The Italian Haven on Main Street

, the hip Italian cafe and market of Hightstown, is now booming with locals.

Chef Peter Adamo and his wife, Valeria, visited Italy in the summer of 2010. They were inspired by the overall customer service and authentic cuisine of the country and decided to bring Italian food to life by opening their own restaurant locally. 

“I always wanted to do something like this,” Peter Adamo said. “Going to Italy brought the idea back to me. I wanted to bring [that] culinary tradition here."

"We found this spot, and that was it, " he added. 

The owners are committed to giving customers a taste of the Italian experience.

The European emphasis on food has been in Adamo's blood since childhood -- his father is Sicilian. Adamo also attended the Culinary Education Center of Monmouth County to follow his passion for cooking. He was given permission to do an externship in France where he worked at a French restaurant. 

In addition to his love for the culinary arts, Adamo has a healthy thirst for music.  Initially, he went to college to become a recording engineer.

“I'm a hands-on person,” confessed Adamo. “I used to play music and I used to be a carpenter. I need to always be doing something with my hands. I can be creative here, though. If my hands are busy, my mind is occupied.”

When he has the time, he still jams on his guitar and bass, and shares his love of live music with Molto Bene guests every Friday night. 

“We have a lot of musicians come our way. It's a nice set up,” said Adamo. From 6 to 9 p.m., neighbors gather at the cafe to listen to jazz medleys and original artists.  The chef likes this romantic touch, as it reminds him of his Italian adventures.

Soon enough, Adamo plans on revealing the “Spring Menu,” which will be made up of lighter meals with fresh vegetables.

Adamo said he will never stop serving soups. Order a bowl of soup in the winter, and you can be sure to indulge in a creamy broth. But for the warmer days ahead, Adamo will be offering something with a lighter broth.

Eighty percent of the products in the restaurant are imported from Italy and are also for sale in the market side of the restaurant.  

“We keep it simple,” Adamo said. “We don't use too many ingredients. Everything is fresh. We try to use the the full flavor of the natural ingredients instead of adding a ton of spices."

"That's the difference between us and other places," he noted. 

Adamo emphasized that his food has “a twist” to it. He pointed to the polenta fries on the menu and said, “These aren't your normal fries.”

The reason, he explained, is because they are served with fresh mozzarella cream and a French rouille sauce.  

 Adamo's wife (and co-owner) Valeria Adamo handles front of the house operations. Originally from Ecuador, she has a slight cultural influence on the place as well.  The 'Pollo in Umido' item on the dinner menu was her idea.

The search for a quick shot of espresso may have been hard to find prior to Molto Bene's arrival; and now, for $1.65, they serve Illy espresso, a medium Italian roast that is hard to find yet well-known for its rich taste.

Now that Molto Bene is serving dinner, it is a B.Y.O.B.  Soon, with the arrival of spring, the Adamos will be providing outdoor seating to their customers. 

Too tied down to hop on a plane to Italy? Molto Bene seems to be the next best thing -- and within walking distance from everything in downtown Hightstown, there's no reason not to stop in.

“I'm happy here. And I always want to do more. From starting from scratch, and not having a following, I'm proud to say people know us. And like us,” said Adamo.