If New Jersey has an unofficial state cuisine, it’s definitely Italian! My hometown is full of great Italian restaurants, pizza joints, and bakeries. The field is so competitive that it’s easy for an Italian place to get lost in the shuffle unless they have something special – which Palazzone 1960 definitely does.

Opened in 1960, this casual Italian restaurant in Wayne is acclaimed for its pasta and sandwiches, but there’s a little difference here. Everything tastes a little brighter and fresher – because this might also be the best Italian bakery in New Jersey! The restaurant does a brisk business in sweet treats just as much as it does in savory, and if you come here for lunch, you’ll definitely be in for one delicious surprise after another.