Unearth The Voyage
New Jersey has no shortage of Italian restaurants, but every once in a while, a place comes along that makes you stop and take notice. Tucked inside a hotel in Secaucus, there is a spot that has been quietly serving up old-style Italian fare with a buffet that keeps people coming back week after week.
The lunch buffet here has built a loyal following, and the wood-fired pizza is the kind that gets talked about long after the meal is over. This article takes a closer look at what makes this place worth a visit, from the atmosphere and the food to the event spaces and the weekday deals that are hard to beat.
Where to Find This Italian Buffet Gem
Not every great Italian restaurant announces itself with a flashy sign on a busy street corner. La Reggia sits inside the Meadowlands Plaza Hotel at 40 Wood Ave, Secaucus, NJ 07094, and that hotel setting is part of what makes it feel like a discovery rather than just another dinner stop.
Secaucus is a short drive from New York City, making it an accessible option for anyone looking to cross the river for a proper Italian meal without the Manhattan price tag.
The restaurant is open for lunch Monday through Friday from 12 to 3 PM, and on Saturdays from 3:30 to 11 PM. The weekday lunch window is when the buffet draws its biggest crowd, and for good reason.
The combination of a convenient location, reasonable hours, and a well-priced buffet makes La Reggia easy to work into a weekday routine or a weekend outing with family.
The Buffet That Started the Buzz
The weekday lunch buffet at La Reggia is the main reason this restaurant keeps coming up in conversations about the best Italian food in the area. It runs Monday through Friday during the lunch hours, and it covers the kind of spread that makes you want to pace yourself from the very beginning.
The buffet includes wood-fired pizzas, pasta dishes, salads, and rotating daily options that keep things from feeling repetitive for regulars who come back multiple times a week.
What stands out most is the value. For a restaurant with this level of presentation, formal decor, and food quality, the buffet pricing lands in a range that feels genuinely fair rather than a compromise on quality.
The food is replenished consistently throughout the service, so late arrivals are not stuck with the leftover scraps. That kind of attention to the buffet experience is what separates a good buffet from a great one.
Old-Style Italian Fare Done Right
La Reggia describes its menu as old-style Italian fare, and that description is accurate in the best possible way. The kitchen leans on traditional preparations rather than trendy reinventions, which gives the food a consistency that is hard to find in restaurants that chase every new culinary direction.
Handmade pasta is a standout feature of the menu. The ravioli and other fresh pasta options are made with care, and the difference between house-made pasta and the dried boxed variety is evident in every bite.
The pasta fagioli soup has developed its own reputation among regulars, and it is the kind of dish that makes a strong case for starting with a bowl before moving on to the main course.
Chef Enzo, who has been mentioned repeatedly in connection with the kitchen, brings a clear commitment to authentic preparation. The result is a menu that feels rooted in Italian culinary tradition rather than a Americanized version of it.
The Atmosphere Inside the Dining Room
The decor at La Reggia leans formal and classic, with an interior that reflects the old-world Italian aesthetic the restaurant is built around. White tablecloths, careful table settings, and decor details that nod to Italian tradition create a room that feels dressed up without being cold or unwelcoming.
The atmosphere is well suited to a range of occasions, from a casual weekday lunch to a more special dinner with family or a partner. The formality of the space does not translate into stuffiness, and the staff tends to make guests feel at ease rather than on edge.
Live music is part of the experience on certain evenings, which adds a layer of energy to the dining room that a recorded playlist simply cannot replicate.
The combination of classic decor, attentive service, and live entertainment creates a setting that feels like a genuine occasion rather than just a meal, which is part of why the restaurant has built such a consistent following in Secaucus.
Event Spaces That Go Beyond the Dining Room
La Reggia is not just a restaurant. In the back of the building, there are large event halls that have hosted weddings, quinceañeras, Sweet 16 parties, corporate events, and holiday gatherings over the years.
The King and Queen halls are the main event spaces, and they are designed to handle large groups without the space feeling chaotic or cramped. The decor carries the same elegant character as the main dining room, which makes the transition from ceremony to reception feel cohesive.
Nicole, the event coordinator at La Reggia, has been mentioned repeatedly as a key reason why events at this venue run smoothly. Her attention to detail and willingness to work through every logistical question has made her a trusted point of contact for families planning milestone celebrations.
The buffet-style dinner option for events is handled with the same food quality standards as the regular restaurant service, so guests at private events get the same Italian fare that draws people to the dining room on weekday afternoons.
A Wedding Venue With Real Credentials
Weddings at La Reggia have earned the venue a reputation that extends well beyond the restaurant side of the business. The ceremony space is designed to accommodate formal weddings, and the combination of natural light, floral details, and classic Italian decor creates a backdrop that photographs well and feels genuinely elegant.
Couples who have held their weddings here consistently point to the event coordination as a major factor in how smoothly the day unfolds. Having a dedicated coordinator who knows the space, the vendors, and the timeline makes a meaningful difference when the day-of pressure is at its highest.
The food served at wedding receptions here follows the same standards as the main restaurant menu, which means guests are not sitting through a generic catering spread.
For couples in the New Jersey and New York metro area looking for a venue that combines Italian hospitality with formal event infrastructure, La Reggia offers a package that is harder to find than it might seem.
The Weekday Lunch Deal Worth Knowing About
Weekday lunch at La Reggia operates on a set buffet format that runs Monday through Friday from noon to 3 PM. For anyone working or spending time in the Secaucus and Meadowlands area, this window represents one of the better lunch options within a reasonable driving distance.
The buffet covers multiple categories, including pizza, pasta, salad, and rotating daily additions. The price point falls in the moderate range, which for a formal Italian restaurant with this level of food quality represents genuine value rather than a discounted compromise.
The lunch crowd tends to include a mix of local workers, hotel guests, and regulars who have built the buffet into their weekly schedule. The dining room does not feel chaotic even when the room is full, which speaks to how the staff manages the floor during peak service.
Getting there early in the lunch window gives diners access to the freshest rotation of dishes, though the kitchen keeps up with replenishment throughout the service period.
Saturday Evenings Take a Different Turn
Saturday at La Reggia operates on a different schedule and a different energy than the weekday lunch routine. The restaurant opens at 3:30 PM on Saturdays and runs through 11 PM, making it the primary option for anyone who wants to visit on the weekend.
The Saturday evening service leans more toward the full dinner experience rather than the buffet format that defines the weekday crowd. The menu is available in its complete form, and the kitchen has more time to focus on individual orders rather than managing a high-volume buffet line.
Live music on certain Saturday evenings adds to the atmosphere, and the combination of a formal dining room, attentive service, and live entertainment makes for a dinner outing that feels more considered than a typical weekend restaurant visit.
Note that the restaurant is closed on Sundays, so Saturday is the only weekend option. Planning ahead and checking the current hours before visiting is always a smart move.
The Hotel Setting and What It Adds
Being located inside the Meadowlands Plaza Hotel gives La Reggia a few practical advantages that a standalone restaurant does not always have. Hotel guests have immediate access to one of the better Italian restaurants in the area without needing to get in a car, and visitors from out of town can combine a stay with a proper Italian meal in the same building.
The hotel setting also means the restaurant has the infrastructure to support large private events, including a suite that is available to event guests who need a space to prepare or decompress during a long evening of celebrations.
For travelers coming into the New York metro area who want to stay on the New Jersey side and still have access to quality dining, the combination of the Meadowlands Plaza Hotel and La Reggia offers a convenient package.
The location on Wood Ave in Secaucus also provides easy access from major highways, which makes reaching the restaurant straightforward whether coming from Manhattan, Newark, or points further out in New Jersey.
Planning Your Visit to La Reggia
A few practical details can make the difference between a smooth visit and a frustrating one at La Reggia. The restaurant is closed on Sundays, which is an important detail to keep in mind when planning a weekend outing.
Saturday is the only weekend option, and the evening service starts at 3:30 PM.
For weekday lunch, arriving closer to noon rather than at the end of the 3 PM window gives the best access to the full buffet rotation. The kitchen replenishes throughout service, but the early window tends to offer the widest variety.
Reservations are worth considering, especially for Saturday evenings and any private event bookings. The event spaces in particular require advance coordination, and Nicole and the events team at La Reggia are the right point of contact for anyone planning a larger gathering.
The restaurant website at lareggiaus.com has current menu and event information, and checking there before visiting ensures the most accurate picture of what is available on any given day.
