New Jersey Spotlight: Calandra’s Mediterranean Grill

Calandra’s Mediterranean Grill is a well-regarded restaurant in Fairfield, New Jersey, that is part of the larger, successful Calandra family enterprise.¹

Here is a comprehensive overview covering its unique aspects, history, customer feedback, menu highlights, and contact information.

What Makes It Unique: Northern Italian with a Mediterranean Flair

Calandra’s Mediterranean Grill stands out by blending Northern Italian cuisine with a Mediterranean influence, offering a distinct culinary experience from its sister restaurants, which often focus on Southern Italian dishes.²

Key unique features include:

• Cuisine Focus: The menu features fresh homemade pasta, seafood, and Mediterranean specialties, along with authentic pizza from a stone deck wood-burning oven.³

   

• Ambiance and Location: The grill is located inside the Hampton Inn & Suites hotel in Fairfield, providing an elegant, upmarket, yet family-friendly dining environment.⁴ It boasts a recently renovated space with elegant decor, a lively Lobby Lounge & Bar, and an outdoor patio (weather permitting).⁵

   

• Calandra Family Products: The restaurant leverages the family’s extensive business, incorporating their famous bread from Calandra’s Bakery, their own line of olive oil, coffee, sauces, and wines from their vineyard in Italy.⁶

   

• Weekly Specials & Events: It hosts recurring weekly events such as Ladies Night (every Wednesday night) and unique dining promotions like Tuesday Pasta Flight Night and Tequila Thursdays with special drink deals.⁷

   

History of the Calandra Family Enterprise

The story of Calandra’s Mediterranean Grill is rooted in the legacy of the Calandra family, which began in New Jersey over 60 years ago:⁸

• 1962: Founding:⁹ The patriarch, Luciano Calandra Sr., an Italian immigrant from Sicily, founded Calandra’s Bakery in Newark, New Jersey.¹⁰ Driven by hard work and his business principles—a focus on family and a belief that the customer is always right—the bakery quickly became known for its delicious Italian and French bread.¹¹

   

• Expansion: The business grew under the guidance of Luciano Sr. and his sons, Anthony and Luciano Jr.¹² The enterprise expanded from a single bakery to three bakery locations (Newark, Fairfield, and Caldwell), four hotels, six apartment buildings, and multiple award-winning restaurants in Northern New Jersey.

   

• The Restaurant: Calandra’s Mediterranean Grill is one of the family’s restaurant ventures, operating alongside others like Cucina Calandra and il Vecchio Cafe.¹³ It carries on the family’s tradition of quality and customer service, with the third generation now actively involved in honoring the dream of Luciano Calandra Sr.¹⁴

   

Customer Feedback and Awards

The restaurant has received consistent recognition for its quality and service, as evidenced by numerous awards and positive customer feedback:¹⁵

• Awards: Calandra’s Mediterranean Grill has won multiple accolades over the years, including:
  • OpenTable Diners’ Choice Awards.
  • Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence.¹⁶

     

  • Suburban Essex Magazine “Best of Essex” Gold Medals for categories like Best Private Dining Room and recognition in categories like Best Full-Service Restaurant.
  • NJ Monthly Magazine Jersey Choice Awards for its Wine List (North Jersey) and being recognized as the #1 Best Mediterranean Cuisine and #1 Best Italian Cuisine in past years.
• Customer Reviews: Reviewers frequently praise the dining experience:
  • Many highlight the recent renovation, calling the space beautiful, elegant, and vibrant.¹⁷

     

  • The food is consistently called “delicious,” with praise for the freshness and quality of the dishes.
  • Service is often described as outstanding, attentive, and personable.¹⁸

     

Highlight Menu Items

The menu is extensive, offering a range of Italian and Mediterranean specialties.¹⁹ Highlights mentioned in reviews and on their menus include:

• Appetizers: House-made Arancini (rice balls stuffed with meat, peas, and cheese).²⁰

   

• Pasta & Entrees: Fresh homemade pasta and seafood dishes, such as Branzino alla Griglia (grilled branzino) and the Pollo della Notte (toasted almond-crusted chicken in a basil and garlic marsala wine demi-glace).²¹

   

• Sandwiches/Lunches: The menu features creative sandwiches like the Pollo Griglia (grilled chicken with sautéed broccoli rabe) and a variety of gourmet burgers, including a Salmon Burger.²²

   

• Desserts: Desserts are made fresh daily, with popular items being the Ricotta Cheesecake and the rich, creamy Tiramisu Cake.²³

   

Significant Events & Recurring Specials

While there may have been many private or family functions, the public-facing events and weekly specials are a major part of the restaurant’s offering:

• Recurring Social Events:
  • Ladies Night (Every Wednesday night).²⁴

     

  • Happy Hour is offered seven days a week in the Lobby Lounge & Bar.²⁵

     

  • Live Entertainment is often featured on Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday evenings.²⁶

     

• Dining Promotions:
  • Tuesday Pasta Flight Night (offering various pasta and gnocchi flights).
  • Tequila Thursdays ($5 Margaritas).
  • Retro Saturdays with a DJ.
• Holiday Events: The restaurant hosts large, significant dining events, such as its popular Thanksgiving Buffet.

Location and Contact Information