Restaurant Review of Abbondanza Italian Ristorante in Sicklerville, NJ

The first time my husband, Nick and I, ever went into Abbondanza, we walked back out because we were looking for an extensive meal and we got the impression that Abbondanza was just a pizza shop. Fortunately, our friends Bob and Denise visited the restaurant and raved about it. We decided to give it another try and I am so glad we did. It's now one of my favorite restaurants.

The cleanly, casual dining room in the restaurant doesn't focus on extravagant decor. They are more concerned with the reason you came in the first place - for the food. When you first walk through the door, most of the time you'll be greeted by the owner, who stands behind the counter, ringing up orders and overseeing the kitchen. His broken Italian accent makes you feeling like you are really in Italy. So does the rest of the staff, many who came straight from Italy, and the meals, whose recipes originate in Italy.

Not only is the quality first-rate, but the quantity is massive. You'd swear they were looking to feed their customers and their entire family, extended relatives, pets, and all! I don't think you can go in there without leaving with a to-go box. And when I order take out for just Nick and I, they actually have to give me a box to contain the enormous take-out container for meal, which resembles something a caterer would use, the salad and the loaf of bread. And that's just 1 meal for Nick and I to share! More often then not, we have a little left over for lunch the next day.

The dining experience starts out with a homemade loaf of bread, and a platter of homemade bruschetta. You don't have to order it as an appetizer unless you really love it and have to have more, because this is included in the price of your meal. All dinners platters also come with a fresh salad. Then comes the meal. There are so many delicious things to choose from from simple pasta and meatballs to creatively prepared chicken, veal, and seafood platters.

If you aren't in the mood for something heavy, you can get a variety of pizza with just cheese, to single toppings or gourmet pizza covered with mozzarella cheese and large, thin slices of eggplant. Delicious! And there are always a long list of daily specials, all made from scratch with fresh ingredients. Believe me, you'll have a tough time deciding what to get!

Some of the my favorites:
Melenzana pizza (eggplant, mozzarella, tomato sauce & ricotta cheese)
Veal Piccata (veal medallions sauteed in lemon, butter, white wine, sun dried tomatoes and capers)
Shrimp Scampi (shrimp sauteed in garlic, sun dried tomatoes, butter and white wine)
Raviolis stuffed with portabella mushrooms in a cream sauce, topped with lump crab meat and shrimp (this was a daily special).
Mussels in white sauce (this is an appetizer. Order a side of spaghetti and you can make a meal of it it is SO big.)

Prices start at around $10 for your basic pasta dish and range between $14-22 for the more elaborate specialty meals. It's well worth the price!

Other important points:
They have lunch, served between 11 am and 3 pm.
They offer a wide variety of wines and beers.
They offer party trays for special events (I hope I am invited!)

Be sure to visit Abbondanza Italian Ristorante sometime soon. They have delicious food! I've never had a bad meal there. And the service is spectacular. It feels like dining with the owner's family.

Contact Info:
Abbondanza Italian Ristorante
Gloucester Town Center
543 Berlin-Cross Keys Road
Sicklerville, NJ 08081
(856) 875-9444