Restaurants in Bridgeton

Salvatore DiLisi and his family immigrated from Carini, Italy in 1978, and they founded DiLisi Ristorante soon after. A few years later, his parents returned home, and Salvatore took over. The next 35 years saw some changes. Sal expanded his family to include his wife Nancy and their children Giacomo and Valeria. He made the eatery's name synonymous with family-style servings of seafood, pasta, and pizza. And he opened up a second location, connected to the original by a 10-mile-long zip line of spaghetti. Today, in DiLisi's two kitchens, chefs draw upon the culinary traditions of northern Italy and the Mediterranean, kneading dough by hand and combining meat and seafood in unexpected ways.

You can't remain the reigning champ of cheesesteak in Gloucester County without having a superior sandwich. And that's just what Little Beef's has, with voters continually lauding their gooey, melty cheesesteak as the best in the county for the last five years. But outside the shop's most well-known sandwich, there's a full menu of hoagies that are worthy of your lunch break. The staff create Philly classics such as the hot sausage and peppers, the meatball parmesan, and the St. Anthony loaded with proscuitto di Parma, provolone, long hots, and sliced tomatoes. These sandwiches pair well with the make-your-own pasta option, and can be swapped out for the lighter wraps or salads that burst with fresh flavors.

Housed inside a building originally erected as a log cabin in 1720, Barnsboro Inn has continually operated as a licensed tavern since 1776, pausing only during the prohibition era. These days, chef's' menu of elegant, fresh American cuisine complements the eatery's lengthy cache of craft beers, international wines, and meticulously preserved napkin rings. Upscale steaks and seafood entrees such as flat iron steak served with button mushrooms and chicken piccata with crab assuage hunger; burgers and sandwiches flaunt such accouterments as turkey breast or corned beef reuben.

Patrons make merry amid two bars and three dining rooms sprawled across Barnsboro Inn's historic digs. Inside, full-wall murals depict idyllic countryside scenes of horse-drawn carriages and straw-covered hovercrafts. When weather warms, staff members also dispense Boddingtons and Flying Fish ales on an outdoor patio, where an additional bar abuts numerous umbrella-covered tables.

Barcelona Bistro's Spanish- and Mediterranean-influenced seafood and tapas earned the elegant bistro-style restaurant a Golden Fork award from South Jersey Magazine in 2012. The restaurant lives up to its accolades with a menu built around the varied tastes, textures, and astrological signs of shareable tapas plates, which include spicy bites of chorizo frito or cool forkfuls of clam in cilantro sauce. Tortilla española earns its stripes as a Spanish classic by showcasing fried potatoes and olive oil in a fluffy egg embrace, and entrees of grilled salmon, pan-seared trout, and bright jumbo shrimp exhibit the coastal influences so integral to Iberian cuisine. The BYOB restaurant's crisp, white tablecloths and dark wood seats create a sophisticated atmosphere to impress first dates, and outdoor seating on the brick patio creates a breezy atmosphere to test the tenacity of trick candles.

At Kura Thai and Sushi, chefs concoct tasty, authentic Thai and Japanese specialties. Sushi-bar creations include the Shrek roll, a combo of crunchy lobster, tuna, and avocado with masago in green soy pepper. Noodles, curry, and tempura dishes also abound, helping guests conquer any number of cravings.

Cuisine Type: American
Established: Before 1950
Reservations: Optional
Handicap Accessible: Yes
Number of Tables: 50+
Parking: Parking lot
Most Popular Offering: 12-hour roasted prime rib and salad bar
Kid-friendly: Yes
Alcohol: Wine only
Delivery/Takeout Available: Takeout only
Outdoor Seating: Yes

Larry's II Restaurant, which is co-owned by Bob and Ryan Middleton, is a second-generation, family-run restaurant with a history that goes back to 1949. Originally a diner, the eatery has maintained a casual setting while growing with the times. Today, its menu has developed to include American cuisine with global touches and fresh ingredients, including the use of local produce whenever possible.

Details such as a self-serve salad bar and outdoor-patio seating augment dinners of 1.5-pound pork osso bucco, cedar-plank salmon, freshly ground burgers, and housemade cheesesteaks. To accommodate as many diners as it can, the staff also prepares kid-friendly and gluten-free options. The eatery even has a coffee-bar area where patrons can quickly grab an espresso and to-go bite, allowing them to get back to watching cat videos on their work computers as fast as possible.