Best Restaurants
Subscribe to this tagThe Whale's Tale
You have to get there pretty early to beat Fair Lawn’s Peter Panteleakis (a.k.a. Mr. Whale) to the best seafood at the Fulton Fish Market.
more
Our Favorite NJ Seafood Restaurants
Seafood is a given on virtually every restaurant menu, but some places pride themselves on providing a broad range of the very freshest catch. Here are some of our favorites, with a few words on what to expect. If none of these float your boat, there’s always sushi.
more
Daryl
Zod Arifai, wizard of Montclair’s Blu and Next Door, revives and reinvents a proud New Brunswick marquee.
more
2012 Jersey Choice: The Best of NJ—Food and Drink
We asked our readers to list their favorite places to eat and drink, and they responded. Read on to find out which places our readers feel are the best in the state.
more
2012 Jersey Choice: The Best of NJ
From world-class food purveyors to quality retailers to wonderful places to relax and play, New Jersey has it all. Here’s the best of the best, as chosen by our readers.
more
Miracle Cure
Letting air and nature do most of the work,
Salumeria Biellese in Hackensack produces acclaimed
sausages and hams just like in the Old Country.
more
Masters of "Mutz"
Fresh, hand-made mozzarella is a treasure, and Jersey does it best.
more
Pass the Pasta
Jersey is blessed with many compelling Italian restaurants. Here are 16 of our favorites.
more
Look Who's Behind the Counter
Chefs take to takeout—to branch out or to find an upside to the downturn.
more
28th Annual Readers' and Critics' Choice Poll
Our annual Readers' and Critics' Choice Restaurant Poll takes you all over the state to some of our favorite restaurants.
more
Black Eyed Susans Café
On LBI, a couple’s dream blooms along with their black-eyed Susans.
more
Code Red
A distinguished food writer visits Jersey’s most famous (and hard to get into) red-sauce restaurant, Chef Vola’s in Atlantic City—recently declared one of America’s Classics—and finds it ideal for people with small bodies and big appetites.
more
Top 25 Restaurants 2011
Long gone are the days when New Jersey, sandwiched between two imposing cities, could only look outward for its best food. Now the top restaurants in the state stand shoulder to shoulder with the finest in the region.
more
Maritime Parc
By the banks of the Hudson, Maritime Parc now makes Liberty State Park a
compelling culinary destination.
more
Ajihei
Alright, the atmosphere may be lacking, parties of more than five people are forbidden, the place is small, but as Robin Damstra & Jim Salant explain, Ajihei in Princeton is still worth a visit for its excellent sushi.
more
The British Chip Shop
Reviewer Adam Erace finds the fish and chips at the British Chip Shop in Haddonfield to be "even better than those I've had in England."
more
Fish
Dinner goes swimmingly at Fish, a bank building turned seafood entry in Asbury Park’s restaurant revival.
more
Beyond Pizza and Frozen Custard
If you've had enough of the typical Shore fare, and are looking for high-quality cuisine, we've got some tips that will point you to the right exit.
more
Boardwalk Empress
The owner of seven restaurants, four in Asbury Park,
Marilyn Schlossbach is a canny businesswoman with a passion for surfing—and helping the less fortunate.
more
Uncle Vinnie's Clam Bar
The namesake of Uncle Vinnie's Clam Bar in Raritan is long gone. But good fresh seafood, reports Sam Kadko, is very much what you do find at Uncle Vinnie's.
more
Light Horse Tavern
Revolutionary War hero Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee won big in Jersey City. Now the hip watering hole named for him does the same.
more
Great Dates
Love is in the air. Here’s where to get romantic in the Garden State.
more
Treno
It's not a barbecue, it's a wood burning pizza oven. But great pizza isn't the only thing available at Treno in Westmont, writes Adam Erace.
more
Belford Bistro
Stirring the pots harmoniously, a
husband-and-wife team gives Monmouth County diners a reason to cheer.
more
Best of New Jersey 2011
Here we go again, pounding our chests about the Garden State. We think Jersey offers the best of everything—and we know our readers agree. This year, more of you than ever voted in our poll to identify Jersey’s favorite places for eating, shopping, relaxation and recreation.
more
Lovin' Oven
Health-conscious American food is served at this cozy and relaxed restaurant in Frenchtown.
more
Maplewood Restaurant Week
Get ready for one of the better Restaurant Weeks in New Jersey—Maplewood Restaurant Week, March 21 to 27.
more
The Good Life For Less: Dine and Drink
Prix-fixe menus are your ticket to fine dining at a discount.
more
The Bernards Inn
The Bernard's Inn in Bernardsville is more than a century old, but its cuisine is fresh (and local), thanks to executive chef Corey Heyer.
more
Chakra
The arrival of acclaimed chef Thomas Ciszak revives the vibe and stokes the sizzle at an atmospheric boîte on busy Route 4 in Paramus.
more
Blue-Collar Burgers
Small, cheap, soft and oniony, the humble original
slider survives gloriously in New Jersey.
more
The Great Burger Showdown
Ten of the best (and biggest) burgers in New Jersey square off for bragging rights in our first cook-off.
more
Bar Cara
The DePersio family of Fascino fame (Montclair) team up again with Bar Cara in Bloomfield. The results, writes Stan Parish, are mixed.
more
Fortune Cookies
Despite its unpromising name, Fortune Cookies in Bridgewater is that exciting rarity, a place to sample authentic Chinese cuisine, in this case, Hunan, reports Pat Tanner.
more
Continental Cuisine—When the Continent Is Africa
Authentic African restaurants are popping up all over New Jersey. Find out where the closest ones to you are located.
more
Luke Palladino
Downsizing from the razzle-dazzle of Atlantic City, chef Luke Palladino opens an intimate BYO to showcase proper Italian food.
more
Plenty of New A.C. Dining Options
Checking the fresh fare, from comfort food to Brazilian carnivore.
more
Mélange@Haddonfield
Chef Joe Brown's mom, born in Tennessee, influenced his cooking, as did his several trips to New Orleans. Jill P. Capuzzo reviews the tasty results of that background, Brown's restaurant, Melange @ Haddonfield.
more
Fin
Adam Erace reviews Fin, the new top-of-the-line seafood restaurant in the Tropicana Casino and Hotel in Atlantic City.
more
Hat City Kitchen
While anchoring an arts district, this Orange eatery rejuvenates a fine chef and makes joyous music for mind and mouth.
more
Tewksbury Inn
Regulars at the Tewksbury Inn in Oldwick, Bergen County, call it the Tewks. Reviewer Sam Kadko calls it a place for "deftly-prepared food" with "spot-on service."
more
Trinity and the Pope
Pat Tanner reviews Trinity And The Pope in Asbury Park, a restaurant where the trinity of Creole cooking (onions, celery, and bell peppers) plays a strong supporting role. The Pope? That's garlic, according to chef/owner Marilyn Schlossbach.
more
Boulevard Five72
At Boulevard Five72 in Kenilworth, chef/owner Scott Snyder’s simple approach yields complex results.
more
Ho-Ho-Kus Inn and Tavern
The Ho-Ho-Kus Inn and Tavern has gone through many iterations. The latest—featuring a New American-oriented cuisine served in an elegantly restored mansion—beckons diners from all over.
more
Bareli's
Bareli's is like a Secaucus power table at lunchtime, reports Warren M. Bobrow in his review. At dinner, the venerable Italian restaurant turns romantic. The food is good any time
more
Anjelica's
It’s quiet down the Shore now, but not at Anjelica’s, where the year-rounders know the Italian food is always worth turning out for.
more
The Lennon-McCartney of Cookbook Authors?
That’s what Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton—creators of the Canal House Cooking volumes—have been called. Here’s why.
more
Ready for NJ Restaurant Week?
It's coming, Sept 19-25. For a complete list of discounts and participating restaurants (about 170 so far) visit Dineoutnj.com. Several restaurants on NJM's list of Top 25 in the state are participating, namely...
moreWhite Heron Grill
What's behind the name change of Dr. John Sprandio's ambitious restaurant in Stone Harbor? Adam Erace tells all.
more
Sophie's Bistro
This casual, French restaurant in Somerset offers some winning entrees and delicious salads.
more
Peacock Inn
A multimillion dollar renovation brings an
eighteenth-century Princeton mansion irresistibly into the present, with food and drink to match.
more
Elements Cafe
This American tapas restaurant in Haddon Heights offers a calm and simple ambience and friendly and accommodating service.
more
2010 Readers' and Critics' Restaurant Poll
The results of our 27th Annual Readers’ Choice Restaurant Poll were tabulated by PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Florham Park.
more
The Huggable Middleman
Mikey Azzara’s Zone 7 connects chefs hungry for fresh, local produce with small farmers who couldn’t otherwise get it to them.
more
Grissini
Don’t let the luxury cars out front intimidate you. Think of Tony Del Gatto’s Grissini as a little bit of the Italian Riviera perched in Englewood Cliffs.
more
A Workshop for the 'Foodpreneur'
Online instruction helps wannabes get their fledgling food brands off the ground.
more
Shelf Life
Food entrepreneurs travel a long, hard road from garnering
compliments to having their products in stores.
more
Gourmet A Go-Go
Upscale food trucks are beginning to branch out from Hoboken and Jersey City to the suburbs and even farm country. The food is delicious and the prices are a steal.
more
Apart Together
Highly compatible in business (if no longer in marriage), Chris and Sharon Egan spread happiness to patrons
of their popular Irish pubs.
more
25 Best Restaurants 2010
For the best Jersey chefs, fresh, local, sustainable, and farm-to-table are not just buzzwords but delicious keys to creativity, style, and value.
more
From Hell's Kitchen to His Own Kitchen
Tony Del Gatto’s life is as flavorful as the tomato sauce he still makes at age 72.
more
Dream Cuisine Cafe
Dream Cuisine Cafe, a Provencal-influenced French restaurant in Cherry Hill, stands up to its competing big boy restaurateurs.
more
A.C. Revamps Its Dining Options
Plenty of new choices, from soul food to Kobe burgers.
more
Seabra's Marisqueira
In the Ironbound section of Newark, an ebullient, down-to-earth crowd rolls up its sleeves for heaps of the freshest fare of the sea, Portuguese style.
more
El Sitio Grill and Cafe
The owners of El Sitio Grill and Cafe bring the South American taste of Quito, Ecuador to Collingswood.
more
A Toute Heure
This Bistro-French, New American restaurant, set in a restored 1930s house in Cranford, aims to share everything they love about local, seasonal food.
more
The Real Shore: 2010 Summer Beach Guide
Don’t get snookered by reality TV. The Jersey Shore is all about family fun, endless recreation and entertainment choices, and sophisticated nightlife.
more
The Washington Inn
Cape May’s Washington Inn—32 years in its present incarnation, in a manor house dating to 1840—knows how to please generations of regulars while letting no culinary cobwebs form.
more
Single Down the Shore
The scene is smart and sophisticated. Snooki and the Situation need not apply.
more
A Seaside Gem Sparkles Again
After years of decline, Long Branch has reclaimed its place as a top Jersey Shore destination—but not without controversy.
more
Thomas' Ristorante
This subdued Italian restaurant on Main Street in Moorestown offers traditional meals with a plentiful array of seafood options.
more
Alice's
David Drake comes to Lake Hopatcong, and serves up sophisticated comfort fare at a waterfront restaurant.
more
Day Trip: Margate
Home to Lucy the Elephant—and more.
more
Ninety Acres
Years in the planning, the Natirar resort puts a fine first foot forward—a farm-to-table restaurant where the pleasures are simple yet sophisticated.
more
Terra Nova
This Pacific Northwest-style farmhouse restaurant, where wine is a raison d'etre, offers up New American cuisine.
more
Dennis Foy Restaurant
Dennis Foy—a New Jersey culinary legend—has opened up a New American-style restaurant in Lawrenceville.
more
Uproot
The appellation Uproot may not be fully felicitous, but the food, atmosphere, and service are.
more
Panico's
Can eating at a particular establishment in New Brunswick be considered a gamble? One of our dining critics certainly thinks so.
more
Vine
Vine, a eclectic-menu establishment with a spacious and upscale ambience in Basking Ridge, offers a refreshing Southern Mediterranean option for jaded foodies.
more
So Long, "Stringent" Process
Looking back with Ruth Cousineau, test-kitchen director for the late, lamented Gourmet.
more
Eno Terra
After earning his stripes with restaurant royalty, chef Chris Albrecht triumphs at home.
more
Bona Vita Osteria
This traditional Italian restaurant, which occupies a handsome storefront in downtown Summit, is run by culinary veterans.
more
Oceanos
Oceanos, a Greek-accented seafood restaurant in Fair Lawn with a luxury yacht-esque ambience, aims for loftier standards.
more
Why Cupid Has Chopsticks in His Quiver
The Chinese Year of the Tiger (4707, not Woods) begins on
Valentine’s Day. Here’s a guide to dumplings and other festive fare. (Photos by Brian Yarvin)
more
The Original
A century ago, after crossing the Atlantic, pizza crossed the Hudson and established itself in Trenton as the tomato pie—and you can still get the real deal.
more
Searching For The Soul of Jersey Pizza
This month, we attempted to answer a question that has befuddled philosophers for centuries—does pizza have a soul? Laura Schenone believes it might.
more
Celebrity Pizza Picks
New Jersey-based celebrities dish about they favorite pizza joints around the state.
more
25 Perfect Pizzas
We asked for your suggestions, then we started to eat—and eat. We logged more than a thousand miles, and concluded
that these are the pies to pine for.
more
Speak Quickly, And Carry a Big Spoon
Whether cooking at her Hoboken restaurants (or at the White House), hunting edible lizards in Peru or hairy chayotes in Weehawken, Maricel Presilla is an ebullient culinary force.
more
Big Wing Wah
Can a Chinese and Japanese restaurant in Hillsborough, whose name translates to "big success," make a splash on the dining scene?
more
Day Trip: Edgewater
A shopping and cultural center along the Hudson.
more
Cookbook as Cliffhanger
Restaurant Nicholas’s handsome tome is for kitchens as well as coffee tables.
more
Doc's
Builder Don Luisi bids to make his hometown of Sparta synonymous with superb steaks and seafood.
more
2010 Best Of Poll
It’s your turn! For the first time ever, New Jersey Monthly readers will determine the BEST OF NEW JERSEY.
more
2009 Readers' and Critics' Restaurant Poll
The results of our 26th Annual Readers’ Choice Restaurant Poll.
more
The 25 Best Restaurants 2008
Looking for a great restaurant? Check out our critics' top restaurant picks. With fine dining ever finer, our critics and dining editor tackle the difficult task of choosing the 25 best restaurants in NJ.
more
Readers' and Critics' Choice - Restaurant Poll Winners 2008
Our critics do a lot of eating, and every August we look back and share the best of the best with you. And you do the same by voting in our Annual Readers' Choice Restaurant Poll. Discover which restaurants we honored and which are your favorites.
more
Readers' and Critic's Picks 2006
These are the readers' and critics' picks for best restaurants of 2006.
more
