Chef Anthony Pagano of Uva’s Restaurant in Bradley Beach helps Eileen make pasta in her OG kitchen. Paul Goldfinger photo.
By Eileen and Paul Goldfinger. Blogfinger.net. 2021.
This Saturday night, Tony was catering a large dinner party at our OG home. Eileen insisted on making the pasta, but when Tony arrived, he walked into the kitchen and found Eileen struggling to finish the pasta for so many people. So he took over and guided her through the process.
We have known Tony and his family from when the Pagano’s had their restaurant on Ocean Avenue in Bradley Beach. Now Tony is the owner-chef at Uva’s fine friendly family Italian restaurant at 800 Main St. in Bradley Beach. They also have a happy bar scene with live music and a Tiki bar in summer.
The authentic Italian menu is outstanding including the pizza. Welcome to downtown Sicily.
2025 update. Tony is now Dad to 4 girls. His first daughter is Rafaella, the same name as his Mom who works in the restaurant as the hostess.
CAB CALLOWAY:
Note: Here’s a BF piece –a review of Matt’s Market in Wall where Eileen and I met Chef Tony.
Nobody home at the Osteria. Thursday, 3/8/18. Blogfinger photo. #50 Main Avenue. 7:45 pm.
By Paul and Eileen Goldfinger, food assessment team @Blogfinger.net
We received a mailer a few days ago from the new kid on the block: Osteria Procaccini on Main Avenue. They offered 10% off on any pizza/sandwich/salad from March 7 to March 31. Strangely, their flier did not mention their hours or their days working or anything about their menu. The photograph shows a pizza, but it doesn’t identify what type or what the crumbly toppings are.
So tonight, Thursday, (3/8/) we decided to go over for a pizza. When we got there, the place was closed. It was 7:45 pm.
The hours posted showed that they were to be open on Thursday nights till 9:00 pm
SeaGrass was happily serving dinner a short distance away, as some music drifted our way. But we wanted pizza, so where did we go? We went to our favorite restaurant.
In 5 minutes we arrived at Pagano’s Uva Italian Restaurant at 800 Main Street in Bradley Beach (They have a parking lot) where we were greeted by Chef Tony Pagano. There was a busy and lively bar scene with live music.
Uva Restaurant. Main dining room on a Thursday night when most of the action was at the bar. But this fine Italian restaurant was open.
But being the sedate (d) Grovers that we are, we sat in the quiet restaurant section where two other couples were enjoying dinner. We started with the small Caesar salad which was plenty for two and which was superb. Tony suggested his Margherita pizza ($16.00 one size large) which was thin crusted with mozzarella, red sauce, and basil, and it was magnificent.—so good! I had 3 slices, and Eileen had 2, and we had 3 left over for take-out.
And it all was accompanied by a fine David Bynum California Russian River Valley pinot noir red wine at $11.00 per glass. Finally I had a one shot espresso which was authentic Italian and thus as good as at a piazza in Rome.
The Osteria has a reputation for good food, but it is worthless if it is closed and unreliable. Incidentally the new OG pizza joint does not deliver and it is strictly a pizza, salad, sandwich and dessert place. They have no entrees. You can, however, do take-out, but you would never know that from their mailer.
If any of you get to eat there, please send us your review.
