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A high-ceilinged, hardwood-picnic-table heaven, with customized ovens from Naples and thin-crust pizzas vetted by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana. A glass of red and a side of meatballs at the lively happy hour will fill your belly without emptying your wallet, but if the octopus salad is on the menu, order it – you'll think you've died and gone to heaven.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Historic Village at Allaire

8 MILES

Just a 15-minute-drive from the 21st century and Asbury Park, this quirky museum is what remains of what was once a thriving 19th-century village called…

2. Jenkinson’s

8.85 MILES

The focus is on kids at this boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach: small-scale rides, mini-golf, an aquarium and plenty of candy.

3. Twin Lights of Navesink

12.19 MILES

If you can't get enough of Jersey lighthouses, the medieval-like brownstone double towers of Navesink offer an awesome – and free – view of Sandy Hook Bay…

5. Sandy Hook Lighthouse

16.68 MILES

The oldest operating lighthouse in the country. Admission by tour only; visitors must be at least 4ft tall. Reservations are recommended; show up in the…

6. Casino Pier

19.46 MILES

The amusement pier at the northern end of the Seaside boardwalk has a few kiddie rides and more extreme thrills for the 48in-and-taller set, plus a…

7. St Vladimir Russian Orthodox Church

21.86 MILES

Driving through the Pines, this majestic structure seems to pop up out of nowhere. It's a functioning parish, so not for sightseers, but worth a gander…

8. Coney Island

24.41 MILES

About an hour by subway from Midtown, this popular seaside neighborhood makes for a great day trip. The wide sandy beach has retained its nostalgic,…