The name Sunday Sauce is a direct nod to the long-simmered, meat-heavy tomato sauce at the heart of East Coast Italian-American family meals. This whole restaurant is built around that specific feeling of comfort and nostalgia, drawing from co-owner Amanda Winquist’s upbringing in Hoboken, New Jersey. Her family recipes, translated for the restaurant, form the foundation of the menu.
The food is exactly what you’d expect from a classic red-sauce joint. The titular Sunday Sauce – a rich pork and short rib ragu – is served over rigatoni. You’ll find definitive versions of chicken parm, cheesy garlic bread, and fried mozzarella sticks, called Fried Mutz here. The eggplant parm is a standout, blending the classic dish with a caponata relish for a slightly different take.
Alongside the food, the cocktail list is just as central to the experience. It’s a playful tribute to 1990s drinking culture, with creations like a Sour Cream & Onion Martini, a Peach and Oregano Cosmo, and a Dirty Shirley. The dining room itself is warm and comfortable, but it’s also lively and can get a touch loud, much like an actual family gathering.
The most important thing to know is that Sunday Sauce is walk-in only, and waits can be significant, sometimes up to two hours on a busy night. The setup encourages sharing, with most tables ordering a few appetizers and mains to pass around. To complete the family-run feel, Amanda Winquist is almost always on the floor, greeting people and managing the room herself. For dessert, look for the Banana Pudding Tiramisu.
Sunday Sauce