Restaurants in Trenton

White columns, tapestries, and venetian blinds bespeak both American hominess and Italian tradition at Christine’s Restaurant. Under the house's a-frame roof, Chef James Armetta prepares cuts of eggplant, veal, and chicken in the style of parmigiana or of Picasso's Dinner Period. Patrons bring their own beverages for lunch or dinner as they tuck into seafood, steak, pasta, and burgers. While Chef Armetta prides himself on his traditional Italian cooking, he is also given to experimenting with original creations that riff off of classic plates.

Rick DeLorenzo Jr.'s family inheritance is more than just a recipe for thin-crust pizza—it's a tradition of hard work and dedication. After emigrating from a small Italian town called San Fele, his grandparents settled in a row home on Hudson Street in Trenton. They raised 12 children there, all of whom became well-versed in the application of elbow grease. Circa 1938, DeLorenzo's uncle Joe opened the first family pizzeria at the corner of Hudson and Mott Streets. Four of the older brothers formulated the signature Trenton tomato-pie recipe—a supercrispy thin crust topped with garden-fresh california tomatoes and wisconsin cheese—and passed it on to four younger brothers, including DeLorenzo's father. Today, the pizzaiolo duties are carried on by DeLorenzo and his children, Michael, Melissa, and Maria.

The menu at DeLorenzo's Pizza has earned high praise in several newspaper articles and a spot on Dash’s list of America's best slices. After enjoying a tomato pie, Rich Defabritus of the Slice food blog said, "The balance struck between the sauce and cheese is about as close to perfection as you could get." Wood-paneled walls and old-timey memorabilia give the restaurant a nostalgic, throwback vibe, similar to the pizza parlor where Frank Sinatra first read a menu with his famously blue-tinted contact lenses.

At South Fin Grill, the ocean breeze mingles with a menu of upscale seafood and steakhouse dishes praised by New York magazine. Amid what critic Ethan Wolff describes as a "priceless" ocean view, servers roll out lobster, crab, swordfish, and salmon incarnated as pasta, soup, and sushi dishes. The "turf" portion of the menu showcases grilled new york sirloin, filet mignon, and barbecued pork, but the focus once again turns seaside at a raw bar that features clams and oysters kept fresh by pearl-shaped breath mints.

Beams of purple, blue, and yellow lighting hover above the interior dining tables, each blanketed with a white tablecloth and centered with a flickering candle. Outside, the ocean deck's sea-blue umbrellas shelter views of the boardwalk, ocean, and seagull beach volleyball tourneys. The restaurant bolsters its elegantly plated cuisine with occasional entertainment acts, which have included DJs and ballroom dancing lessons.

Trenton Social's convivial environment sprawls from its indoor lounge to its cozy outdoor patio, where dining and drinking often melds with special events. Its menu fuels guests with eats ranging from seafood and pastas to hot sandwiches and parmesan fries. Between drinks on Sundays, guests can learn to shimmy as salsa dancers teach free lessons, and monthly bike trips explore historic Trenton as tour guides expound upon relevant historical morsels, such as stories of the brutal penny-farthing gangs of old.

Ben's Morrisville Deli's cooks bake fresh breads and desserts, whip up Italian-style entrees and hot sandwiches, and assemble salads, keeping their recipes alive since 1958. Their specials change daily and necessitate repeat visits for diners who wish to try both the pierogis and the Salisbury steak. For large-group dining, they cater occasions with hot and cold eats en masse, fueling board meetings or jury duty reunions with long trays of sandwiches or an à la carte selection of hot entrees.

Chef Francisco Argueta’s love for Italian cooking doesn't just stretch across his 20-year culinary career—it stretches across two area restaurants: Francisco's on the River and Florentino's. In contrast with the pastoral setting of Francisco's, Florentino's embraces the antique charm and gourmand poltergeists of historic downtown Newtown. Here, Chef Francisco builds a solid foundation of classic red, wine, and cream sauces, draping them over entrees of lobster ravioli, shrimp scampi, and eggplant parmigiano. Tradition isn't everything at Florentino's; Chef Francisco has been known to switch things up with plates of mango-salsa salmon and lunches of pesto burgers and filet mignon sandwiches.