I recently had the opportunity to finally check out The Pasta Shop (www.thepastashopdenville.com) in Denville, NJ and am so pleased to have such a great neighborhood spot near my home in Morris County. The Pasta Shop describes itself as a “fine casual eatery featuring handmade specialties and wood-fired Italian American classics” and the place is exactly that. The busy restaurant is owned by Sergio Sciancalepore, who is also the proprietor of the popular Sergio & Co, Italian Specialties also in Denville.

The restaurant’s been open a year now and has a cult following that’s making it challenging to secure a table, even on a week night. They simply need a bigger space :). While reservations aren’t accepted, they have a neat texting system that allows diners to come in, request a table and then alerts them via text when their tables are available. That works well for us as there’s a local pub across the street that’s perfect for a before dinner drink.

The Space

The space is cozy and sparkling clean and neat. Tables are arranged against one wall with a combination of banquettes and chairs with a view of the open kitchen. The mix of natural wood, white subway tile and concrete floors is striking and welcoming. Visible wood logs are stacked neatly and awaiting their turn in the wood burning oven.

The Food

Chef Tommy Pollio and his kitchen team craft food using the best ingredients available. The pasta is handmade and is proudly displayed to guests as they enter the establishment.

The Pasta Shop’s famous for its Mozzarella Stick ($9) and Garlic Bread ($8), so we started our meal with those two dishes. We also enjoyed the Sergio’s Meatballs ($9) which were light and moist and served in a tomato sauce with fresh basil. The Mozzarella sticks are every bit as delicious as countless people describe them to be. They’re made using the shop’s own Mozzarella then encased in a light and crunchy coating then generously-sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and served with a spicy tomato sauce. Could these be the best Mozzarella sticks I’ve had? Quite possible. The garlic bread is also good and not doused in garlic…..just right.

For our entrees we opted for the Spicy King Crab ($17) and the Linguine and Clams ($16). The spicy crab dish is actually squid ink spaghetti tossed with crab in a spicy tomato sauce. Ordering this dish was a no-brainer as squid ink pasta is my favorite. Great dish and while I love spicy foods, my only critique would be to tone down the spice a bit so the delicate flavor of the crab can shine. The linguine and clams was outstanding with the perfect combination of lightly briny plump clams, garlic, red pepper flakes and lemon. These were two must-order dishes.

On our next visit we’ll try one of the dishes cooked in the wood oven. Perhaps the Cauliflower Parmigiana.

The Pasta Shop is BYOB and diners are encouraged to bring wine or beer to enjoy with the fabulous food.

The Pasta Shop – 13 First Ave, Denville, NJ 07834.

Cheers, Veronique