New Restaurant a 'Game Changer' For Collingswood, Critic Says

COLLINGSWOOD, NJ — A South Jersey couple has not squandered its opportunity with a new American-style BYOB in Collingswood, according to a recent review of the restaurant posted online. Hearthside, which was labelled a "game changer" in a review on philly.com, opened at 801 Haddon Avenue in Collingswood earlier this year.

Dominic Piperno, 33 of Cherry Hill, and his wife, Lindsay, own the restaurant, and Piperno and Aaron Gottesman handle the cooking at the new establishment, which is more than just a steakhouse.

In fact, in his review for the restaurant on philly.com, Food Critic Craig LaBan calls the modern American BYOB the borough’s “next level star,” saying it is “sophisticated and seasonally inspired” and not Italian.
LaBan says Hearthside is already as complete as any Philadelphia BYOB, with a “graceful, outgoing and well-informed” service team.

It has received positive reviews from South Jersey residents who have posted about their experience on Yelp.

“We were lucky enough to get reservations to Hearthside on their second night and I must say that it was a fantastic experience. Phenomenal food and service. Stunning room. BYO of course,” wrote one Collingswood customer who gave the restaurant five stars. “We went with the carpaccio, the Brussel sprouts, the prawns, the bucattini, risotto and the scallops. While it seems like a lot of food, the plates were small and perfect. The highlight were the risotto, scallops and the carpaccio. Great apple fritter dessert too. I anticipate reservations will be harder to come by in the coming weeks, but I definitely plan on visiting again.”“Great addition to a mostly Italian offering in town,” another resident wrote. “Great date place. We shared 6 plates $90. All great. The octopus was in my top 5 octopus ever tasted and I've Travel Spain, Italy etc. other highlight was carrot cake. Pricey, but the quality and complex layers of flavors were well worth it. Kale salad , Carpaccio, prawns, fussili w/ sausage ( least favorite), octopus and carrot cake.”

“From the moment we walked in we were impressed. The decor is upscale and classy, yet you get a bit of a beachy vibe given all of the windows were open to let the fresh air in,” wrote one reviewer from Chicago, IL. “I had high expectations of the food after hearing positive reviews, and Chef Dom did not disappoint. We literally ate almost everything on the menu (we all shared), and it was all amazing. I'd highly recommend the carpaccio as one of your starters, any/all of the pasta dishes, the scallops, the chicken, and save room for carrot cake.”

Only one person gave the restaurant three stars and said it “wasn’t worth the experience,” writing, “The ambiance was nice. We had a small plate of beets that were not roasted enough. The scallops were delicious however there were only three of them. The grilled chicken was overdone and had a strange texture. The desserts were amazing. The carrot cake and the fritters were delectable.”

Piperno and Gottesman met while they were both chefs at Vernick Food and Drink in Philadelphia, according to phillymag.com.They met in the kitchen and became friends outside it, and Piperno said having someone in the kitchen that you can trust "means a better quality of life for both of us."

To keep up with news on the restaurant or to make reservations, visit hearthsidebyob.com. Reservations can also be made using the Reserve App.

Patch file photo