Nobody needs to tell us we have great Italian restaurants in Monmouth County, but when we hear it, it still makes us really happy. And as we embark upon a new year of eating, Monmouth County Italian restaurants really do stand out, at least in a recent report.

Just a few weeks ago, Best of NJ came up with their list of best Italian restaurants in the Garden State and broke it down by geographic region. And when it came to the Jersey Shore, Monmouth County really dominated, claiming half the selections in the area that extended south through Atlantic County and into Cape May County.