17 Summer

I have yet to eat here and I never will. I found the owners arrogant and dismissive. I was looking forward to eating here and made a reservation for some family reservations. I called in December and got a reservation a month later and unfortunately had to cancel due to illnesses. Well you can imagine my shock when I got a return call saying I would be charged $ 25 cancellation fee as it was after 24 hours. I told them I was unaware of this policy as no one told me about it so I would come in for dinner. Well add more to my surprise when I was told the table was rebooked so I couldn’t come in. I told them it was not right to charge me if they booked the table as that mitigated their damages but they said a policy is a policy and it was on their website which I had not been to and when I did go it was buried under hours and directions which I already knew. These people have no clue on proper customer satisfaction. Any decent owner would have said sorry to hear you are sick the table has been rebooked and when can we rebook you not tough luck this is our policy which is basically how they treated me. I have never had such a bad taste in my mouth or been treated so badly.

Be aware of the scam going on here. There is a $ 25 per person cancellation fee for reservations, even though the owners admit they have a long waiting list for tables. We had to cancel because of illness… had no idea there was this policy, which was never mentioned when we made the booking nor when they confirmed.
When we had to cancel they told us about the policy. After discussing it the remaining party decided to go anyway. But our table had already been rebooked, in a matter of minutes!
The sick members of our party grew up in Lodi and were looking forward to the visit. But I can guarantee that this is one restaurant I’ll never patronize, and I strongly encourage others to do the same.

Based on the many positive reviews both on Unilocal and the newspapers we were pleasantly surprised to get a last minute reservation on a Saturday night. Even with GPS it was a challenge to find the restaurant but a call ahead got us there with no problem. (they are a block behind KMart and there is a large lot with plenty of parking) 17 Summer is a small sweet little restaurant with a open kitchen half flanked by a beautiful white leather bar (they are BYOB) The staff greeted us warmly, even held the door for us. The restaurant is set up with small tables and the music is nice and contemporary but not intrusive. On a down note, before we left I went to their website to view the menu and saw some dishes that really had me anticipating dinner. A small plate of house made buratta (I LOVE Buratta, it’s mozzarella with a cream filled center. To die for!) and for a main of chestnut linguini with bits of chestnuts, fennel and cream I couldn’t wait! Well, when we arrived and got our menu it had none of the dishes I couldn’t wait to try were not listed. Our server said the menu changed a few days ago and they had not updated the website. I was disappointed but we found a few dishes that looked promising We decided to share a starter of Wild Mushroom Polenta Very good and the mushrooms had a strong smokey flavor that went perfectly with the creamy Polenta. I ordered the Chestnut Lasagnette which the server described as triangle cut chestnut pasta, sunchokes and chestnuts with a beef based gravy. While I enjoyed my dish very much it wasn’t what the server described. The pasta was more Papparedelle and had no chestnut flavor at all, I didn’t see or taste any sunchokes and the only thing I saw besides the pasta was the same wild mushrooms which while delicious wasn’t what I was counting on. The price for this dish was $ 32 and the portion was really an appetizer size. Hubby got the Monkfish that he said was spicy and delicious also priced at $ 32, with no sides and they charge $ 8 for bread,. We decided on the dessert which was a poached pear on butterscotch cream in a pie crust. This was amazing. It was also $ 13 (we each got one) so it better be amazing. Overall, the food and the service were good but the portions were way too small. Even if it’s hard to justify $ 32 for a pasta dish at least give us a nice big bowl full. And if you are charging $ 32 for a average sized piece of fish then serve it with a salad or veggies. We did enjoy or food and the people at 17 Summer couldn’t have been nicer But we thought a bill of $ 145 (with tip) was alot for what we got.

This could be my favorite place to dine. Jenna and Joe are in complete control of the experience. It is a PLUS experience. It is great seeing two very hard working young adults performing at such a high level. I have been in the food business over 35 years. This restaurant has all my check marks. BYOB — small changing menu with new and different ingredients — cozy atmosphere — superior attention paid to detail.
You should experience 17 Summer at least once, you will not be disappointed.

The best restaurant I have been to in the northern NJ area in awhile. Excellent service and delicious food. Unique, creative dishes. Great portions, not too big or too small, just enough. Loved the option of a half serving of one of the pastas so all at the table could try a bite. The delicata squash cavatelli with butter and sage was so good. Had the monkfish which was great and had a slight kick I enjoyed. Had some fresh homemade bread to start and really enjoyed the panna cotta and pecan pie desserts as well. Love the open kitchen! A small space, but lively ambiance. Servers shook our hands with a «nice to meet you tonight» on the way out. Highly recommend! Will be returning for the next occasion as it is pricy, but worth it.

Honestly the food is salty and not well cooked. Overpriced for a salty beef steak! This girl and her brother needs to go back to mommys house and leave the restaurant business alone. They can skate by catering but this is a FAIL! I was never asked to leave or I would have dumped some wine on someone quickly. I just hope people see and taste what this is really about and let’s get this placed closed ASAP! Avoid at all costs!!!
Update: I’m actually in Tennessee now for the holidays and travel for work unlike yourself under mommys wing have no clue what that means. I had dinner there and it was awful did this TV show you speak of mention salty steak as well? Anyways. Good luck in the catering business. This won’t last long for you with your attitude and the lack of food quality!

We went to 17 Summer on Friday night with our son. We love bringing people with us to this inventive, freshly sourced culinary gem.
We go at least once a month to try chef Joseph Cuccia’s new menus. It is very hard not to order our favorites over and over! Bring your own wine or beer and savor this warm, inviting restaurant owned by brother and sister culinary team Joseph and Jenna Cuccia. They also have catering available.
Everything is home made: breads, pastas, desserts, sausages, some cheeses like the burrata! The roast chicken is the best we’ve ever had, as was the halibut, lamb neck, duck breast, and steak frites. We had the tagliatelle beef bolognese that was outstanding, rich and delicious. We also had the duck rillettes and PEI mussels in an exquisite broth with leeks that reminded us of our vacation to Prince Edward Island.
Do not pass up dessert!!! We had the butterscotch pear tart and the panne cotta!

The kitchen here really knows how to cook. The ingredients are as fresh and as high quality as it gets.
My wife and I had dinner last night. She had a salad with pears and blue cheese and cavatelli with duck confit as her main. I had sausage with creamy polenta and sliced duck breast.
The salad was fine. Sausage and polenta good but not great– could have used a little more seasoning, and they should have pitted and sliced the Alfonso olives which were there to add a bit of brine.
My duck was outstanding as was my wife’s cavatelli.
Overall, the food was 4.5 stars. But here’s the rub. The portions are adequate but just barely, and the prices are high for the portion size.
I rarely downgrade a restaurant based on price, and here it’s more about value. For $ 30 they could and should be more generous with the pasta. For $ 36, I expected more than 5 or 6 thin slices of duck.
The service was excellent, and we will likely return. However, if the value was a little better, we’d probably return sooner and more often.

Service was excellent, the restaurant itself and comfortable and cozy, but prices are way over the top. I had a pork chop for $ 40, not worth mentioning, it tasted so boring, overpowered by saltiness and onion that was on top of it. I had amazing pork chops before and they rarely were over $ 20. My wife had a steak which was $ 46 and it wasnt anything special, made better tasting steaks at home. Another one of those places with Manhattan prices, without the quality of Manhattan dining. Im okay spending good money on food, but meal that costs that much has to taste amazing. I will not be going back.

My boyfriend and I finally had a chance to come and support my little sis from ICHS and her amazing brother with his magic of love of food.
Amigos! If your looking for a night out and some amazing homemade food then you must go and check out @17summerrestaurant Very modern, cool, and chic ambience. The food is amazing!!! The staff is very well trained and very welcoming. Open kitchen! You get to see the chef do what he loves. Their desserts are delicious and I really appreciated that they had almond milk for my cappuccino.
Congratulations and all the best!!!
#17summer #lodi #chic#chef #modern #restaurant #homemade #delicious#yum #success #family #sistersforlife #ichs

Our go to date night spot.
Everything I’ve had on the menu is great. I am allergic to dairy, so usually Italian places are tough but Chef Joe Cuccia is ridiculously accommodating. The front of the house is friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive without hovering over guests.
Everything from the bread baskets (which YES you have to order but are worth it) is made in house or sourced locally from a family farm. From the sourcing of ingredients to the care and attention put into the details of the menu (which rotates seasonally & based off what is available locally, fresh, and in good quality) is amazing.
If you are looking for pampering that involves being stuffed with bread to not finish your over-​sized plate this is not your go-​to. This is the sort of fine Italian dining that the US is not accustomed to. If your complaint is regarding not enough complimentary bread and filler, or portions being «small» then I suggest you head to the Olive Garden. This is no chain.

My boo & I like to play roulette when it comes to dinner dates. Came across this and read all the other Unilocal reviews insisting that this place was THE JAM. Needless to say, I came with pretty high expectations and all worked and riled up for some succulent grub.
Haven’t explored much of Lodi other than Hell On Earth Pt. 2 (aka DMV. Pt. 1 is NY Port Authority, incase you were curious.) The fine restaurant of 17 Summer has the unfortunate location of being on a sliver of a grungy side street. This may be why I haven’t heard – or other residents outside of Lodi haven’t heard – about 17 Summer’s existence beforehand, which is a shame. The street is not one I would walk around on in high heels and a mini skirt after 12 am, that’s fa sho.
Inside, the restaurant is quaint and cute. The kitchen is open, so you can watch the chef prepare your meals. Not sure if this is a *BONUS* or a *BOGUS* element. On one end, no one can spit in my food because I’ll catch you if I have my suspicions. (And I’m naturally paranoid so best believe I’m eyeing ya down.) On the other end, if you’re a chick and you’re on a date, your hair that you made smell like vanilla and honeydew will now have the odor of duck pasta. Which can be good for some. But as a general rule, ladies– bring a hairtie.
Our server was totes adorbs and I’m not sure if the woman that came to our table was the hostess or an owner, but she was pretty cool too. The service was efficient, so absolutely no qualms there. I am left wondering how many people tripped and lost teeth coming in and out of the restaurant b/​c we were constantly told to watch our step. Much appreciated guys– I don’t have dental!
The food in itself…:kisses fingers and blows it up to air: quite delectable. When my plate arrived, I was thinking, «Hail nah, this is scraps. I can eat twice as much.» By the time I ate it all, I felt full and like someone needed to roll me into the car. What trickery, 17 Summer. Oh, Touché. I would give the food 4.5 out of 5. It was so yummy, and I would eat there again without question, but my dish was lacking a certain, unexplainable… umph. Then again, don’t entirely judge my food tasting ability from this night. By the time our meals arrived, I was kinda drunk from the BYOB delights me and the man brought with us.
As far as their desserts, we opted out. I know they have in-​house made cheesecakes and something with figs. a few others that aren’t listed on the menu. Like I said, I was drunk. Also, I had a bag of jellybeans in my purse and a bag of chips in the car and I was thinking really hard about them.
We got 3 things total and the bill was about $ 80. This ain’t no Chipotle, my dear friends. Food is high quality, but in my opinion, the prices are still a tad steep. Should you pay your phone bill this month, or have a night on the town at Summer 17? I think you know the answer.
It’s food. Always food.
This is a truthful review as always from,
~Brutally Anonymous~

Frank Sinatra would be proud.
Even better, Joe Bastianich said the 17 Summer pasta was really good. The guy is a partner with Molto Mario and his mom is Lidia. I think he has the credentials to know what is good pasta.
I don’t want to take anything away from the Italian dynamic duo. They have a business that I wish nothing but the best for them. What I had tonight was cooked perfectly and the front of the house was also on its A game.
I had a 7pm reservation, the restaurant for a Wednesday night isn’t too busy. Still, I don’t want to take a table. I’m solo so I’ll eat at the bar.
I have to mention it’s BYOB! I went to a cool wine store this afternoon and purchased a nice bottle of Italian wine for tonights event. I’m not in Jersey too often so I wanna make this meal unforgettable.
And trust me it was, I started with the Porchetta. Cooked perfectly, it was a great starter.
What’s great about 17 Summer Restaurant, they offer both full and ½ portions.
I ordered a ½ portion of the cavatelli with duck and broccoli.
I start to ask questions:
How is the cavatelli prepared?
What about the duck?
Where is the beef cheek?
My waitress was on point, she answered all of my questions and was very knowledgeable.
The Cavatelli with duck and broccoli is brought to me. Perfectly executed, its a flavorful dish. The pasta was made spot on, the duck and the broth are totally on point with the right amount of spice/​heat. Now I’m totally in the zone and the chef, Joseph Cuccia comes over to my seat.
How was everything? I tell him, chef everything was incredible. He shakes my hand!
You know this restaurant is going places, I wish them nothing but the best.
Now Jenna Cuccia comes over to me and we start talking about dessert. First off, to see this woman not wifed up is a mystery. She’s a intelligent and beautiful woman who stared down Tim Love and said no way! That just takes moxie and to stick to your guns is something I give her a lot of credit.
My dessert tart comes out.
What is starting to get me woozy is the almond base of the tart. Add the homemade whipped cream and this dessert is a home run out of the park.
I saw this brother & sister team on TV and I wish them nothing but great success. They have the restaurant and catering business, I know I’ll see them in SOHO over the next 5 years.
Joseph & Jenna Cuccia, I wish you «Buona Fortuna» in your family business!

Came here with my family a few weeks ago soon after the article was posted in the news paper about the place. 17 Summer lives up to its reputation, this is absolutely a hot spot for great food.
First off it’s BYOB so that’s always a win for me.
Lets cut to the chase, the food. Absolutely every plate is made with love and it truly shows. The quality is fantastic, you can expect your dish to taste perfect every time. The kitchen is wide open for viewing and you can see the chef tasting everything and working his magic in the kitchen. All the pasta was home-​made and you can taste the difference, its unreal. My NY strip steak was cooked perfectly, it was so juicy my mouth is watering a little bit just thinking about it. Everything is plated so nicely and has a garnish or a spread that really pops and accentuates the natural flavors of every dish.
The atmosphere and service; awesome. Even with the place full you would never even know because the wait staff is always very responsive and extremely courteous. These are professionals and its quite refreshing. I heard that some people are having a hard time getting reservations during dinner time but this place has been packed almost every night and its understandable, come later at night and stop complaining.
Overall, this place is stellar, even though they only opened a short time ago. They are well organized, extremely responsive to social media, the restaurant is decorated beautifully, the food is absolutely worthy of my 5 stars and i couldn’t be more impressed for a little place in Lodi, NJ. There’s plenty of places in the heart of NYC that wish they could be this place. This place will be hurting your wallet for sure but its well worth it, you get what you pay for. I’ll be back!

I’ve been back here 2 more times.
The Porchetta dish with broccoli raab is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. The fat is gelatenous and flavorful, the meat part is super tender, and the skin was crisp like a chip. No idea how they did that, and the chef served it with perfectly green colored and almost sweet (not bitter) broccoli raab, that was not stringy at all.
Really loved the Kohlrabi carpaccio, very simple, high quality ingredients, the cheese on top was a perfect match.
Still love this place.

17 Summer is located directly behind the Sorrento’s strip mall at the corner of Summer Street and Autumn Street in Lodi (residential area). It’s off the beaten path, unique in its own right, with fantastic culinary offerings.
Sexyman and I wanted to sample a handful of dishes, so we ordered everything as small plates. We loved that we went this route instead of committing to one appetizer and one entrée each (and no, we don’t have commitment issues!)
— Fried cauliflower spedini… this may have been my favorite. The capers added a welcomed salty bite.
— Shrimp in garlic sauce… tender and served with a great demi baguette.
— Summer salad… beets, fennel, citrus. Nice layers of flavors. Beets rule!
— Homemade focaccia… Canestrato cheese and my man’s favorite olives, castelvetrano. I love seeing him smile!
— Beef Cheek with cavadelli… Cheek? What? We hesitated ordering this but we were damn glad we did. We bonded at a deeper level over this amazing dish.
— Strozzapreti Geneovese (pasta)…the potatoes and string beans added such nice dimension and texture.
Cripes, that sounds like a lot of food.
Their menu changes every 5 weeks and you can bet your hiney we’ll be back to sample another round of amazingness.
Service was friendly and they paced everything perfectly. They even took our wine in the back to quickly chill it for us.
Cheers to small/​local businesses in Bergen County!

If you are looking for New American Cuisine, at a friendly place with friendly staff, 17 Summer can’t be beat. The menu is seasonal and changes every 6 weeks. ¾ of the menu can be ordered as a small plate which makes sharing easy as well as it makes it fun to try 3 – 4 small plates rather than ordering an an single Entrée or an Appetizer + Entrée. At 17 Summer, you can get 2 – 3 small plates for the price of the average Entrée.
A group of four could easily share 12 – 16 dishes. I had 4 small plates plus dessert. Fried Cauliflower, Octopus w/​Fingering Potatoes, Chicken Croquettes and Cavatelli pasta with braised beef cheeks. Dessert was a Blood Orange cake. I was prepared for some hits and misses but everything was great.
Chef Joe & his Sister Jenna do a great job welcoming everyone, and making every guest feel at home. They are delighted to talk about the food, the place, or even Lodi. My large one person meal [4 small plates + dessert], with Tip & Tax was $ 78.
How small are the the small plates? By NJ standards they are small, but they are not small when you consider NYC Fine Dining; they are NOT tiny. But if you are used to an over stuffed plate from the local diner or the all-​you-​can-​eat buffet you will certainly in for a change of pace.
17 Summer Restaurant is not what you would expect to find in working class Lodi NJ in hole in the wall location that has been everything from a Filipino Restaurant to a Ice Cream Parlor. They have done a great job in turning the space into a warm and welcoming restaurant.

A gem in your local town; that’s what 17 Summer is. Opened by two amazing siblings, Jenna and Joseph definitely puts their own unique personal touch in the restaurant and their delicious menu.
This restaurant is located on the corner of Summer street in Lodi, NJ. The cozy restaurant seats about 20 – 25 people, so reservations are suggested. It’s also BYOB so for those who are looking for an awesome BYOB place, this is it. My husband and I came here to celebrate his 30^th birthday and to see an old friend, chef Joseph Cuccia himself. We ordered a fresh bread dish, a small plate, and two entrees to share. EVERYTHING is home made and I can’t think of eating food any other way! Every dish that came out was pure ecstasy and the pops of flavor in each dish was beyond delicious.
I can’t remember the exact names of the items we ordered but I can guarantee everything on the menu is delicious. The Beef Cheek cavatelli is a MUST! The portions are offered half/​full without over-​exaggerating the ‘full’ portion. The beef melts in your mouth and the flavor a make it that much better. The pan roasted chicken came with perfectly seasoned potatoes and chard that was cooked to perfection. The skin on the chicken was full of flavor and crisp to perfection. The chicken wasn’t dry, which seems to be a difficult task for other restaurants when they pan roast chicken. For dessert, we opt for something more simple; the strawberry cheesecake. I don’t think I’ve EVER (no exaggeration) had cheesecake this good before. I guess you can compare the cheesecake to the authentic cheesecakes you can get only in NYC. The consistency of the cheesecake was SO good and the crust of the cheesecake was amazing. Many cheesecakes (if that’s what you’d wanna call it) I’ve had had never had this type of lightness and sweetness to it.
The restaurant itself is a small location with an open kitchen where you can see the chef in action. It’s great because you can see the cleanliness of the place. If you’re looking for a staff friendly, awesome food, BYOB restaurant, definitely come here to check it out. Who doesn’t like friendly people and fresh home made food?
I HIGHLY recommend this to anyone in the area. It’s worth the drive, worth the time, and definitely worth the money.

My husband and I ate at 17 Summer on a Friday night. First of all, I love the ambiance of this place. Good music playing, nice lighting, friendly service; they definitely put thought into all the details and these are all things that better the meal.
The sister and brother team really work together nicely. The sister greeting people at the door and the brother cooking. Our server was knowledgeable and extremely friendly.
For appetizers we had:
1. semolina with ricotta and mortadella
2. fried cauliflower with capers and garlic
3. frittata with cipollini onions
4. octopus with smoked paprika
All were great but the cauliflower could have used a bit more sauce. The frittata was stand out great and I loved the big pieces of onions. Melted in my mouth. The ricotta served with the semolina bread was outstanding — so fresh and great use of oil, salt and pepper to make it that much better.
For entrees we each had a pasta — I had the beef cheek with spaghetti and my husband had lasagnette with mushrooms, capers and red sauce. The pasta was homemade and both were AMAZING. My favorite dish of the night. I also appreciated that they offered it in two sizes.
For dessert I had the chocolate ganache tart and my husband had the blood orange olive oil cake. I felt like mine was on the dry side but I have a lot of respect for the chef that he makes all the desserts in house.
Overall, a great meal and we definitely plan to come back soon. It’s great to see two young people really working hard in the industry and trying to put some unique dishes out there in a place where a lot of people just settle for chicken parm.

This restaurant labeled «hot and new» on Unilocal and featured on Boozy Burbs and recent contenders for an investment on Restaurant Startup really impressed me this evening.
Jenna Cuccia who handles front of the house makes you feel at home and offers a feeling of being at a relative’s home vs. a restaurant. Her friendly smile and her willingness to please is a pleasant change for me.
Service was top notch! It is a small restaurant that seats around 30 people but you do not feel cramped. Plenty of room in-​between the tables, candles lit and your silverware changed with each serving. The interior is decorated nicely and offers a nice open feel.
Homemade focaccia with canestrato cheese and castelvetrano olives for $ 6 was the perfect way to start off our dinner along with our favorite wine 17 Summer is a BYOB establishment.
We also tried the Torta de Aceite flatbread which was also excellent and super fresh and warm for $ 5.00
As a small plate I tried the fried cauliflower spiedini which was also seasoned and cooked to perfection.
For the main course I had pan roasted chicken. The chicken was delicious. Crispy skin but not overly breaded or seasoned. It was my favorite for the night. It was served with candy cane beets.
My dessert was cheesecake that was made in house, light and fluffy with fresh blueberries on top with a dollop of fresh whipped cream along with a hot cup of decaf latte.
Some of my fellow diners had the skate wing (fish) and enjoyed their meal also. The only criticism was for the oxtail agnolotti. My friend felt there should be a piece of oxtail in the dish, not just the small amount inside the pasta with the cheese. She could not taste the oxtail at all.
This restaurant is very off the beaten path. Would love to see 17 Summer in a more pleasant location and a Main Street where they can get the attention they deserve.
I will definitely be back to try your new spring menu