind or under the accompanying sauces. It was a perfect balance of flavor and ingredients. We started with a salad, and the salad was not swimming in dressing, however you can taste it and it enhanced the greens accompanying fruit. . Even though the outside dining was on a main street, it was purposely set up to look attractive, surrounded by pots of flowers and lighting. The choice of outdoor furniture was outstanding. That's important when you're enjoying a good meal which I feel you won't be disappointed. We had the veal saltimbocca, veal fungi and chicken florentina. We tried the chocolate soufflé for dessert, and it was truly one of the most delicious soufflés I...