New Restaurant Brings Authentic Italian Food to Downtown Freehold

L’Acqua Ristorante may be new to the Freehold area, but serving up authentic Italian lunches and dinners seven days a week is nothing new for chef/owner/event planner, Francesco Ippoliti and his co-owner/cousins. 

Relocating from Italy 10 years ago, Ippoliti and his cousins decided to go into business with one another.

“We worked together for a long time so we decided it was time to go into business together,” recalls Ippoliti.    

Located in a house-looking structure across from and the , L’Acqua opened last August and boasts a two level dining facility, wide wrap-around porch, and a trendy and cozy atmosphere. 

In Italian, L’Acqua means water so to keep with the name the restaurant has its own wall fountain and is painted the color of a Caribbean ocean. Cosmopolitan microscope art pieces add to the trendy feel while customers dine on delicious food. 

The restaurant is the first one for Ippoliti and his family but their passion and skills for the food industry has allowed the new restaurant to have great success while only in their first few months of operation. 

L’Acqua is a BYOB and has daily dinner specials featuring different fresh fish dishes. One of the most popular dinner items is the stuffed scallops with crab meat served over lobster risotto. Ippoliti assists in the kitchen with his cousins and co-owners Mario and Anna and is also an event planner for the venue which holds many banquets and events. 

L’Acqua is open from 11:30 a.m. till 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday. On Friday’s the restaurant opens at 11:30 a.m. and closes at 11:00 p.m. Saturday’s L’Acqua operates between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., while on Sunday they are open from 1:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.