Sola Osteria — Restaurant in Ridgewood

The restaurant is cozy with places to be romantic and also enjoy as a nice group. Understated elegance with mostly white on white and bold colorful paintings on the walls. The food was uninspiring to say the least. My table did not order a pasta dish due to dietary restrictions. The chef's complimentary tomotoe gazpacho with a broken out burrata ( one bowl) for a table of two arrived shortly after our order was taken. It was a strange combination that was hard to eat as we tried to fish out the burrata pieces and deliver them into our own plates to share this dish. The dish itself was overly salty but otherwise not special in any way. The description of some of the dishes was very vague as compared to what actually arrived at the table. The cod cooked in an onion appetizer was interesting but not delicious, arrived overly stuffed into a small bowl with no serving spoon to share so we had to dig our own forks to fish out the contents. The dish itself other than tasting of fishy cod with stewed onions did not have any flavor. I ordered the duck breast which arrived fully doused in the same sauce as the shortrib. They also arrived with the same exact sides of mashed potatoes and then some fingerling potatoes with carrots and a couple of small brussel sprouts. The description of my dish said it comes with vegetables, I usually ask but did not this time and still don't understand acclaimed chef's process to serve the potato several ways with what seems like many of the non-pasta dishes. That seems lazy, lacked imagination and took away from each dish as it felt more cafeteria styly rather than a high end restaurant. Worst of it was that not only was i not able to eat most of what was considered vegetables as it was starch on starch, the duck was so difficult to cut that the knife given with the main was just bouncing off the meat not budging. A waiter watched me struggle but said nothing, I finally had to ask for a steak knife but even with that i struggled to cut and chew every piece. This was one of the priciest mains on the menu at $52. The waiter said the deserts would be the best part of the meal, I wish the best part was the actual meal. The deserts were large but lacked elegance. I ordered the afogatto and received what looked like a desert bowl of coffee soup with a lot of ice-cream and a huge dollop of whipped cream. It was not whimsical or fun, it was just boring. Hard to eat as the whipped cream was over the entire bowl with no place to dispose of it to get to the coffee/ice cream.

Overall this was a rather mediocre meal, with actual prices above those listed on the internet when googled.

The staff was overly zealous coming up and interrupting us several times just to ask how the food is, but failed to give us proper utensils, or refill our water glasses. I did not want to spoil my night by being honest and having an uncomfortable conversation about how disappointing the experience was, but I will not go back...

Will start off by saying the food overall was good for most part We had issues with everything else... We dined Valentines Day and were called a few days before to put a card down.No problem ,sternly told"be timely, its a busy night"..Came 5 min early-seated immediately with menus. Had not completed taking off our jackets when we were asked to put in appetizers...we had not even looked at the menu yet! The prices were vastly higher** than the online menu---branzino online 39 ,was now 49! .Bucatini from 28 to 34$ , ...everything was up significantly from the menu on line-NOT ACCEPTABLE! That needs to be updated..if its a few bucks per item fine but it was 10 in the case of the branzino ! Our dinner for 2 cost 30$ more than would be expected based on website proces In any case, the waiter came back fairly immediately to take our order .They brought over a complementary small bowl gazpacho ,which was quite good(one spoon for 2 people?) and bread -mediocre. As the waiter took the apps away he mumbled something about desserts..And next thing you know he brought us the dessert menu(we had sat there about 15 minutes in total and YOU just cleared the app plates!). Never in a half century of eating out has that happened. Mains came immediately thereafter and were good..We didnt dare put the utensil down though bc people were hovering to take dishes away. We ordered dessert -not bc we really wanted to but bc we were there only about 40 minutes at this point (and already 200$ in) and couldnt believe the pace or the service.I will say many people were waiting by front door at this point.Ordered the creme brulee with blackberries(no blackberries were in or on and was espresso flavored but was good ). Got bill immediately and at this point people were waiting everywhere(actually was hard to leave restaurant it was so crowded-and cold- at door ) WIll certainly not be back and we eat out several times/week. The food was good the experience was not and more $$$$ than most places...

A Hidden Gem: Italy Right Here in Ridgewood, NJ

Tonight I had the pleasure of dining at a new restaurant in Ridgewood, NJ, that feels like a little piece of Italy, and I can’t stop raving about it! run by the owner himself, whose passion for real Italian food shines through in every dish.

From the moment we walked in, we were enveloped in a warm, welcoming atmosphere that felt authentic. It’s not just about the food here; it’s about community. The owner treats every guest with care and respect, and you can sense the love and dedication that goes into each plate. We were speechless by the flavors that we left no trace, every bite was a reminder of what authentic Italian cuisine should taste like!

Sure, there were a few other customers who seemed quite entitled about getting a table, but that didn’t bother us one bit. We happily waited our turn in line, appreciating that good things come to those who wait. There’s no pretense here, just a genuine passion for food and an artful dining experience that deserves to be recognized.

The restaurant itself is well curated! From the beautiful lights, imported ceramics to the creatively painted walls, every detail is thoughtfully curated. It’s clear that the owner has poured his heart and soul into this space, making it a true labor of love.

If you’re in Ridgewood, NJ, and looking for an unforgettable dining experience, do yourself a favor and visit this gem. It’s more than just a meal; it’s a celebration of food, community, and the beautiful art of Italian cooking. My family and friends can’t wait to go back!

(Thank you Massimo and to the whole team for making this evening...