Trenton fine dining

[brescd01]

What would be the fanciest most expensive meal in or near Trenton?

[Jeff L]

What would be the fanciest most expensive meal in or near Trenton?

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Is this really your only criteria? Do you care about food quality, presentation, service, etc. or just the price and look of a place?

[KatieLoeb]

There's always Pete Lorenzo's Cafe, right across from the train station. That's been around forever and is a very old school steak house, from what I've been told (I haven't had the pleasure).

I don't think there's a whole lot of fine dining in Trenton proper, but there's always Rat's in nearby Hamilton. Great sculpture gardens too...

If fancy isn't necessarily the criteria, but just plain good food, then no doubt a trip to DeLorenzo's Pizza on Hudson Street or the new location in Robbinsville is in order. That pizza is definitely worth a drive.

[Jeff L]

Katie is right. There is no fine dining in Trenton proper and I wouldn't really consider Pete Lorenzo's fine dining either. As I posted elsewhere, my most recent experiences here have been way off the mark with unremarable meals not at all like it used to be. She is also right about Delorenzo's tomato pies but of course this is a place you want to go to have the best pizza known to man and not for the atmosphere (Just had dinner here last Friday, yum)

I have been pleased with Erini's at 1140 River Road in Ewing, NJ which is a short ride from Trenton. http://www.erinirestaurant.com/home.html

Great seafood and if the weather is nice, lovely alfresco dining on the patio. I've had dinner here about a half dozen times, all quite good. It has had various incarnations, most recently Diamonds on the Waterfront.

[rlibkind]

Though I don't have a lot of first-hand experience, I would expect that if you include Princeton in your "Trenton area" definition, the options would expand exponentially.

[Jeff L]

Though I don't have a lot of first-hand experience, I would expect that if you include Princeton in your "Trenton area" definition, the options would expand exponentially.

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Not really. For such a cosmopolitan town, there is a dearth of really good restos. The only one that would fit op's bill would be Lahiere and that's just ok French food and way too pretentious.

Edited September 2, 2008 by Jeff L (log)

[Arpad]

Though I don't have a lot of first-hand experience, I would expect that if you include Princeton in your "Trenton area" definition, the options would expand exponentially.

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Princeton ? Hardly !

And Trenton ? A good meal there is one where you aren't mugged or your car stolen .

[Jeff L]

Princeton ? Hardly !

And Trenton ? A good meal there is one where you aren't mugged or your car stolen .

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Trenton isn't near as bad as the papers would have you believe and there are quite a few very good ethnic places that fly under the radar. Granted, it's not like it was back when I was a kid but it's not too rough and tumble unless you venture into North Trenton then all bets are off.

[TomDel]

I guess “fine dining” like beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Having said that, I think there are still a few good restaurants left in the Chambersburg section of Trenton. Amici Milano’s and John Henry’s come to mind. Rossi’s known predominantly for its burgers also has quite a few other excellent entrées on their menu.

I agree with Jeff L on both counts. The “Burg” isn’t nearly as dangerous as the papers would have you believe and both Amici Milano’s and John Henry’s have off street parking. Unfortunately, the last two times that I ate at Pete Lorenzo’s the steak was less than memorable. I don’t think I’ll be back.

[Mano]

There's always Pete Lorenzo's Cafe, right across from the train station.  That's been around forever and is a very old school steak house, from what I've been told (I haven't had the pleasure).

I don't think there's a whole lot of fine dining in Trenton proper, but there's always Rat's in nearby Hamilton.  Great sculpture gardens too...

If fancy isn't necessarily the criteria, but just plain good food, then no doubt a trip to DeLorenzo's Pizza on Hudson Street or the new location in Robbinsville is in order.  That pizza is definitely worth a drive.

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Pete Lorenzo's is the correct answer and description. Before the NJ ban on smoking in public places a buddy and I used to make an annual trip to Lorenzo's to smoke cigars while eating dinner. Yep, taking puffs in between bites, while other smokers and non-smokers sat at adjacent tables.

The food is above average but now that smoking is banned I see no reason to return.

Chambersburg has some good restaurants, but none are fine dining that I can recall.

About 10 years ago I was taken to an Italian restaurant on the outskirts of Trenton situated in a large white house. Lots of Mercedes and Cadillacs in the lot and it was a private club of sorts. My host had an account and I believe he said he paid his tab at the end of each month. IIC, the food was good but the atmosphere was nothing fancy. Exclusivity is important to the OP but sorry that I can't recall the name.

As mentioned, just outside of Trenton is Rats, which is probably the best and fanciest place in the area. There are some BYOB's in Lawrenceville, but they are rather loud.

Edited September 5, 2008 by Mano (log)

[Jeff L]

Beg to differ on Pete Lorenzo's food quality, not near what it once was in my view. The smoking ban might be the only reason to make me ever go back.

The restaurant you visited was probably the Homestead Inn on Kuser Road by your description. It is known locally as Chick and Nello's and sadly this is just another example of a place not living up to its storied past. I was a regular at both places for many years until the food slipped so much I couldn't go back to either.

The Homestead lost their chef of many years, Primo a long while back and the kitchen is being handled by an array of Ecuadorian chefs now I am told. While certain things on the non existant menu remain well executed, most don't.

This is indeed a clubby joint with many in attendance looking just like the faces you saw this week at the RNC.

[Jeff L]

I'm curious where the OP ended up.

[Rich Pawlak]

I would throw the new Sal Deforte's in the finer dining mix ; now located in Ewing, it looks nicer thanh its original location , and the food is certainly quite good.

[johnjohn]

I am going to a concert in Asbury Park - is this far from Delorenzo's tomato pies in Trenton. How long of a drive is - I would hit it either on my way to the concert or back to NYC. I guess my question is - is it worth driving out of my way for? I'm a big fan of pizza.

[TomDel]

If you decide to go, I’d recommend going to their new place on Route 33 in Robbinsville, NJ. It’s a lot nicer and safer than the one in the Chambersburg section of Trenton. I’d guess that you’re about forty five minutes to an hour away depending upon traffic. You could either take Route 33 all the way or go south and pick up 195 which is longer but should be faster. If you go, let us know how you liked the pie.

[aaronwcpa]

I am going to a concert in Asbury Park - is this far from Delorenzo's tomato pies in Trenton.  How long of a drive is - I would hit it either on my way to the concert or back to NYC.  I guess my question is - is it worth driving out of my way for?  I'm a big fan of pizza.

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It's about forty-five miles. DeLorenzo's is not far from Route 33, Greenwood Avenue in Trenton, but the place is small and busy and getting a table may entail a long wait.

It is best to go there as a destination.

[TomDel]

I forgot to include their website http://www.delorenzostomatopies.com/ .

[Jeff L]

I would throw the new Sal Deforte's in the finer dining mix ; now located in Ewing, it looks nicer thanh its original location , and the food is certainly quite good.

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Not really close to Trenton at all but I agree that the food is every bit as good as it was when they were in the burg. A nice plus is that Debbie and her mom are excellent hosts and you can byo which is a plus.

I used to love taking my girls there when they were much younger. Russell used to make them Shirley Temples at the bar and they just thought that was the end all.

[Jeff L]

I am going to a concert in Asbury Park - is this far from Delorenzo's tomato pies in Trenton.  How long of a drive is - I would hit it either on my way to the concert or back to NYC.  I guess my question is - is it worth driving out of my way for?  I'm a big fan of pizza.

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Just go, Robbinsville makes more sense than the original. You will love the pies here plus the NJTP interchange is not too far for your ride back to NY.

Edited September 19, 2008 by Jeff L (log)

[Kim WB]

in response to the original inuiry, Rat's Restaurant in Hamilton is fancy, expensive and about 2 miles from the Trenton City Border..