behind the biz
If you grew up with a family in the restaurant business, you are familiar with the tight-knit bonds that form in the throes of such a challenging industry. These relationships are often what make the rambunctious dinner rushes and tight financial margins worthwhile. For the Barge Inn, located at 324 3rd Street in Jersey City, the Cheers-like atmosphere and traditional Italian decor are the key to its charm. Read on to learn more about Barge Inn’s 56 years (and counting) of business as the oldest Italian restaurant in Jersey City.
Family Ties
Barge Inn’s roots trace back to 1969, when the current owner, Linda Paldino’s father, John Marto, set up shop on the corner of Third Street and Monmouth Street. Linda recalled her fond childhood memories in the restaurant, watching as a 12-year-old girl while the iconic murals featuring Italian landscapes were being painted by Anna Cucci, the wife of former Jersey City Mayor Anthony Cucci. Because of its old school Italian character, the restaurant functioned as the filming location for Lily of the Feast, a short film starring Goodfellas’ Paul Sorvino. Linda now owns the building and oversees the restaurant alongside her husband, Peter “Bitsy” Paldino. Linda’s brother, Richie, runs the adjacent Barge Inn Saloon at 410 Monmouth Street.
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The family aura of the restaurant extends beyond the bounds of blood relatives as well, with many staff members staying with the company for more than 10 years. Debbie Ann Farley, who waits, bartends, and serves as Linda’s right-hand woman, has been with the business for 15 years. Long-time customer and close friend of Linda, Angela Chopra, described the restaurant as a “gem” which she has been coming to since she moved from the United Kingdom to her apartment across the street 16 years ago. Angela described her first time timidly entering the restaurant and meeting Linda, which was the genesis of their friendship. “I live two miles away now, but I have only ever lived a couple miles away. It is my staple. We have so many stories, I call her my best friend. I have traveled all over the world but this is the place to be. It’s safe here.”, Angela said of the restaurant.
Linda reflected on employees come and gone, even though many stay at the restaurant for a lifetime. Her husband Bitsy, who is now retired from the kitchen, was by far the longest-running and most influential cook in the restaurant’s history. Aside from Bitsy, Linda expressed gratitude for her experience working with a classically trained chef from Johnson + Wales University, Chopped: Julia Child’s Kitchen contestant Andrew Wagner. “He was one of the best chefs I have ever had”, Linda said of his time at Barge Inn.
Longevity in The Restaurant Industry
Aside from the people, Barge Inn has preserved other elements of tradition in the last half-century. Patron-selected music is one concept, starting with a jukebox, which was then updated to a model stocked with CDs, and is now the modern version in TouchTunes. Another tradition popular among customers old and new is the complimentary limoncello.
Most importantly, the menu of authentic Italian cuisine has gone mostly unchanged, incorporating family recipes in dishes like the Pork Chops Bitsy and the Homemade Italian Cheesecake, based on Bitsy’s mother’s recipe.
An obstacle for other small businesses that Barge Inn has been able to overcome is rising food costs. Linda credits the Inn’s decades-long relationships with suppliers for helping despite the fact that the costs of food, particularly chicken and eggs, have not eased since the Pandemic-era price surges. Linda expressed the importance of supporting local restaurants in the face of challenges, citing the recent closure of nearby Hudson Hound, saying, “It’s sad, I like having restaurants around, I want it to be lively. I don’t want a ghost town, I like people.”
The Menu
Favorites of regulars like Angela include Shrimp Scampi and Chicken Milanese. For Bitsy, who is credited with designing the majority of the menu, his favorite is “Everything.” The restaurant’s signature takes on classic dishes include the Franchese-Style Artichoke Hearts, which HG was lucky enough to try, and Chicken a la Barge, which features prosciutto and mushrooms. Vegetarians are also in luck with many meat-free dishes, including ravioli served with a decadent vodka sauce.
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When it comes to the classics, it does not get any more authentic than the Chicken Parmagiana with the breaded cutlet delicious enough to stand on its own, elevated by an exemplary ratio of mozzarella and sauce.
