Tucked away in West Creek, N.J., on land’s end three miles down Cedar Run Dock Road, you’ll find a quaint Victorian-style house known as Antonietta’s. A magical place for sure, the restaurant offers diners an unparalleled view of Barnegat Bay and the Forsythe Wildlife Refuge along with wonderful food, décor and service. If you make reservations for the right time, you’ll have the best view of the sunset. Every seat in the two dining rooms or outside on the deck in season showcases nature’s beauty. If you don’t feel like driving, dock your boat in the slip and come right up.

For my birthday last month, I wanted nothing more than to enjoy good food while watching the sunset, so naturally I opted to eat at Antonietta’s. Unfortunately, the day didn’t have the best weather, as it was rainy and overcast.

When we arrived, we were greeted by the host, who told us our table was being set. Our table was upstairs, and without requesting it, we were seated right next to the window — on a sunny, fair-weathered evening, we would’ve had the best seat in the house; maybe next time. The upstairs room features large, wood-framed windows complemented by gold-striped valances. The architectural details are charming, but they don’t compare to the view.

Unlike many Italian-themed restaurants, it’s not stereotypical. There are no dusty statues, trellises or fake vines. The table is set with sparkling wine glasses on white tablecloths in a softly amber-lit setting. The BYOB venue is known for its elegant yet casual atmosphere serving refined Italian and seafood dishes.

For an appetizer, we split the special of coconut shrimp — which was incredible — shrimp cocktail, and mozzarella en Carrozza (Italian bread fried with mozzarella) and served with fresh basil and marinara sauce. For dinner I ordered the chicken Parmigiano, while other dishes included coconut shrimp (as an entrée), veal Parmigiano, chicken Antonietta and one special dish, chicken mondo. Everything was cooked to perfection, making for an excellent evening.

While we did save room for dessert, we opted to head home and enjoy a piece of Funfetti birthday cake.

— Jenna Payesko, editorial coordinator