Antonietta’s Italian Restaurant

Tucked away in West Creek, N.J., on land’s end three miles down Cedar Run Dock Road, you’ll find a quaint Victorian-style house known as Antonietta’s. A magical place for sure, the restaurant offers diners an unparalleled view of Barnegat Bay and the Forsythe Wildlife Refuge, along with wonderful food, décor and service. If you make reservations for the right time, you’ll have the best view of the sunset. Every seat in the two dining rooms, or outside on the deck in season, showcases nature’s beauty. If you don’t feel like driving, dock your boat in the slip and come right up.

For my birthday last month, I wanted nothing more than to enjoy good food while watching the sun set, so naturally I opted to eat at Antonietta’s. Unfortunately, the day didn’t have the best weather as it was rainy and overcast.

When we arrived, we were greeted by the host who told us our table was being set. Our table was upstairs and, without requesting it, we were seated right next to the window — now on a sunny, fair weathered evening, we would’ve had the best seat in the house, maybe next time. The upstairs room features large, wood-framed windows complemented by gold-striped valances. The architectural details are charming, but don’t compare to the view.

Unlike many Italian-themed restaurants, it’s not stereotypical — no dusty statues, trellises or fake vines. The table was set with sparkling wine glasses on white tablecloths in soft, amber light. The BYOB venue is known for its elegant, yet casual atmosphere, serving refined Italian and seafood dishes.

For appetizer, we split the special of coconut shrimp — incredible — shrimp cocktail and mozzarella en Carrozza Italian bread, fried and breaded with mozzarella, fresh basil and marinara sauce. For dinner, I ordered the chicken parmigiano, while other dishes included coconut shrimp as an entrée, veal parmigiano, chicken Antonietta and one special, chicken mondo. Everything was cooked to perfection, making for an excellent evening.

While we did save room for dessert, we opted to head home and enjoy a piece of Funfetti birthday cake.

Antoinetta’s Restaurant

523 Cedar Run Dock Rd.

West Creek, NJ 08092-3110

tel 609 978 9785