Today I’m doing a little plug for Enza’s Italian Restaurant in Hawthorne, NJ. Are you willing to drive far for a really good meal? I have been known to do this on a very rare occasion.
Enza’s, I will make a trip for. I personally feel it’s the best Italian restaurant in the tri-state area… at the very least, the most authentic.
Enza’s is a North Jersey phenomenon. The friendly neighborhoods of Hawthorne, Glen Rock and surrounding towns have smartly kept this one under wraps for decades. But let me be the one to finally let the cannoli out of the bag.
The BEST Italian Restaurant in New Jersey
Lunch or dinner at Enza’s will be the greatest Italian meal you’ve enjoyed in a restaurant, BY FAR, this year.
It’s not fancy. It’s not a wild epicurean adventure or trendy trattoria. But what it is, is that authentic old-world Southern Italian way of cooking up a great meal.
Fresh ingredients. Simply prepared. Small details, like the best olive oil… a hot escarole (‘scadole) and garlic sautee, made to order and cooked to perfection.
A simple pasta sauce made from milled tomatoes by hand, as the base for many of their cooked-to-order Southern Italian dishes.
And if your busy life has you yearning for simpler times… that walk down a brick-and-stone-clad city street to the neighborhood butcher shop… a grandma in a house dress stirring a big, bubbling pot of sauce for Sunday dinner… all the comforts of home-cooked food just the way you remember it… Enza’s will take you right back there.
How I Know About Enza’s in Hawthorne
Back in the day, I lived and worked up in Northeast New Jersey. A work friend, Jen, who resided in Hawthorne at the time, invited a group of us to meet for dinner on a Friday.
“You are going to love it,” she said, “And let’s stop for wine at the liquor store — it’s BYO!”
That was twenty-some years ago, but I still remember walking through the door, to receive a wordless greeting from an older Italian gentleman, just slightly taller than me, who directed us to “sit over there” while pointing at a table.
They were all there… laughing, gesticulating, smart-talking each other… a cast of southern Italian characters straight out of a classic movie… a family photo album… or my life.
Did I fall in love with Enza’s that day? Yes, yes I did!
Imagine my delight as this precious little Italian family transported me back in time, with their aromas of frying meatballs and Parmesan… trays of hot antipasto, a little something for everyone… that nugget of bacon stealing the flavor show of a perfectly prepared nibble of clams casino.
Love Seafood? Try the Calamari or Zuppa de Pesce
And then, not even on Christmas Eve mind you, but an otherwise ordinary night… out comes a bubbling dish of my all-time favorite Italian meal, zuppa de pesce… with intoxicating hits of sauteed garlic; generous portions of fresh seafood — shrimp, mussels, clams, scungili. All simmered to tender perfection in a hearty tomato sauce, rich and bright…
I moved away from that part of New Jersey years ago. But I never forgot about Enza’s, and still talk about it like I was just there yesterday.
So when I had occasion to go back and make an in-person referral… I brought my dad. The father of all Italian food critics.
As suspected, he was as appreciative as I was… and we have enjoyed a meal there twice in the past month, just because it’s THAT good, and these old-world Italian people still rule!
The Enza’s Legacy Lives On
I don’t know how he does it. But owner Santo is still on his feet, cooking away in that magical kitchen, just like those who came before.
He arrived in America in 1976, when it was his father’s restaurant (the gentleman who greeted me on that first day, sadly now passed).
Santo acquired the family business, naming it Enza’s, after his late wife. And their legacy lives on with family members working side by side, continuing to cook and serve great food in their cozy dining room.
Eat at Enza’s, and there is a good chance that the owner himself will prepare your food and might even serve you.
But what other way would you enjoy your authentically prepared mussels marinara, stuffed mushrooms, chicken Picatta, and all of those signature dishes brought to America just a few generations ago?
And there you have it. The best Italian meal anyone could ask for, at Enza’s. Tucked away in that Northeast Jersey neighborhood… where old-school Italians are still alive and well, doing what they do… feeding everyone!
If you go there, tell Santo that Dina and her dad said hi. 🙂
Contact Info
Enza’s Family Restaurant
266 Warburton Ave.
Hawthorne, NJ
Phone: 973-423-4080
About the Author
Dina Gio works as a freelance copywriter, small business website creator and content marketing consultant.
Happy Healthy NJ is her “giveback project” and she invites you to publish your happy, healthy stories, events, and community support efforts, right here on our website. Contact us to be featured soon!