In April 2026, the team behind Little Silver eatery Little Buca arrived in nearby Long Branch to open upscale coastal eatery Raia’s, bringing new life into the location that formerly housed the legendary Tuzzio’s. Reservations at this pricey outpost have been the hot ticket all summer, but by the time my birthday arrived this Labor Day, we finally scored our spot. Because it’s close enough (and because we wanted drinks) we walked over to see what all the fuss was about. We were not disappointed.
The classic white stone exterior features a black and white sign posted near their outdoor patio, and the name appears again, tiled in gold into the half-circle porch step. As you enter the restaurant’s thick black door, you emerge into a lovely common room, with a horseshoe-shaped bar in the middle overhung by an interesting, angular light fixture. It offers about 15 seats, and while it’s not actually very big, the impact it makes is huge.
There’s a private room on the far right, ostensibly for parties, while the left wall features lit shelves of fine wines and spirits. Cozy banquettes and about a dozen tables flank the walls around the bar, which are painted in black and white line drawings of nude women. When I ask the hostess about it, she avers that they are paintings of the boss’s wife. Okay!
Upon request, our waiter Sam moves us from the bar seats we’ve been offered to a cozy corner banquette—much kinder to my tiny legs, which don’t love high-tops or bar stools. We peruse the drinks menu as monkey dishes of olives and shaved Parmesan are dropped at our table.
Of course, Raia’s has an impressive wine menu for those big spenders. But they also have one of the largest by-the-glass menus I have ever seen, with six each of red and white choices (at about $16 a glass) as well as rosé and bubbles on offer. It’s as carefully considered as their beer menu, with unexpected offerings like Dolomitti Italian Pilsner and Dovetail Hefeweizen.
Keeping pace with the times, there’s a zero-proof Free Spirits selection for teetotalers, with a grenadine-based mocktail and a coconut-ginger sipper. Their house cocktail menu features six well-thought-out selections, including a vodka and basil number called The Westside; a bourbon orange Space Cowboy; a tequila grapefruit El Pinchito; and two gin drinks.
I chose Giuseppe’s Gin Swizzle, with amura, apricot, and demerara. I ordered it mostly because I’d been drinking gin lime rickeys earlier, and wanted to stick to one spirit. But I’m a bit embarrassed when it arrives in a tall fountain soda glass, all candy colored and crushed ice. It’s a tasty drink, but it’s hard to manage. Next time, I’ll take a different tack on my cocktail choice. J gets a glass of Primitivo Alberto Lingo, a medium-bodied red wine, which turns out to be a great choice, as it pairs perfectly with the cuisine.
As we’re reviewing the menu, the kitchen pops out with another free amuse bouche: a pair of Asian-influenced kimchi arancini balls. The crisp panko crust shatters delightfully in my mouth.
The rice tastes of gochujang, and I give credit to the garde manger station for presenting such a cute, off-menu starter.
Like the drinks selections, Raia’s food menu has been carefully curated, with choices inspired but not overwhelming. There are ten starters, plus ten seafood offerings in their “Coastal Mar” section. Beginning at about $25 each, the starters include several salads, roasted beets, Bufala mozzerella, polenta with mushrooms, beef carpaccio, shishitos, and assorted spreads.
We ordered the Carciofi Alla Guidia, roasted artichokes with pistachio and mint, as well as the eggplant caponata with chickpea panelli. Sam lets us know about some specials, and we add on the roasted bone marrow with beef carpaccio and cornichons, served with grilled bread.
The Coastal Mar section is populated by several types of seafood carpaccio and tartare, as well as Hamachi crudo, Scampi Oreganata, calamari and octopus (a ‘no-go’ for me, after that Sally Field movie) and Anchovies & Butter, which we had originally sought to order before we pivoted to J’s beloved bone marrow.
They offer eight pasta dishes, eight baked seafood dishes, and six meat dishes on their “West Side Menu.” There’s also a very impressive selection of eight vegetables—none to miss. We focus on the pasta menu, from which J orders the savory Fusilli Alla Norcina, with sausage, mushrooms, and smoked mozzarella. I am unable to resist the Black Truffle Cacio e Pape, served over tagliatelle. Other foregone choices include pesto gnocchi, lobster vodka, rigatoni norma, linguine and clams, a white tagliatelle, and Malfadine al Nerano with zucchini.
We skip (on this visit) choosing from the fish menu, which has sea bass, salmon, branzino, halibut, tuna, and langostines, in a variety of preparations, for about $50. Ditto for the West Side Menu’s meat selections, which include pricey steaks and chops, like a $75 Old School Pork Chop that I can’t quite wrap my head around. Somehow, an $88 NY Strip seems okay for the price, given that it’s about $40 in the grocery store right now.
The “Vegetables” selection, always just a bland “Sides” anywhere else, comes to life at Raia’s, with inspired choices like broccoli rabe with hot cherry peppers; roasted cabbage with walnuts; green bean amandine; escarole with beans gigantes; and other delicious choices. Dare I say, this could be a place where even a vegetarian (or more realistically, a pescatarian) could call home.
With our orders in to the kitchen, we sit back, listen to Sinatra on the sound system, and watch the other tables fill up with folks dressed up especially for that upscale coastal vibe. “It’s the new hotspot,” says J as I sit up straight to sip from my aggressively tall cocktail. I look around, and the jernt is hopping. “It’s a late crowd—which is unusual for the shore,” she adds, and I agree.
The food begins to roll out, and we are not disappointed. The artichokes are the big, lemony, roasted sunflower end parts, accompanied with a pistachio-mint gremolata to run them through. It’s the most unusual artichoke presentation I’ve ever seen, and I’m an instant convert. How do these ‘junk’ parts of the artichoke dare being so delicious?
The half-cut bone marrow special is succulent, greasy, and visceral. We spoon bits of the marrow and the decadent topping onto the bread until it is nearly gone, then remember to save a bit in the bone for our loyal hound, stuck at home. The caponata dish is full of flavor, but I’m not getting any crunch of pine nuts or sweetness of golden raisins. And the chickpea panelli cushion is floppy and soggy. The dish would be better served with crisp toast or lavash crackers, and could love a bit of balsamic reduction. But so far, Raia’s has served up good-sized portions at a good pace.
Not wanting to fill up on apps, we have Sam wrap the remainder—and finally discover what the odd-looking, angular bar next to our table is for: hanging up to-go bags. After a suitable amount of time, Sam reappears with our pasta dishes. My cacio e pepe is delicious and uncomplicated, unlike me. J’s fusilla is larded with sweet and hot sausage chunks, savory organic mushrooms, and a smoked mozzarella sauce that is addictive. It’s like upscale mac ‘n cheese, for the king’s kids. The smoky cheese makes it taste extremely decadent.
We tackle as much as we can handle, and stop before we’re full. Because it’s my birthday, and I want cake. Raia’s offers eight dessert options, and we pick the warm chocolate espresso cake with pistachio gelato. J loves the rich chocolate cake, and pistachio’s my favorite gelato. A win!
Sam arrives with the check, and it’s $231 before tip. That’s a lot to shell out for a weeknight meal, but there is nothing wrong with Raia’s that a pocketful of cash can’t conquer. I think we may have found our new favorite place. And between the naked lady wall art, the surprisingly large vegetarian selection, and the excellent service, Raia’s could become the Jersey shore’s next favorite upscale lesbian hangout. I’ll start spreading the news.
Raia’s Restaurant
224 Westwood Avenue
Long Branch, NJ 07740
732-245-8400
Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday 4-9 p.m.
Friday-Saturday 4-10 p.m.
Save a Few Clams
Ka-ching! No clams! Raia’s is newly open, and has no discount days or lower-price bar menu as of yet. But waiter Sam says, “We’ve only been open five months, and they may decide to do something like that when winter comes.” We’re headed to Little Silver this week to try their imprimatur eatery, Little Buca, and will keep you posted.
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