 "Photo: Alyana Alfaro, The Setonian")
Arturo's Osteria and Pizza, nestled on a tiny corner of Maplewood Avenue, at first seems like your typical tiny Italian eatery. The earth-tone walls, soft lighting and cramped spaces remind one of the Village Trattoria with a rustic flair. But Arturo's is different: their pizza is baked to perfection in a wood burning oven.
The Greco pizza is a standout. Covered with feta cheese and roasted pine nuts, the pizza both tastes and looks appealing, with a swirl of basil pesto on top.
Other specialty pizzas include the Bianco, a white cheese pizza, and the Parma, which is made with gorgonzola cheese as well as mozarella.
An 11-inch pizza ranges in price from $11.95-$12.50, and a large 16- inch pie at $16.95-$17.50, so while these are pricey pies, remember they are stuffed with delicious dough and are quite filling. They are also the perfect for splitting between two.
The salads offered are crisp and light, especially the Caesar salad. Arturo's makes its own croutons from its freshly baked bread, and are deliciously chewy and crunchy.
Customers can also enjoy popular pasta dishes like the wild mushroom ravioli—made with three types of mushrooms—or the more adventurous can try the Chinghale which is a penne pasta served with a wild boar ragu.
Arturo's is a small space, so by its nature the wait can be lengthy. The restaurant offers communal seating, where several parties can sit and eat together. This can be an awkward experience, but if the groups are friendly and not picky about their neighbors, than it can be a pleasant one.
If interested, Arturo's is a short train ride away from South Orange. Maplewood is the next stop on the train line and the restaurant is down the street from the Maplewood train station. For those looking for a little something different in terms of Italian fare—or maybe somewhere to take that special someone—Arturo's is definitely worth the trip.
Erin Bell can be reached at erin.bell@student.shu.edu.
Alyana Alfaro can be reached at alyana.alfaro@student.shu.edu.
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