Apulia Risto-Pizza — Restaurant in Hardyston Township

Came here during a weekday around 6 PM to get a table for myself my daughter and her Infant son. When I walked inside, There Were two customers talking to the woman at the register in front of me. They seem to be going over different menu items for an exorbitant amount of time… Maybe 10 minutes while the line started to get longer and longer behind me. Finally, I was asked to be helped and I requested a table for two adults and a high chair. We were sat along the windows in front, which was fine. I had brought a bottle of wine. The server did not offer to open it, she just handed me an opener and one glass . They seemed very busy/ overwhelmed but I know It takes some time to get things rolling in a new restaurant. My daughter and I ended up ordering fried cauliflower bites with pesto, the breaded chicken with arugula and an Italian pie with salami and hot honey. The cauliflower bites were definitely under seasoned and needed salt. There was hardly any pesto on them, I wondered if they had run out. The breaded chicken cutlet was OK nothing to write home about but the onions on the salad were very thick cut. The pizza we had ordered stated there were supposed to be hot honey, but we really couldn’t even taste it so we asked the waitress to bring back more, and I completely understand a rustic pie has some char but the underside of the pizza was burnt. Here is a picture of the pizza. unfortunately we didn’t take pictures of anything else, but it was kind of forgettable to be honest with you, We’ll probably give it another shot, but not the best first experience. it was definitely pricey for what we got. Oh, and to boot it was also about 100° in there. I had mentioned it to the waitress and she said we’ll try to turn it down.

Edited after second visit… So I finally decided to give this place another shot. I ordered food for pick up. I requested a gluten-free cheese pizza and a side order of meatballs The girl on the phone asked me If I wanted a large. I said no, personal or 12 inch whatever you call it. She said so, a “Bari pie” I said I guess….(Knowing that’s their basic personal cheese pizza name). She put me on hold to find out how long and came back and told me 20 to 25 minutes. When I walked in the woman at the counter (One of the owners I’m assuming) verbally confirmed the order with me, but did not mention gluten-free. Then when I told her I wanted gluten-free, she said she would check the notes. Then she told me that the girl said on the phone that I never mentioned gluten-free and that she could check the recording, but not now. She told me it would take literally seven minutes to put in a new gluten-free pie. I waited almost another 20 and went up to the counter to ask how my order was coming. Unfortunately, it was not ready and she proceeded to explain to me that gluten dough, as I should know, takes a little bit longer even though she just promised me it would be done in seven minutes. I informed her this was my second unfortunate experience here (only to give her honest feedback.) Truth be told, I had food from another restaurant in my car for the rest of the family and I felt like walking out at that point anyway ) and when I described what happened the first time she recalled my review and told me it was “odd“. I told her it’s too bad because I see that you’re very busy, trying to give her credit and maybe this was just a second bad shot…Then she proceeded to tell me specifically, “maybe this restaurant just isn’t for you“. It was then that I decided to tell her to cancel my order and I promptly left. I’ve worked in the restaurant business for a very long time. I believe she attempted to handle it properly initially, but when she turned the corner and started putting the blame on me, I no longer wanted to support this establishment. I wish I had the experience that most of these people on here seem to have unfortunately that’s just...

Edit: Google isn't giving me an option to add a picture otherwise I would post the chicken section to counter the owners claim that there are nine items. The chicken section of the menu contains five items, three of which include mushrooms, and one is actually a salad with breaded chicken, which is misleading since what comes out is a salad. It should be on the salad section of the menu. Additionally, the small amount of sauce served with the fried calamari was far from adequate, so requesting more wasn’t an attempt to get 'free items.' Given the numerous issues we encountered and the waitress’s condescending attitude, there was no point in raising complaints at the restaurant. We would just rather opt to not return. Against our better judgement we decided to give this place a second change by ordering a large cheese pie as takeout. While the flavor was good the dough was so tough that we had to cook it longer at home just to be able to chew it.

Original review: After reading so many positive reviews, we were eager to try this restaurant, but our visit, unfortunately, didn’t live up to our expectations.

The evening started off with our beverages taking quite a while to arrive—it didn’t come until after our appetizers were already on the table. The mushroom appetizer was a particular letdown; not only was it lukewarm, but it was also very bland, lacking the flavor we had hoped for. The calamari, while decent, was served with only a small amount of sauce, which was also lukewarm. When we requested a bit more, we were surprised to be told it would cost an additional $1.50. When we asked why, we were told “It’s the rule”. While we understand policies, it felt a bit unreasonable considering the original portion was inadequate. The $1.50 cup of sauce that came out was at least a lot warmer than the first.

Another small but noticeable issue was that we were asked if we wanted bread rather than it being brought out automatically which is customary in most restaurants. It felt awkward.

Since the restaurant is BYOB, we brought our own champagne and asked for a bucket of ice, only to be told that the only one they have was already being used by another table. It was surprising that a restaurant would have just one bucket for this purpose.

The menu also could use some improvement. The chicken section had five options, three of which included mushrooms. My boyfriend specifically chose a dish without mushrooms but ended up receiving what was essentially a breaded chicken salad—something we felt belonged in the salad section of the menu. He ate everything on his plate, but I had some food left over. When the waitress collected our plates, she commented, "Oh, our eyes were bigger than our stomach, huh?" Although probably well-intended, the remark felt a bit off and left us feeling a little uncomfortable.

In conclusion, the service, food quality, and overall experience didn’t match the glowing reviews we had read. We hope our experience was just an off night, but we will not...

Finally, a Great Italian Option in the Area!

It’s been a long wait, but Apulia Risto-Pizza has finally brought amazing Southern Italian cuisine to the Crystal Springs/Franklin/Hamburg area. For years, this region has lacked solid dining options, and Apulia is a much-needed gem.

The restaurant opened last year on Route 23 in Franklin, and at first glance, the signage might make you think it's just another pizzeria. But don’t be fooled – the menu, presentation, and, most importantly, the flavor of each dish rival some of the best NYC restaurants.

As you walk in, you’re greeted with fresh, oven-baked pizzas and a tempting selection of pastries, reinforcing the idea of a classic pizzeria. However, the experience goes far beyond that.

While many have mentioned long waits on Saturday nights, we were seated almost immediately, thanks to the attentive hostess. However, it’s best to be prepared for a wait, especially on busy nights – but trust me, it’s well worth it.

A BYOB spot, Apulia allows you to bring your favorite drinks to complement the delicious food.

For dinner, I chose the Zuppa Di Pesce – a personal favorite. This dish can be a gamble at other places, but Apulia hit it out of the park. The mussels, clams, shrimp, and calamari were perfectly tender and cooked just right (no rubbery seafood here!). The homemade linguini and the flavorful sauce were so good that it could easily stand alone as a main course. It was absolutely delicious.

My wife went with the Tagliatelle alla Bolognese, also made with homemade pasta, and she couldn’t stop raving about it for days. The portion size was generous, and she even asked for a take-home container for leftovers. I, on the other hand, had nothing left to take home except for some sauce on my shirt – it was that good!

While I can’t speak in detail about our friends' meals, I can say that we all thoroughly enjoyed our time at Apulia, and we’ll definitely be returning.

For dessert, Daniella and Daniel (yes, not a typo!) – the owners – recommended the freshly made Zeppoli. If you’re thinking of the typical carnival-style fried dough, think again. These were light, delicate pastries with a cannoli-like cream topping and a fruit preserve that was out of this world.

Big thanks to Daniella, Daniel, and the entire staff of Apulia Risto-Pizza for bringing outstanding Southern Italian cuisine...