Montclair seems to get a new restaurant every month, but Marzullo's, also known as "Montclair's Italian," could teach the new kids on the block a few things about longevity. Carb-loaders and red-sauce lovers have flocked to this welcoming Grove Street eatery for more than 22 years. When a fire forced the restaurant to close for 18 months, the same customers showed up on opening day. It's easy to see why. In fact, it only takes a taste of the tempting hot antipasto (a hefty platter of fried calamari and shrimp, stuffed mushrooms, clams oreganata and casino and eggplant rollatini) to start swooning over Marzullo's food.
Besides classic Italian favorites, Marzullo's shines with its fish dishes, particularly perfectly cooked Chilean sea bass with a potato crust and a lip-smacking rock shrimp arrabiatta. The fish tastes incredibly fresh and we found out why: It's delivered daily and it's competitive. "We use three different fish guys, so none of them gets too comfortable," says Raffaele Marzullo, who along with brother Mimmo, are Marzullo's owners. After many area restaurants have closed their kitchens, we like the European cafe sensibility of stopping in for a late night dinner, or enjoying gelato, tiramisu or cappuccino at Marzullo's outdoor tables (open until midnight on Friday and Saturday). 
If you love broccoli rabe with garlic done to perfection or an incredible ribeye steak with sauteed mushrooms, you can have it here, and the kids can have spaghetti and meatballs or the ubiquitous chicken fingers (which taste so good here, adults steal them off kids' plates). Even side dishes, like smashed potatoes with a hint of mustard or tender green beans with bacon take meals here to the next level. A loyal lunch crowd (Mountainside Hospital is just blocks away), drops by for grilled stuffed foccacia sandwiches, wraps, selections from the deli counter of prepared dishes as well as traditional and focaccia-style pizza. Serious dessert lovers -- prepare to be tempted by a separate dessert menu, with everything from semifreddo to sorbets to profiteroles to key lime pie, even a belgian waffle sundae. Marzullo's also offers cookies by the pound, caters parties big and small and sells its own sauces. In a word, yum. -- Liz George
It's not "sauce" even if it's red. It's gravy. Even in a restaurant. Come on, you folks should know better, you don't get a pass even if you're foodies. It's also refreshing to see a traditional-style, non-trendy place continue to prosper.