It’s a novel approach to create a fun, family-friendly restaurant that also serves seriously good food appealing to a wide range of palates, but Locale in Little Silver does just that!
Located on the site of the former Pix Shoe store, next to the train station, it offers a selection of Italian dishes from pizza to complete multicourse dinners. Little Silver’s sole liquor consumption license went unused until recently, but Locale has acquired it, allowing the restaurant to sell a variety of liquor, wine and beers.
A few different seating area options, from bar to restaurant to outside, are offered, all of which provide a different experience. We sat in the bar area and watched the continuous activity as diners came and went while we ate our meal.
From the Appetizer section of the menu, we chose Calamari Fritti ($23). The crispy fried calamari were served with Calabrian chili peppers and a white balsamic reduction. The large portion of crunchy, tender rings and tentacles was perfectly cooked and a good starter for sharing. Light and flavorful, it was a departure from the usual calamari served elsewhere.
The intriguingly named Eggplant Tower ($18) consisted of layered discs of eggplant with whipped ricotta, sun-dried peppers and EVOO. The large slices of eggplant were breaded and fried and then stacked upon one another to indeed create a “tower.” This novel preparation of a basic vegetable elevated it considerably and made for a very enjoyable appetizer. Don’t miss it!
A special appetizer of the night, Branzino Crudo ($26), featured pieces of the fish with wafer-thin slices of watermelon radish, strawberries, aguachile (a spicy Mexican marinade) and lemon zest. The eye-catching appearance added to the pleasure of this refreshing dish – just another example of the chef’s creativity.
There is a nice selection of Pizzas available in 12-inch and whole sheet pies. It was tough to decide with so many great choices: The Fratelli ($26), with prosciutto, arugula, shaved Parmigiano and EVOO, and the Napoletana ($21), with pomodoro, fior di latte, basil and EVOO sounded appealing, but we wound up opting for the Quatro Formaggio ($25) which was made with mozzarella, provolone, scamorza, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses. The artfully decorated pie was crusty, crunchy and, indeed, deliciously cheesy!
From a selection of eight different pastas, one of our guests chose Linguine alla Vongole ($34) and was rewarded with fresh clams, sautéed garlic and a vino blanco sauce, which came together nicely. The pasta was properly firm, but fully cooked, and the sauce lent a tasty element to the dish. The generous portion of clams was sweet and tender.
We decided to wait until next visit to try the Gnocchi al Fratelli ($26), with marinara, fontina cheese, and basil, as well as the Cavatelli con Salsiccia E Friarielli ($26).
John Dory Al Forno ($48), a special of the evening, was surrounded by dots of two sauces, making for the most beautifully plated dish of the evening. The fish was moist and tender, and a real treat. Seek this out if it’s available the night of your visit.
Pan Seared Chicken Cutlet ($39), a thick piece of boneless chicken breast, served with vinegar peppers, fingerling potatoes, onions, garlic and pan sauce, had just a trace of heat, which gave the chicken a nice zip without dominating the palate. This was a very satisfying dish.
Another guest was drawn to the Pork Chop Toscano ($42). Plated with roasted peppers, broccolini, fresh parsley and sundried pepper demi-glace, the large meaty chop rightfully took center stage on the plate.
There were some interesting side dishes offered on the menu, but we used some rare discretion (discipline) and decided to try them next time. Locale Chips ($13), with Calabrian chili peppers, fresh parsley and Parmigiano-Reggiano, sounded appealing, as did Zucchini Trifolate ($13), sautéed zucchini with Parmigiano-Reggiano.
There is a nicely curated list of alcoholic drinks, which includes a number of interesting wines by the glass. For whites, we tried the St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc ($14), green and crisp, with good acidity, from Napa, and a Batasiolo Gavi ($14) from Italy that had a minerally core, with lots of green apple and peach flavors. These paired nicely with the appetizers and the linguine. For a red for the entrées, we chose the Cascina Garita Barbera d’Asti ($16), a savory Italian which was a good companion to the pizza, chicken and pork dishes.
We were very happy we had saved enough room to try three of the desserts. They were delicious. Tartufo ($12), drizzled with chocolate and caramel sauces and topped with fresh whipped cream, was notable. Cannoli ($8) did not disappoint. The crispy shells held a smooth and creamy filling. Vanilla and Pistachio Gelato ($7) was served properly soft and had a great mouthfeel.
Service was warm and friendly and, despite a full house of diners, we were served in a timely fashion. The noise level of the bar was typical of the newer restaurants in our area: Although not intrusive, it made conversation at our table a bit challenging on occasion.
If you are looking for an upscale menu in a relaxed and casual setting, Locale is an excellent choice.
Locale
51 Oceanport Ave.
Little Silver
localenj.com
Bob Sacks, longtime food and wine buff, writes about food, wine and restaurants in this column. Follow him on Instagram @dinnerwithbob.
The article originally appeared in the July 31 – August 5, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
