Lita

This is by far the most amazing dining experience I’ve ever had in my life. From the decor, to the atmosphere, to the service. I honestly couldn’t get enough! The feel is equivalent to experiencing a home cooked meal as you see the meals being cooked right before your eyes. The atmosphere breathes transparency. You can even tell by how happily and harmoniously the entire staff works, there’s no stone left unturned. Upon entry, we were greeted by the hostess, Willow. Her hospitality and energy was simply amazing. We felt welcomed immediately. Upon sitting down, we notified the bartender of my shellfish allergy. Even though certain choices that we requested on the menu had some sort of shellfish in it, they were happy to make substitutes, and the food was equally delicious. We started with the duck croquettes. I had always been skeptical about duck, because I’ve never had a great experience. However, these croquettes made me do a full 180. They were melt in your mouth delicious I swear if I can give this 10 stars, I would. We then had the octopus, the Spanish meatballs and the braised chicken spaghetti. As I’m typing this, I can still taste everything…. that’s how memorable every. single dish was. Finally, we had the duck, and pork entrées. I will never look at duck the same after this experience. My partner deeply enjoyed his pork as well! If you made it this far in my review, run, don’t walk to Lita. This is the type of hospitality that has been missing from many restaurants nowadays. And in every single interaction from start to finish, they hit the nail on the head. You can tell from the close attention to detail down to even the menu selection that they have figured out the formula. I will certainly be dining here again.

I lived in Jersey most of my life n I lived in Monmouth county for about 25 years, Aberdeen over 10 years combined, n never heard of this place, until I drove by one day n saw the sign n was curious about it. I did a little research n one day my mom n I went in for dinner n cocktails n BOY, let me tell you, this was by far the best, the best, and the best restaurant I have ever been to n eaten at in Jersey. The atmosphere was very chic, sexy, inviting, The presentation of the food was sensational. Not only was the food Plated so Passionately, It tasted phenomenal. It was savory n succulent. It was Divine n the cocktails were delicious. This place is not only an experience it will have you leaving very impressed. Five stars across-the-board, They have great staff n cooks.

We sat at the bar because you have a choice of ordering a la carte or do the prix fixe menu. If seated at a table, you can only do the prix fixe menu. Everything from the drinks to dessert was delicious. We had the patatas bravas and beets as starters. Then the tuna tartare. For our main dishes we ordered the chicken piri piri and the arroz con lulas. For dessert I ordered the pastel de nata and it is made with nutella! We would definitely go back!

This was not just dinner, it was an experience! This was by far the best meal I've had in New Jersey and maybe even the East Coast. But it was also an experience... I was educated on everything that was on the plate and what I was eating. There were so many layers of flavor with every bite and each plate was a work of art. The service was top notch!

As a big fan of David + Neilly's explorative, creative and representative restaurant establishments + pop-ups (including their last delicious endeavor in Philly in collaboration with Ricky the Bar Master), we knew that our days were numbered before we made it out from Philly to try Lita in Aberdeen Township. I thought what better way to celebrate my mother's birthday then by bringing her to a restaurant derived by the very same sentiment - "an homage to Mom and the traditions + cuisine we were raised upon". I had initially made reservations at the bar due to the restaurant already being fully booked on the desired date but ended up emailing the staff and was delighted to receive a quick response from David McGill who was kind enough to move our reservation to the dining room for a much more intimate experience. A big thank you to his hospitality. From the moment we walked in to the moment we bid our farewells, service was impeccably attentive. The Lita team were all very knowledgeable of the dishes being served, the ingredients and details that made each dish unique as well as the story behind why certain dishes were included on the menu and how significant they were to either David's upbringing, his mother Rosa Lita or even his very own son. The sense of community here was front and center and is definitely a result of Lita's unique operating structure, where front + back of houses blend to create a seamless cross-trained team centered on the one component that truly matters in a fine dining experience, hospitality. Here are our recommendations. For Cocktails: - Before or after stopping in for dinner at Lita, grab a Tzatziki at 'La Otra' next door and experience a bit of Ricky's genius concoctions. This is still one of the best cocktails we have ever had to date. - Other recommendations: The Fresca, and you can't go wrong with a glass of sangria to pair beautifully with the menus Iberian dishes. Aperitivo: - Croquetas de Pato: Stood out as one of the best things we tasted this evening, WOW. - Rissois de Camarão: Another show stopper. - Batatas Bravas: Creamy, spicy + dangerously good. Essenciais: - Amêijoas 'À Bulhão Pato': Simple but delicious. - Polvo com Choriço - Galinha da Avó con Masa: Flavorful + comforting. Especialidades: - Paella do Dia for Two: David has perfected this dish. It's crunchy, flavorful and a marriage of ingredients depending on the pairing of the day. We enjoyed a Pork Belly and Clams Paella. - Carne de Porco 'Alentejana' - Bitoque: My husbands favorite, this dish was unavailable the day we went but looked absolutely delicious in posts, we would love to give this a try next time! Sobremesas: - Rosa's Flan: Decadent + Creamy - Serradura: My all-time favorite Portuguese dessert - Pudim de Caqui: Warm cake, cool buttermilk and mandarin semifredo, rich and mouth watering. If you haven't already tried Lita, don't hesitate to hit the RSVP button. If you're like us and have already dined at Lita, I'm sure your itching to return and explore more of her menu. All in all, you are in for a treat.

What an awesome dining experience! Be prepared to spend a little more than usual BUT it is 100% worth it. We just traveled to Portugal a few weeks before coming here and Lita is very authentic!!! The pastel de nata was just like the ones we ate in Porto, Portugal. The steak was cooked perfectly and the croquettes were the best we’ve had. And don’t even get me started on the cocktails 🤩 Very unique but well balanced 👌🏼