Santino’s Pizza and Restaurant is named for the late patriarch of the Bottoni clan. Santino Bottoni, who passed away in March of 2009, was a man who knew food.

He worked as a butcher in his native Italy in the farm town of Ripi, located 90 minutes south of Rome. Bottoni’s portrait and a mural of Ripi hang in Santino’s Pizza and Restaurant.

Above his portrait, in Italian, is Bottoni’s advice for anyone who wanted to live 97 years like he did: enjoy a glass of wine every day. In many ways, the character of Santino’s restaurant is like Bottoni’s wine: authentic, Italian and homemade [although our restaurant is BYO].

Santino’s restaurant is owned by Giacomo Bottoni, who is Santino’s son, and Joe Bonfanti, Santino’s grandson through marriage to granddaughter Carla. Together, they run the restaurant, a split between a pizzeria with counter service and a sit-down restaurant with room for 80 diners.

Our restaurant is located in Bottoni Plaza in Robbinsville, owned by Giacomo, and many of his tenants are family.

The restaurant opened in September 2009.

Joe Bonfanti had attracted a small following from his previous post at Vito’s Pizza in Cherry Hill, where Joe worked for 30 years.

Part of the draw at Santino’s is our take on traditional Italian dishes. For example, Eggplant Giana is classic eggplant parmigiana, but in vodka sauce.

One of the more radical - and popular - dishes also involves eggplant. Eggplant Stacked is an appetizer of fried eggplant, stacked up and topped with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella. And for the centerpiece, we get a steak knife and stab it in the middle.

But Santino’s also plays to tradition. Rigatoni Ripi, named for the hometown of the restaurant’s namesake, is rigatoni in red sauce with pork sausage and meatballs.

Santino’s prides itself on its meatballs. Many customers come in claiming that the restaurant’s meatballs can never hope to match their mother’s meatballs, but quickly convert upon trying them. Santino’s also serves meatballs as an appetizer with a side of romaine salad.

Part of that just-like-mom-made-it taste comes from Carla’s mother, Michelina Bottoni, contributing to the dishes. Capellini Michela, which is capellini pasta with tuna, zuchini and anchovies, is a Mama Bottoni original.

The family connections don’t stop there. The seven paninis on the counter menu are named after Giacomo Bottoni’s grandchildren, Giana, Julianna, Matteo, Giacomo, Sophia, Gabriella and Santino.

Santino’s serves everything in big portions.

As for the pizza? Santino’s couples the best ingredients with her husband’s 30 years of pizzeria experience. We only use the best products -- we don’t skimp on products.

We are right at home at 1240 Route 130 South in Robbinsville. We've called this town home for over 20 years and we want to share Santino Bottoni’s legacy with the town.

Diners are welcome to bring their own wine.

Regular Hours: 
• Monday - Saturday 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
• Sunday 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.