Joe Bartoni's Italian Market & Bartoni's Italian Table

We had some delicious homemade ravioli and homemade sauce from Joe Bartoni's, but what we fought over was the cocunut macaroons (and the chocolate coconut mararoons). We also had two delicious sandwiches. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Can't wait to make another visit.

I LOVE CHEESE. And its so hard to find good cheese in this town. I managed to accomadate my craving for great cheese on tuesday when i went to Joe Bartonis on valley road (I think its 151) I didnt think they would have cheese for sale outside of the deli counter but to my suprise they had a whole fridge devoted to cheese with every kind you can think of. I will be there as often as i possibly can be.

I've gotten sandwiches there a couple times for lunch, and while a little pricey, they're really, really good. It's like living in a Sopranos episode.

Oh, I picked up a couple pounds of their sweet sausage, which I grilled for dinner; it was fantastic.

And starting in August, you can watch another segment of Chef Michael preparing another one of his specials..being aired on the new episode of Inside Montclair on Tv - 34...I'll keep you posted

Wayne Robbins Producer / Host

oooopssss.......I mean Chef Joe

sorry about that

I unfortunately, bought some fresh mozzarella here yesterday. Flavor like cardboard.

Kevin Lee, I also experienced the dry and unflavorful mozarella. But they had a most delicious and immensely unhealthy sopressata di veneto (nicely spicy) for a reasonable cost. Since our Sweet 100 (grape-sized) tomatoes are ripening in waves, I am buying the little salad balls of 'mutz from the supermarket and tossing them with the tomatoes and some fresh basil. As the bigger tomatoes come in, I would like to find some soft, juicy, and flavorful mozzarella -- any suggestions?

cardboard? really? you must be on the wrong page. I have purchased fresh mozz multiple times from bartonis and It has been better than anything else ive tasted in the past. Look you guys if you can tellme a place with better mozz then ill go try it. until then bartonis is still the best with fresh mozz (and they got some great sauces too!).

Hey if u want awesome fresh mozzarella go to Tutto Fresco in Livingston on Mount Pleasant Avenue.. They won 2 place for the best mozzarella in the state!

then joe bartoni's must have won 1st. haha

Try the farmers market. One of the venders (sorry don't remember the name)has fantastic mozzarella.

I WILL NO LONGER GO ANYWHERE ELSE FOR FRESH MOZZARELLA NOW THAT I HAVE TRIED JOE BARTONIS. AND THEIR PRESONAL PIZZAS ARE EVEN BETTER. I HAVE FOUND A NEW HOME

I'll try the place in Livingston.

I always buy from the Farmer's Market, specifically the father son team, in the middle on the East side. They have hats that say "Got Mozz?" Terrific stuff.

Also in Baristaville, Table 8, Marzullo, the place across from Whole Foods and even Alan's Avenue.

I have not tried the new owner of the deli in Watchung Plaza across from American Royal.

Mr Allen,
I personally invite you to visit my store again. When you do, Please introduce yourself and ask to see me.
I take a lot of pride in my food and when someone has not been satisfied I need to know so that I can make it rite. (This message is for all Baristaville)
I am sure that you will be willing to stop by again and re-sample our fare. It's worth the trip.
Regards,
Joe

I also was disappointed with the fresh mozzarella. I have to say, Marzullo's and Bellagiovese(Sp?)are both better. I purchased a small catering order there and really wanted to like the place because the people were very nice, but the prices were very high and the quality was underwhelming. $20 worth of stale cookies was the icing on the cake. I wish them well, but I won't be back.

i must say "one time customer" you are a fool. Have you ever tasted real fresh mozz before bartonis? Cuz you must be very confused with your taste buds if you think theirs is bad. Same with you kevin lee whatever. If the two of you actually think the mozz is poor at this place then how is some garbage from a parking lot farmers market or livingston of all places gonna be considered better? Even if the mozz was lacking the day you bought it then think about the fact that no one is perfect. People male mistakes. People like you guys are ones that dont belong in quality stores. I am standing up not just for them. I am standing up for all upstart small buisnesses trying to win over customers that know quality food (obvously not you two). People like you are not needed in these kinds of quality stores. Go enjoy the farmers market.

"You cant always please everybody"

Sincerely
Rob

(life long montclair resident)

Wow. After seeing all of the drama surrounding the mozz at this place I had to go give it a try myself. I met joe who is one of the owners of the store. He was just wrapping up the fresh mozz so he let me have a taste. Let me tell you folks, this is the best YOU WILL EVER TASTE. I know that sounds like a bold statement but after you try it you will say the same thing. I have gone there twice for fresh mozz and their amazing sandwiches. I highly recomend

We do not live in the Montclair area but when we visit our daughter, we love to have lunch at Joe Bartoni's. Try the Pastrami & Swiss. It's the BEST!!

By the way, fresh mozzarella is just what the name says "FRESH". The taste is not altered. If you want salty mozzarella, try the supermarket. Joe's is the best.

BRAVO to all who KNOW Quality FOOD...BARTONI"S is FANTASTIC!

Don't be fooled by people who don't know any better or who knock it for whatever reason...try it for YOURSELF. You be your own judge and like me, and my family, you will be delighted!

Regards,
~Enez

I can not believe that the people who make the negative comments regarding the food have ever really eaten at Joe's.

I obsess about food and try only to eat the "best of" a particular food. (White Manna over Wendy's..Amazing HD over Rutts & Fallsview). Joes's mozz is by far the freshest, creamiest mozz this side of "Arthur Avenue" (if you don't know that reference..I give up).

Additionally, Joe's meatballs are the only one's within ten miles that actually taste like MEATBALLS and not the filler everyone uses to save money. His Chicken cutlets taste like they came out of an Italian home and not an industrial kitchen. The grilled vegetables are outstanding and do not tast like they have been out for days (like most of the other places). But the star of JB's are the sandwiches made on Balthazar's bread.

Kevin, I have an offer for you; e-mail me and I'll meet you there for lunch (and pay for it) We'll taste 10 items, if they suck as you say, I'll repost and say you were correct. Converserly, if they all taste great as I believe, you repost saying that you have "seen the light"..what the heck..its worth the free meal.

mp

I read the comments and tried it myself. Had the meatball sub. Normally, i do not like provolone, but i forgot to ask them to leave it off. This is the ONLY time I have ever actually enjoyed the taste of provolone. Normally I find it tasteless. I also had potato salad and grilled vegetables. Both were outstanding.
On top of all this, Joe and his (wife??) were the NICEST people. I have recommended it to everyone I know.
The menu is rather limited, however. Do not expect a menu the size of Nauna's- but do expect food that is better.

I suppose I had expected some of the negative and insulting online comments. I had appreciated Joe's reaching out. I expect everyone has a bad day.

All until I received this letter in the mail, earlier this week;

"Dear Mr. Allen,
Thank-you for your recent comments on Baristanet. You should be more concerned about the ephemeral success of your company and keeping an eye on your promiscuous wife then (sic) criticizing new businesses in town, We are going to make it no matter how many a-holes like you lie about us."

Unlike many who post, I sign my comments. Nonetheless, it is a bit unnerving to receive a threatening letter at my home. A letter that requires involving the federal postal authorities.

We brought this letter to the attention of Mr. Bartoni yesterday and today we bring it to the attention of this community.

I guess anyone with a criticism of this establishment ought to be sure to post anonymously. Mine was, I thought, gentle. I cannot imagine the reaction to stronger comments.

We'll not be returning.

Baristanet is horrified by the letter that Kevin Lee Allen received by mail, but would like to point out that there is no evidence that anyone officially connected to Joe Bartoni's wrote or sent it.

Unfortunately they still are responsible for the cardboard mozzarella!!!

We just got the homemade eggplant ravioli which were sweet and delicious. We topped them with Bartoni's Sunday Gravy which had a strong cheese flavor and made the dish very distinctive.

I was impressed!

Looks like Mr Bartoni got a nice lot of free advertising there. He shouldn't be feeling too bad.

Joe's fresh mozz is the best. Calling it cardboard is criminal! Stopped in yesterday for a cappucino and the homemade sfogliatelle. A fabulous treat to get me through the afternoon sports schlep.

Comment -- deleted. Impersonating another poster not accepted.

Things are really getting ridiculous on this site. Let me say up front that I have no connection to any restaurant in/out of Montclair, but I do care about good food and love to see local places succeed.

The fact that people can post under fake names and email addresses on here is just wrong when it can affect peoples' businesses. If you click on the name Soccer Mom on each of those last two posts, you'll see that they came from two different (and I'm guessing, fake) email addresses.

If you want to contribute your thoughts about local restaurants, there are plenty of other sites on the Internet where you can do so without wondering if 99% of the posters have major agendas of their own. If nothing else, most sites at least make you register so you can be banned from posting if you get as hostile as folks do on here.

Barista, where are you in all of this b.s.?!? This is the kind of stuff that can bring down an otherwise decent web site.

I tried the clicking thing you mentioned and they both came from the same email address. Must be the same gal.

Comment has been deleted -- and no Freddie, it wasn't the "same gal."

Unfortunately, even when posters use their name, they can still have "agendas."

This is the place for a really good cup of espresso-best I've had in NJ.
Ann

Bartonis is the Best! Everything that we have ordered there has been tasty and fresh. We are happy to have a new Market in town.

The catering is great! I have ordered from them and have never been disappointed.
I heard that they will be making Turkeys with all the trimmings for Thanksgiving! cant wait to get the information for that.

we love joe bartoni's --best authentic italian here in Montclair. Its the only place we can take my italian parents to show off good food in our town, although there are other "just okay" places like Nicolo's. Our fav Bartoni sandwich is # 14, grilled plus the olives are too die for.

keep up the great work!!!

Inside Montclair on Tv - 34- 9th Annual Holiday Show

One of our featured segments of the special " Dining in Montclair for the Holidays ", had Chef Joe , prepare a unique Holiday feast of culinary delights.

See him on Inside Montclair On Tv - 34.

Mon. Wed. Fri. 8:00pm

is it just me or has anyone else noticed the newly EXPANDED seating area? They took down a wall in the back of the store and now they have an ENORMOUS dining room area. Its quite impressive. My wife and I enjoyed an early dinner there on tuesday. I highly recommend giving it a try.

Bob you're right...I did notice the new dinning room..it looks great.

And for those who would like to SEE the new eating area, plus watch Chef Joe prepare some great meals, you can watch Inside Montclair on Tv - 34 in March..this is one of our featured restaurants as part of our "Eating in Montclair" series.

Mon. Wed. Fri. at 8pm on Tv - 34

I stopped by for one of those great panini,#7, my favorite and saw the back room also. Cant wait to stop by again and relax with one of those great cappucinos.

Il mio marito e io had lunch in the back room Saturday. It reminded me of some of the places where we ate on our spring trip to Italy. The lassagna and meatball sandwich were tasty, service couldn't have been more personal, and the espresso and cannoli were delicious. Sad part was that we had the dining room all to ourselves.

Went to Joe Bartoni's today for lunch and I guess this place is no longer "undiscovered" It was packed, not only with Montclair mom's, contractors and cops but there had to be 20+ Montclair High kids there.

I asked one of them why so many kids were there and he said that they had a $5 lunch special and the panini sandwhich he was eating the best sandwich he ever ate. His table mate actually ordered 2 specials (rich kid no doubt).

So I tried the one this kid was eating; a spicy sopresata, cheese & sweet pepper. and lo & behold it may have been the best sandwich I ever had.

After paying I decided to take a plate of homemade meatballs and mozzerella tomy kids for dinner ....they ate up everything..I'll say it again..EVERYTHING (my kids never do that.)

I guess my point is while I expected to like the food myself and wasn't surprised to see it packed with moms & contractors..who'd figure that the kids taste in food would ever be this sophisticated?

Joe also came back there and surprised me with an expresseo . I never asked, but I aprreciated the touch thanks. ( I suppose all of this worked because I am writing this because of my great lunch today )

Also, nice job on the finished dining room, I managed to scoop up one of the last tables open for lunch and was very comfortible.

Wanted to let baristaville know what a great job Barb and Joe did catering my sons birthday. The food was excellent. The platters were gorgeous and tasty. Each and every dish was better than the next.... FANTASTIC....why would anyone cater from anywhere else. Bravo

My next party will be in that great dining room you just renovated, so you guys can clean up too!!!!! thanks again for some great food.

Happened to drive by Joe Bartonis last night @830 and saw the lights on in the store....Does anyone know whats going on in there? Are they serving dinner now?

Word on the street says that the Grand Opening for Joe Bartoni's Italian Table-Restaurant, will be on Tuesday, May 8th.
Went there on Sat. night for the Friends and Family dinner and the food was way over the top. I think this will be the "New Place to eat" for me from now on.

does any one know if they serve gelato? If so is it any good? I am a homemade ice cream/gelato junkie.

They just started serving dinner and they do have some delicious gelati...a few different kinds. Im going tonight for dinner so ill post tom.

The flavors of gelati are hazelnut, pistachio (my favorite), tahitian vanilla and chocolate. I work at Joe's and I love it! The food is delicious, and the ambiance is great. Ya'll should definitely stop by for dinner and dessert!

Had dinner there last night and thought the food was great. Our group was able to sit outside which was nice since there only a few places in Montclair with outside dining. I left a little room for desert and had the pistachio gelati. It was refreshing and delicious.
I found a new place for dinner!!!!

i also work at joe's and love it! the staff is wonderful, the food is delicious, and make sure to save some room for dessert (it's not easy!). i recommend for an appetizer the artichoke dish or the gorgonzola salad, for dinner, the grilled shrimp wrapped in prosciutto, and for dessert the strawberry mint panna cotta! yum!

We had a terrific Mother's Day dinner on the patio yesterday...the new menu has some great apps (artichokes!), salads (gorgonzola, pastas (duck and smoked mozz with mushrooms), entrees (salmon, chicken with sausage and potatoes), and desserts. Brought a good bottle of red and spent almost two hours back there. Mom loved it; we'll definitely be back!
The changes to the dining room look great, too--that whole back room is now opened up and the space looks a lot better. Go!

I also spent Mothers Day dinner at Joe's and it was very good. We were a large group and the service was right on! Food was delicious and everyone was happy. Keep up the good work

My first time posting on baristanet but I just had an exceptional meal at Joe Bartoni's. Great chopped salad(very different)pasta with meat sauce,all pastas come with a choice of 4 different hand grated cheese.Roasted strawberries for dessert. Great service excellent food.

We buy groceries at Bartoni's (best mozzarella around) regularly and very recently had dinner in the new restaurant. The fried artichoke and veal chop were both excellent,we will be back for more. Also, Joe and Barbara are wonderful hosts. When I am the store or restaurant I feel like I am back in my old neighborhood in the Bronx. Mark C.

Had a WONDERFUL experience here tonight. Got there at 8:30 with no reservations and we were seated outside which is wonderful. Had the chopped salad with meats, linguine with clams, and he had the salmon. Got to talking with Joe and he sent over a comp'd cannoli (tasty!). Becky, server, was friendly, competent, and helpful. Would definitely recommend the outdoor seating and the salads. Will be recommending to others and plan a return trip back soon.

We had dinner at Bartoni's this week and were somewhat disappointed. Cream of Mushroom Soup and Caesar Salad were excellent, but both main courses were swiming in excessive oily sauce. The Chicken on Bone with Sausage, Peppers etc. was a bland version of chicken scaparella; the Shrimp Wrapped in Prosuitto was very tasty but, as noted, was overly oily. Not likely to return, but in view of the many favorable comments we might give it a second try.

I had dinner there a few weeks ago. We showed up around 8 w/out reervations and ate outside, which was very nice. I ahve to say it was a nice chnage from the old boring pasta and traditional italian dishes. We had the gorgonzola salad (app), wrapped shrimp (entree) and strawberries (dessert), all of which were suggestions both on here and by the waitstaff. It was fantastic and the friendliest most attentive service i have ever experienced in montclair. Definitely will go back.

Stopped by to have dinner on Friday night and ate a great dinner outside. What a fantastic meal. We had the mussels special and our dinners were very tasty. Keep it up and well keep coming back. Were hooked!

i love joe bartoni's! we live across the street and stop in all the time to grab something quick to make at home for dinner. my boyfriend went in once to look for vodka sauce, which they were out of, but joe whipped up a new batch on the spot for us. plus they are one of the few places around that has truffle oil... not to mention truffle honey. whoa. i'm an addict, i'll admit it. bartoni's gets five stars in our book.

What a pleasant surprise! From the roman artichokes, to the three types of cheese for the pasta, to strawberries in zabliogne, we were thrilled to be able to go to a nice, quiet place to eat Italian food that was authentic and hadn't been drowned in red sauce. Food was great, service was excellent, and prices are very reasonable.

If you need a break from the madhouse that Giotto can be, and you want really good Italian food that transcends calzones and stuffed shells, try out this well done restaurant.

Had dinner at Bartoni's this week. The outdoor patio was a big plus and a great place to sit - nicely decorated, service was attentive and noise from the street was minimal. Appetizers were very good - we split the mozzarella, fried artichoke and chopped salad. Entree were a bit disappointing. The flavor was good, but the sauce was excessively oily. I've eaten there for lunch several times and their sandwiches are fantastic, hopefully they'll work the kinks out of dinner shortly.

had dinner there last night with great expectations, i have to say it was pretty good, not excellent, the service was really good and very friendly, i thought the menu was sort of limited, but that can be ok also. We were really just in the mood for pasta and i thought it was a little expensive for what it was, the cheese platter was really good and the fresh mozzerella was great. also had the cannolli for dessert - i would go back just for that.

I think all the ingredients for Joe Bartoni's recipes are shipped in from Heaven.

0went tonight for the first time.

They could not have been any nicer.

the owner is a sweet heart.

the food was super.

My 2 sons (11 & 14) want to go back asap.

4 people App. soft drinks & dinner $68.00 & owner from "DA BbRONZ!!!!!!!!!!!!1"

0went tonight for the first time.

They could not have been any nicer.

the owner is a sweet heart.

the food was super.

My 2 sons (11 & 14) want to go back asap.

4 people App. soft drinks & dinner $68.00 & owner from "DA BbRONZ!!!!!!!!!!!!1"

0went tonight for the first time.

They could not have been any nicer.

the owner is a sweet heart.

the food was super.

My 2 sons (11 & 14) want to go back asap.

4 people App. soft drinks & dinner $68.00 & owner from "DA BbRONZ!!!!!!!!!!!!1"

Chef Ciro rocks! We've had dinner there twice recently -- each time ordering the imaginative specials, and always finding them delicious. Had wonderful sea bass, flounder, and home made gnocchi with lamb ragu was a killer. The salads are great and big enough to split. Even favorite menu items - duck & smoked mozz ravioli and veal chop w/bruschetta - are better than ever. Indulge in the amazing cheese plates AND desserts. Really good tiramisu.....YUM. Lucky for me Bartoni's is within walking distance!

Their homemade ravioli are to die for!!!!!

Homeade Raviolis are great....
Hopefully the non-frozen ones are in stock for you.

Mozz is not bad.... overall Joe Bartoni's is something I would find in Long Island, which is a good thing.

Havent heard anything about the Vodka Sauce. Your thoughts? I like proscuitto and peas. Anybody know where that comes from?

IMHO, most vodka sauces taste like creamy Campbell's tomato soup...Overly sweet. Not Bartoni's. Buy it to go, by the pint or by the quart. Really good.

I think the food is amazing, but what keeps us coming back (to the restaurant, for catering, and even a lunchtime panini) are the people here. They are good, nice folks. To me, this matters when choosing a place to eat.

It's a toss up now. We have been loyal to Raymond's brunch for some 3 years now. Despite our faces every weekend the lovely hostess still look at us like we're brand new and try to give us crappy seats. The staff is always great don't get me wrong. BUT Joe Bartoni's is another story. Not realizing that brunch doesn't start until 10am, we looked very confused from the outside, were they on vacation? Humm...we were greeted by a very nice woman and told us it was a bit too early but we were more than welcome to sit on the back patio until brunch service began. (Only about 15-20 minutes). We indulged in...the chewy scones with yes, clotted cream, homemade donuts, eggs al fresco (I think that's the name) it has perfect ratatouille with eggs and cheese in a clay pot and I had the frittata with mushrooms. Really, really great. It was very relaxing, the service was great and we will certainly be back...this weekend!