Danielle Lynch 
“I’m gonna marry that girl one day,” Buddy said to the bartender at Hoboken Pizzeria looking at Sharon, his now wife. That was on September 15th, 1995. The rest — is history. Buddy (Angelo) Yandoli, acquired the old Hoboken Pizzeria from a friend. He told him, “I know you can do it. I don’t want any money. Just give me $300 a month and it’s yours. I just know you can do it.”
They opened the day after Thanksgiving on November 28th, 1997 as Augustino’s, and just like that, Hoboken history was made.
Augustino’s was named after Buddy’s father, August John Yandoli, who went by Augie Delano back in the day. He sang in The Hoboken Four, an Italian-American musical quartet in the ‘30s.
The restaurant business runs in the family, as Augie and Buddy both owned restaurants before Augustino’s — like The Lamppost, a well-known place in the ‘70s, and Augie’s Place, which is now known as Court Street.
^Augustino’s owners Buddy and Sharon
Once Augie left The Hoboken Four, Frank Sinatra took his place (casual…!). And if you look along the dark wooden walls of the restaurant, you will see the many photos of Augie with Sinatra and The Hoboken Four.
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Buddy took us down memory lane through the photos on the walls; each one with a special meaning.
^ The famed photo wall!
Photos of Hoboken {many moons ago}, of his dad, family, and bandmates, and even some of the many celebrities who have made appearances at this Hoboken landmark. “Everything has come full circle here for us. We met here, fell in love here, and opened up Augustino’s. This is our 22nd year.” Sharon explained with a twinkle in her eye.
^ The lovely ladies of Augustino’s!
“Everyone who works here is family. Fran has been here for 17 years, Danielle for 16, Denise for 15, Christine, my sister, for 12, and Ashley, my niece. Lenny, Denise, and Alyssa are our bartenders,” Sharon told us.
Augustino’s is one of the most highly coveted restaurants in the area when it is open. With only eight tables and eight spots at the bar, reservations are damn near impossible to get, unless you have some insider information + tips — which is where we come in.
If you know the menu at Augustino’s, you know that it is stacked with lots of Italian food — and so good, in fact, that there is a select group of people who have standing reservations every single night.
To start, the stuffed artichoke is loaded and enough to share with the table. But don’t stop there. The Carozza {an Italian grilled cheese with a side of marinara sauce} is out of this world and so is the Clams Casino.
A must to order: the Sunday sauce — meatballs, braciola, spare ribs, + sausage drenched in Augustino’s homemade sauce with a bowl of rigatoni.
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The pork chops are another popular dish, braised and drenched in vinegar and hot peppers. All of the desserts come from Giorgio’s Bakery on 11th and Washington, except for the icebox, which is made in-house.
You’re almost always better off ordering a bunch of things to share, that way, you can try it all. The portion sizes are huge and very filling. Also, don’t order individual glasses of wine. Go for the bottle; it’s worth it.
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^ Former general manager of the NJ Devils, Lou Lamoriello, gifted Augustino’s this customized jersey
Having dinner at Augustino’s in Hoboken is definitely a rite of passage and one that should not be taken lightly. FYI: Augustino’s is cash only, so if you do show up without any dough, there’s an M+T Bank on 10th and Washington.
Give them a call at 201-420-0104 for a reservation, and don’t be discouraged if there’s a wait — it’s part of the charm.
