Lupa Ristorante in Berkley Heights, NJ

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Barb and I found ourselves in Summit for the July 4th weekend visiting our granddaughters. They all had plans for July 4th dinner, so we were on our own with some suggestions from our daughter. The most appealing menu on her list was that of Lupa, two towns over. I was in the mood for Cacio e Pepe and some fish Carpaccio which both appeared on the menu. Luckily, we were able to procure a reservation.

When we arrived we were offered a table in either the dining room or the bar. Surprisingly, the bar was the quieter of the two rooms so we ate there. The bar was very homey and well stocked. The list of wines by the glass was well chosen and not overpriced. The menu included several super options which blew out my planned choices. The specials made my meal.

Along with our pre-dinner drinks of Prosecco and a very nice red (Bordeaux blend from Italy) we were served a nice tray of very fresh rustic bread along with a delicious red sauce. (I wonder what happened to the third slice of bread.)
The sauce was loaded with chunks of tomatoes and fresh herbs. Someone had hit the sauce before I took this photo.
Barb and I chose two starters. One was this beet salad which they graciously split into two portions. I’m a big fan of fresh beets along with goat cheese and this dish really tickled my fancy.
It seems that no one ever serves razor clams. When I saw it on the menu I flipped out. They coated them lightly with bread crumbs and baked them to a nice crispy finish. Razor clams are a super treat, whether served raw or cooked. Five to an order and I got three. I have a generous wife.
Barb ordered Branzino filet and switched out the potatoes for Brussel sprouts. A nicely presented plate with perfectly cooked sprouts. She was very happy with her dish.
A second special that wowed me was Beef Cheek, another dish that’s hard to find. This one was wrapped in red cabbage with a large slice of Chanterelle mushroom. It was accompanied by a crispy Polenta. Wowza! What a dish.
A brief consultation with our server resulted in my choosing the Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel ice cream. This was really a no-brainer considering my affection for bread puddings. This dessert was rich and perfectly dense. The ice cream topping was a perfect implement.
Our server throughout the meal was Sydney, pictured on the right with her friend Viviana who held her up for the photo. Sydney guided us nicely through our meal with excellent suggestions and unintrussive service.

In a world where Italian menus are dominated by pastas and chicken parm (all of which were included on this menu), it’s refreshing to find more obscure options prepared really well. The chef here puts lots of planning and thought into his specials and his food preparation. His plating is way above the normal Italian presentation.

I’ll recommend Lupa to anyone who happens to be in the area and is looking for Italian cuisine that’s truly a cut above.

4 thoughts on “Lupa Ristorante in Berkley Heights, NJ”

  1. Everything looked well prepared especially the razor clams, branding, and the bread pudding. They just don’t have these kind of great restaurants in southwest Fl and Wisconsin.

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  2. Everything looked well prepared especially the razor clams, branding, and the bread pudding. They just don’t have these kind of great restaurants in southwest Fl and Wisconsin.

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