Villa Venice - Great Italian Food
We just enjoyed another meal at Villa Venice in Townsbury, NJ (Rte 46 W) and have to say that in my opinion they have the best Italian food and sauce in the Hackettstown area. We enjoyed a large stromboli tonight but have had most of their Italian dishes and they just keep getting better and better each time we go. Never had a bad meal there yet and we have been going there for years.
joyful I'm not too familiar with the area. Is Townsbury also known as Great Meadows or Oxford? I tried to Google the restaurant and came up with the same name in those two towns. Haven't found an Italian place in the area yet that we like, so would love to try it out.
DoxieMommy It's on 46 between Great Meadows and Pequest Hatchery. Usually it's a great meadows address. P
btownguy My experience has been the exact opposite at villa venice. We keep trying though because it's very close to my house.
MB I've heard really good things about this place. I really need to give it a try, I love Italian food.
PenningsLandscaping 
EVV Where would everyone rank it against mamas, franks, the place by shoprite (I can't remember the name) or the place in Hastings Square? We have had a hard time finding good pizza... The type of place that is around north-eastern nj. We find franks to be ok, but not great. Often we go over the mountain into long valley to get a satisfying slice. Wondering if folks who have eaten at villa Venice have any comparisons.
check out FANUCCI'S Cafe & Gelato Bar in Netcong. It's a small place and I highly recommend a reservation for this wonderful old style cooking.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g46663-d4055010-Reviews-FANUCCI_S_Cafe_Gelato_Bar-Netcong_Morris_County_New_Jersey.html
mike l Preference in Italian food is, I believe, as that of any other type of food...it is all in the taste that you are looking for and like. We have tried all of the Italian restaurants (lived in the area most of our lives) and at this point in time prefer Villa Venice mostly because of the taste of their sauce and presentation of the food served there. The only other one that comes close is Pronto Pizza in the Mansfield Mall. ( Their pizza is really good!) As I said, to each his own!
Villa Venice to me is very American as opposed to Italian, so it's not my favorite place. It's OK, just not really what I'm looking for. Pizza is so personal depending on thick vs thin and specific toppings, etc. Pronto is not bad if you don't mind a bit of garlic. Gabby's has very thin, and a kind of French bread like/Chicago pan that's not Sicilian either. Mama's and Enzo's are very straight forward every day type. I think Mama's food other than pizza is better. And Enzo's makes a great chicken parm or small stromboli.
All of the pizza places have been reviewed to DEATH here on HL. A quick forum search with give you threads with 300+ posts.
Tastes vary so much, the only thing to do is to try for yourself.
GC Fanucci's in Netcong is unbelievable. Cannot beat actual home made food.
where the heck is Townsbury?
brown bearbrown bear - see btownguy's post above.
Villa Venice is ok. My husband likes their meatball parm sandwich, so we go now and again.
Calico696 
JL I have had the meatball parm too, Calico...and it is good. Hubby loves their lobster ravioli also. I know there are even better true Italian restaurants in other areas out of town than Villa Venice... but my thread stated "in the Hackettstown area" and for us and our taste buds...this is the best one nearby.
Joy, We ate at (Joe's owner of VV) when he was in the mini mall uptown. I don't remember what his place was called. A very nice man. Is he still there? Enjoyed his food. Don't get out that way much.
auntiel 
NJSkyWatcher Sonny's Ii has the best Italian food. I don't care for Mama's,villa Vennis is OK. The rest don't bother.
Snowflake Yes, Auntiel..that is where I first met Joe as well ...when he had the place on Main St. in Hackettstown. He was also good friends with my old boss. He had great food back then and makes it even better today. His son helps him a lot now too...
Hackettstown hasn't had great Italian food since Cara Mia closed. All these other places are Pizza joints with other stuff on the menu
eapos 
auntiel I think it was called Family Pizza when it was at the mini mall, I think the next owners kept the name when he moved to Great Meadows. I used to eat lunch there all the time. I remember eating there when the Chinese restaurant was in that spot. I like Mama's pizza too, just finishing up my last slice.
Denis I agree with Joyful. Food preference IS all in the taste you are looking for and like.
I haven't been to Villa Venice in years, but they weren't terrible when I did go there. As I recall, Lui's wasn't awful either. Nothing great, but not bad...
Villa Venice seems to have made some improvements over the years.
Now, Luigi's Rancho was a different story. Neither I, nor my kids, were impressed.
There is a gradient of gastronomic tyranny that seems to exist....at least outside of big cities...the further west you go in northern NJ. Cross the border into the small, non-trendy towns of PA and it's all mashed potatoes, gravy, sugar in the marinara, coffee (and plenty of it!) and pie...and there's that influence even in trendy towns.
Seeing how it costs so much money to eat out, and the quality and flavor of food that almost anyone could make themselves (except where the specialized equipment comes in...and that is mostly measured in BTU's, cooking surfaces and ventilation), dining out becomes more a measure of desperation or laziness...giving a nod to ambiance, special occasions and conviviality.
BTW, when you go to most areas of the gastronomic wasteland, keep it simple....real simple. Burgers, meatloaf, potatoes in most forms, etc. Don't even let them attempt anything that has an ethnic name unless they have a reputation that goes beyond the locals. Really.
jjmonth4 Just had brick oven pizza at a place in Lebanon that was AWESOME.
I literally ordered another pie to take home with me it was soo good.
Yum.
Josh Villa Venice can be hit or miss. Their pizza is too thick and doughy, their spaghetti sauce is horrible and I ordered a tuna salad sub once and they gave me dry tuna on a long roll. No mayo in it or anything. They didn't know what a tuna sub was even though it was on their menu. I would rate the place a 2 on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being outstanding.
America Lived in Area for over 10 years and just recently tried Villa Venice ( 3 or 4 X now) and it is GREAT! wine and beer is available ...not saying that is necessary for a good meal but just an option. My family and friends have never had a bad experience...as of yet. Def worth trying, may not be some preference on taste but food is not "bad" in anyway.
BounceME @eapos Tommy, the owner of the old Cara Mia's is now the chef at Belles Mansion in Netcong. I loved Cara Mia.
Kmc138 America what is hit or miss about your reviews. All I read in your review is MISS
CraftBeerBob Villa Venice we go there and I have never had a bad meal during the super storm sandy he opened up and cooked for a lot of people who did not have power its nice in side and not over priced and its close only eight mins drive time from my house
Caged Animal 
roywhite 
honey badger Commenting is no longer available.