Sometimes, with restaurants, I build up expectations that are almost impossible to meet. I have been burned too many times. The chances of this happening are generally slim, but increase tenfold when a spot is recommended to me over and over again. When I found myself driving an hour and a half to Collingswood’s Zeppoli, I kept asking myself, “Will this really be worth it?” 

In hindsight, this was a ludicrous question. Still, as I drove through visibly-impairing rainfall on a dreary Jersey Turnpike night, I couldn’t help but wonder if this tiny BYO would truly live up to the hype. If you have dined at Zeppoli— just a stone’s throw from bustling Philadelphia— I probably don’t need to tell you that not only did the experience meet my expectations, but it shattered them. It left me asking myself: “Is Philly’s best Italian restaurant in New Jersey?”