LaScala's Fire Plans Three New Jersey Restaurants
The Italian restaurant chain intends to open new locations in Freehold, Bridgewater, and Princeton.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Italian Food
LaScala's Fire has announced plans for three new restaurants in Freehold, Bridgewater, and Princeton, New Jersey. The company already operates three New Jersey locations in Marlton, Glassboro, and at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City.
Why it matters
The expansion would extend the Italian chain's presence across more New Jersey communities, adding dining options in Monmouth, Somerset, and Mercer county areas. The company's family-based origin story is a central part of its brand identity.
The chain currently operates three New Jersey restaurants, and its three planned sites would bring the state total to six. No opening timeline or construction details were disclosed for the Freehold, Bridgewater, or Princeton locations.
The players
LaScala's Fire
An Italian restaurant chain with several locations in Pennsylvania and three in New Jersey, founded on the culinary traditions of its owner's family.
Rob LaScala
The owner of LaScala's Fire, who credits his family's century-old connection to Italian food for the restaurant's inspiration.
The details
LaScala's Fire's menu includes ricotta and burrata boards, meatballs, and arancini as starters, along with paninis, salads, pizza, pasta, and entrées of eggplant, chicken, veal, and seafood. The brand draws inspiration from owner Rob LaScala's family, whose grandparents immigrated from Calabria, Italy, to Philadelphia in 1920.
Timeline
1920: Francesco and Tommasina Rocchino immigrate to Philadelphia from Calabria, Italy.
Culture Shift
LaScala's Fire's growth traces a path from the Rocchino family's South Philadelphia deli and grocery, which sold fresh pastas and sandwiches, to a modern restaurant chain. The expansion reflects how multigenerational Italian-American food businesses have adapted from neighborhood storefronts to regional dining brands.
New Jersey diners in Freehold, Bridgewater, and Princeton may gain a local LaScala's Fire option once the restaurants open. Residents in Marlton, Glassboro, and Atlantic City already have access to the chain's existing locations.
The takeaway
Family food traditions can scale into regional restaurant brands while keeping their original recipes and identity at the center. Diners interested in the chain's menu can compare its starters and entrées at existing New Jersey locations before new openings.
Further reading
Explore more Italian Food coverage for context on regional Italian dining trends.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NJ.
