Ristorante MV

Best in area

Authentic Italian. Food is superb. Vibe is very quaint and inviting inside dining area. Bar has upscale cocktail feel with great drinks. Highly recommended for any occasion. Scallops, capalletti, lamb, gnocchi are must tries

My family and I have been to Ristorante MV a few times however this was my first time dining on their Trattoria side

[Important to note: if you have a reservation, you will enter in the lower portion of the restaurant where the little VW Beetle is parked. If you don’t have a reservation and want to sit at the bar/high top tables, you can go into the Trattoria side right next to the valet that has a smaller menu than the regular restaurant. The Trattoria side is first come, first serve, and it does get packed.]

Parking: there is valet parking and very limited street parking (almost none). The valet is free however don’t forget to tip!

SERVICE:
- We were promptly greeted by our server who said the tables and bar were seat yourself. We had arrived around 5:45-6 and there were more bar seats than table tops available on a Friday, and we sat at a high top. Our server, and older gentleman, was great (didn’t write down a single thing and everything came out correct - quite impressive). He had great recommendations and was very friendly without being overbearing. Between our server and the buss boy, we were well taken care of with food and drinks. It was also very refreshing to see that the Trattoria seemed to have quite a few “regulars” - great to see at a restaurant.

APPETIZERS:
1. Mozzarella “Croccante” | Rating: 5/5 - absolutely to die for. If there’s one dish to start off your dining experience, it’s this. The breading on the outside was light as well as the sauce. The mozzarella was fried to perfection, probably some of the best we’ve ever had!
2. Fritturo Di Calamari | Rating: 5/5 - super crispy and lightly fried, great portion for a table of 4. Came out piping hot.

ENTREES:
1. Baked Fuscilli Pasta | Rating: 5/5 - the pasta was cooked to perfection in the middle with a crispy outer layer smothered in mozzarella. Delicious!
2. Penne Rigati | Rating: 5/5 - SPICY as it states but delicious. Full of spicy flavor from the peppers (which you can ask to omit), and the garlic was a great addition to the flavors of the pasta.
3. Eggplant | Rating: 5/5 - exceptional, super flavorful and delicious. The eggplant had a great crisp to it as well and that sauce is just to die for.

DESSERT:
1. Cannoli | Rating: 5/5 - light and delicious to split with the table. The fruit was super fresh and sweet too (and this was in April 2024). Highly recommend as a dish to share.

DRINKS:
- My table did order drinks and said they were spectacular. The right amount of alcohol and mixers in their martini and pear drink.

Overall, if you haven’t tried Ristorante MV and want to, you absolutely need to dine at both the Ristorante and Trattoria - they offer different but similar menus and the food is out of this world - fresh, flavorful, and piping hot. The drinks and bar are fabulous and overall just a really elevated establishment. Highly recommend.

Where do I begin? The setting is like that of a fairytale. I did not know where to look first. This cozy and inviting place makes you feel so relaxed that you might not want to ever leave. We had several courses and libations of all sorts. Our host Michael treated us like family. Our gastronomic extravaganza lasted nearly four hours. We were never rushed or made to feel like we had to leave. This might have been the best experience dining out in literally years. Treat yourself to the BEST of the BEST and go to Ristorante MV now! God Bless Blue & Gold! God Bless America! Remember Everyone Deployed Everyday!

Food, Service and Atmosphere all deserve 5 stars. Food was great, even though my wife had a very small issue with her main course. They comped way more things than they needed to for us (I tried refusing them from taking anything off the bill it was such a minor issue!) our server Rich was great and so was the manager Mike. We went here on our anniversary and would recommend going here for any special occasion!

Is this the best Italian food you’re going to find? No. Is the service out of this world? No. That’s not why you come here. You come here if you want to be in a unique & classy atmosphere, where you can get solid red sauce dishes & great drinks. Worth a visit for a nice night out.

Now this place is freakin Italian 🤌🤌🤌

The zucchini fries are so delicate and crispy.

The lobster tail so fresh.

The veal so scrumptious.

Amazing selection of wine for you sommeliers.

Always excellent
I have been here multiple times and always forget to post … so here goes

Michaels restaurant is a compliment to bernardsville… he has brought in authentic quality Italian food …. Which never disappoints !

His staff is very knowledgeable… the restaurant has changed hands over 5 times since I lived in the area but since MV has moved in I am sure he will be there a long time

Definitely a go to ! If you are looking for a good meal in a beautifully redone classic building go try it

The Carbonara was excellent and filling. The Shrimp and Scallops was delicious. The Italian Cheesecake was a wonderful dessert to end an excellent dining experience.

For those of you who haven’t heard, MV is the hottest new spot in Bernardsville these days. And in my opinion, the hype is well deserved.

Firstly, be warned: this place is ALWAYS busy. If you want to go dine on the restaurant side, you must make a reservation. Secondly, the food will knock your socks off. I can hardly imagine anyone not being impressed if they were to be taken here. Lastly, yes, it is very pricey. While I can’t see myself coming here every Saturday night (as much as I want to), I do see MV being a regular place for my special occasions.

Service is exceptionally good for a fully-packed restaurant. Water is filled regularly and at least the servers I’ve had have all been very accommodating.

They have an extensive specials menu that frequently outshines their regular menu, and I will say that I wish they’d have their specials available online. However, food-wise from the regular menu, I can personally recommend the Ravioli Casalinga (there is meat in the red sauce but can be made without— let your server know if you’re veg/vegan!!), Chicken Francese, and the Caprese di Mozzarella Casalinga.

1st time there, what a great experience food was amazing. The presentation was wonderful and everything was cooked to perfection. The staff we're very attentive, never had an empty glass or a dirty dish in front of us for more than thirty seconds! Parking's a little tough and the place is a little bit pricey even for the area. It's in but well worth it!

Service is excellent. Our meals were above and beyond our expectations.
The building and ambiance takes you back to Italy.
Thank you for a pleasant experience.

It was packed and I am sure they are working short staffed, so I won't hold it against them as to how long the entire night took to have dinner. On such nights, you are better off trying to find parking on the side streets. The valet was rely backed up. The menu had a big variety of items. We had a variety of apps and meals. All were excellent. The desserts were superb, especially the tramasui. Overall it was a very good meal with solid service..would go back again.

I called out of the blue, because of my wife and her friends having a date night there.

The manager Mike, got on the phone, walked around the entire restaurant until he located my wife and her friends, and without hesitation went the extra mile to make sure they had a special evening.

Very simple to pay over the phone for a surprise meal! This guy is awesome!

This place is awesome, they said the food was top notch and Mike was absolutely fantastic! So was the girl at the front desk!

I would go here again and again, she even brought me home soup! Except I paid for it: (

Awesome place, definitely recommended!

Simply amazing!! Our first time here and will not be the last. Lived up to the hype for sure. Food was excellent and the portion sizes are generous. The bolognese, chocolate ravioli & espresso martini were top-notch. Service was above 5 stars!! We kept saying that this was the best service we ever received. The moment you finished eating and put down your fork, someone was there to clear your plate. Mike was very friendly and engaged with every table to make sure each guest was satisfied. Will definitely return here soon!

The BEST GELATO I HAVE EVER HAD !
We attended a wedding reception there and the food was delicious ! The host is so outgoing and checked on our table multiple times to make sure that we had everything we needed . The waiters/waitresses were all pleasant .
The bread basket alone is so good that it will fill you up before your entree .
We live is MA and would definitely go back there when we visit NJ again.

Very nice place, once inside you're transported to the Tuscan countryside.

Make a reservation a week in advance if it's an important occasion, it's very busy. We went Saturday night at 6:30 and it was packed.

Everything we had was excellent. One of the highlights for me though was dessert.
I had gelato in Rome and Florence and it was amazing, I have tried it all over the Tri-state area and it was nothing like what I had in Italy.
This place is the closest I've come to it.

The waiter said they make it in house and I believe him, it was the best gelato I've had since returning from Italy.

Highly recommended particularly for a special occasion.

If you're a Vegetarian, Get the Kale Salad & Cheese Ravioli & Eggplant w/Fontana Cheese, so Delicious!

If you have room left over; I highly recommend the Creme Bruele!

Or

The Nutella Gelato is Amazing! Make sure you are sharing it with someone it's so filling!!!

In my opinion MV is the Best of BEST!

Everything they make is Exquisite!

My boyfriend and I took my parents here for my mother’s 70th birthday and had an amazing experience. The space is absolutely gorgeous and the food and service were delightful. Would def recommend and cannot wait to go back!!!

Very nice location and decor. Service was better than any other Italian restaurant. Food was above average. I will give 5 star for overall experience and will try a different dish next time.

Where to begin? My husband is a hard core foodie and brought me here for date night. The food was amazing, sold wine list and an uber romantic atmosphere. As planning started for my birthday dinner party started, Ristorante MV was at the top of the list. Working with the team was easy. Frank was very responsive to all of my emails. Then 3 days before Mike reached out via text and we settled on cake drop off time and table scape set up. When my party of 12 arrived they were floored and Mike (who never met me in person) saw me enter the door and immediately escorted us to our table. My party had a few celebrities in tow so it was kind of a scene l 😁

The table was expertly set exactly as we discussed. As the evening unfolded we are absolutely delicious plates of amazing, inventive but true to rustic Roman cuisine dishes. Everyone loved what they ordered and raved about the interior. We were one of last tables to leave and had a mini photoshoot with mini Fiat out front. Needless to say, I will be back bringing my friends in tow. Definitely a must try!!