Best Contemporary Italian Restaurants in Metuchen

I took two colleagues to Café Mars for a business dinner. The comfortable booth salons with the sensitive and attentive service allowed us to talk freely. The drinks and food were off-the-charts fabulous. They made the business discussions that much more fun and productive. We started with 3 “snacks” … pizza slice anchovies, antipasto bomb and inside-out Chicago beef. All three were flavorful, amazingly creative and wonderfully presented. These bites complimented the cocktails, including the deeply flavored Giardiniera martini. Indeed, since the Giardiniera is a key ingredient in the Chicago beef snack, the match was downright perfect! The chefs and bartenders sure work well together. Our three pastas were equally inspired, including the lemony curls, the Genoa tuna waves, and the more traditional Brooklyn Sunday gravy … but with triangle-shaped penne and meat cubes, instead of balls! A modern pivot! We finished with the deconstructed Philly pork sandwich. The flavors were right out of the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia, but the careful execution and beautiful presentation made them pop! It couldn’t have been a better dinner! Thank you, Café Mars!

"La Lupa in Manalapan, NJ The perfect date night!The steak was cooked to perfection and the ambience was fantastic. A truly amazing dining experience that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a top-notch meal. 5 stars all the way!"

From start to finish, an amazing dining experience with amazing service and delicious dishes.

My second time there and was just as good as the first!! Food is outstandingly delicious and sangria is off the charts! Bought my family there last night for their first time and she are so mad they didn’t know about it sooner.

If you arrive early the bar is fun and the drinks are “perfect”. The food is fabulous as is the service in a charming authentic stone built dinningroom