Favorite BYO's

Being big time foodies, we try to find nice Bring Your Own (BYO) restaurants where we can enjoy some good food with a bottle of wine I bring from my cellar. I figured I'd start tracking some of those places here for others in the central New Jersey area.

Not in any particular order...

• Acacia - Located on Main St in Lawrenceville, Acacia (Pronounced A-kay-sha) is an absolute top-notch restaurant. I've eaten there many times and each and every time was quite enjoyable. Try the Filet or better yet, Sesame Tuna and wasabi mashed potatoes.
  2637 Main Street, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 - (609)895-9885   
  
  
• Rajin Cajun - Located in Belmar, NJ is the best Cajun food I've eaten since I lived down south. The Blackened Steak Bites appetizer is out of the world. The Red Snapper, Blackened Tuna, and Blackened Pork Chops are the favorites, but they only make so many each night, so if you get there late, the chalkboard (where the specials are written) may be bare.
  1102 River Rd., Belmar, NJ 07719 - (732)280-6828   
  
  
• Villagio Iccara - Known as just Iccara's to the locals. Years ago, this place started out as a hole-in-the-wall pizza joint (only 5 or 6 tables could fit) and has become a favorite restaurant in the area. A while back, the owner bought the building next door and completely renovated. The result was Villaggio Iccara, half pizza, half sit-down restaurant. The restaurant side is bright and airy, with a beautiful mural of an Italian beach front on an entire wall. The menu consists of what you would find in any above-average Italian restaurant, but most folks get the specials. You can definitely take the kids there - and they can still get pizza while you're enjoying a nice dish of Penne Paesana, Veal Vesuvio, or the Stuffed Pork Chops. Call ahead and make a reservation - its usually a long wait otherwise.
  104 Yardville Allentown Rd, Yardville, NJ 08620 - (609)585-6668   
  

I know - Pizza and BYO don't seem to go together, but there's not much better than a DeLorenzo's pie and a nice Chianti. There are 2 DeLorenzo's in Trenton, originally started by two brothers many years ago. While they may have started in the same family, they make very different pies. Read on for the details of each.

• DeLorenzo's Tomato Pies - This DeLorenzo's is in an old row house in the heart of Trenton. For the longest time, the family lived upstairs (not sure if they still do), and the original owner is there every night, even though the cooking is done by the younger generations. The menu consists of Tomato pie and soft drinks. That's it. Nothing else. If you want an appetizer, salad, or dessert - go someplace else. The focus here is tomato pies and it is a true tomato pie at that. The pie is sparse with cheese, has big chunks of ripe tomatoes, and crust so thin you can almost see through it. The place is small - 12-14 tables at most and you will easily wait 60 minutes to get a seat on a Friday or Saturday night - then another 30-40 minutes for your pies. This place is renowned for their pies - as all the awards on the walls attest to. One word of caution though - there isn't a bathroom in the place - so drink lightly. If you go, make sure you try the Sausage, Sweet Peppers and Onions - it will blow you away.
  530 Hudson Street, Trenton, NJ 08611 - (609)695-9534   
  
  
• DeLorenzo's Pizza - The DeLorenzo's on Hamilton Ave is honestly, the one preferred by our kids. The pie's served here are more like the pizza most people know. The pizza's are cheesier (though not much more)and more of a balanced pizza rather than focused on the tomatoes. They also have a wonderful White Pie selection for when you're in the mood for something else. There are a lot more tables here, but you'll still wait an hour on a Friday or Saturday, but usually the pizza's come out faster. They also have a bathroom, so its a bit more convenient with kids. Try the Fresh Garlic pizza or if you're going white, the spinach and ricotta.
  1007 Hamilton Avenue, Trenton, NJ 08629 - (609)393-2952