Readers' and Critic's Picks 2006

These are the readers' and critics' picks for best restaurants of 2006.

Posted August 1, 2006

BEST OF THE BEST

Fascino (north)
331 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair
973-233-0350

Restaurant Nicholas (central)
160 Rt 35 S, Middletown
732-345-9977

410 Bank Street (south)
410 Bank St, Cape May
609-884-2127

Ryland Inn (critic’s pick)
Rt 22 W, Whitehouse
908-534-4011

    AMERICAN

The Park Steakhouse (north)
151 Kinderkamack Rd, Park Ridge
201-930-1300

Stage Left (central)
5 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick
732-828-4444

Union Park (south)
727 Beach Ave, Cape May
609-884-8811

Restaurant Nicholas (critic’s pick)
160 Rt 35 S, Middletown
732-345-9977

    BURGER

Cheeburger Cheeburger (north)
251 North Ave W, Westfield
908-389-1100

Stage Left (central)
5 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick
732-828-4444

Pilot House (south)
142 Decatur St, Cape May
609-884-3449

Grand Colonial (critic’s pick)
86 Rt 173 W, Perryville
908-735-7889

    LIGHT FARE

Cosi (north—tie)
471 W Mt Pleasant Ave, Livingston
973-994-2225

Park & Orchard (north—tie)
240 Hackensack St, East Rutherford
201-939-9292

Soho 33 (north—tie)
33 Main St, Madison
973-822-2600

Sallee Tee’s Grille (central—tie)
33 West St, Monmouth Beach
732-870-8999

Turning Point (central—tie)
496 Prospect Ave, Little Silver
732-224-8718

Green Cuisine (south)
302 96th St, Stone Harbor
609-368-1616

Ixora (critic’s pick)
407 Rt 22 E, Whitehouse Station
908-534-6656

    DELI

Picnic Caterers (north)
180 Kinderkamack Rd, Emerson
201-262-5505

Harold’s New York Deli (central)
3050 Woodbridge Ave, Edison
732-661-9100

Christopher’s Deli & Catering (south)
516 High St, Mount Holly
609-265-0400

Wegmans (critic’s pick)
724 Rt 202 S, Bridgewater
908-243-8600

    BARBECUE

Indigo Smoke (north)
381 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair
973-744-3440

Big Ed’s Barbecue (central)
305 Rt 34, Old Bridge
732-583-2626

Famous Dave’s (south)
950 Cedar Bridge Ave,
Brick Township
732-262-7485

Brasilia (critic’s pick)
99 Monroe St, Newark
973-465-1227

    BEST NEW RESTAURANT

Restaurant David Drake (north)
1449 Irving St, Rahway
732-388-6677

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant (central)
3 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick
732-296-9463

High Street Grill (south)
64 High Street, Mount Holly
609-265-9199

Lorena’s (critic’s pick)
168 Maplewood Ave, Maplewood
973-763-4460

    FORMAL DINING

The Manor (north)
111 Prospect Ave, West Orange
973-731-2360

Restaurant Nicholas (central)
160 Rt 35 S, Middletown
732-345-9977

The Washington Inn (south)
801 Washington St, Cape May
609-884-5697

The Ryland Inn (critic’s pick)
111 Rt 22 W, Whitehouse
908-534-4011

    WINE LIST

Park & Orchard (north)
240 Hackensack St, East Rutherford
201-939-9292

Stage Left (central)
5 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick
732-828-4444

The Washington Inn (south)
801 Washington St, Cape May
609-884-5697

Restaurant Latour (critic’s pick)
Crystal Springs Country Club,
1 Wild Turkey Way, Hardyston
973-827-0548

    DATE SPOT

Highlawn Pavilion (north)
Eagle Rock Reservation, West Orange
973-731-3463

Stage Left (central)
5 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick
732-828-4444

Catelli (south)
Plaza 1000, Main St, Voorhees
856-751-6069

Lorena’s (critic’s pick)
168 Maplewood Ave, Maplewood
973-763-4460

    FAMILY DINING

Raymond’s (north)
28 Church St, Montclair
973-744-9263

Sallee Tee’s Grille (central)
33 West St, Monmouth Beach
732-870-8999

The Blue Pig Tavern (south)
251 Beach Dr (Congress Hall), Cape May
609-884-8421

Limestone Café (critic’s pick)
84 Main St, Peapack
908-234-1475

    BUSINESS DINING

The Park Steakhouse (north)
151 Kinderkamack Rd, Park Ridge
201-930-1300

Stage Left (central)
5 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick
732-828-4444

Catelli (south)
Plaza 1000, Main St, Voorhees
856-751-6069

The Dining Room (critic’s pick)
41 JFK Parkway, Short Hills
973-374-0100 x7937

    RAW BAR

Copeland Restaurant (north)
2 Whippany Rd, Morristown
973-451-2619

Sallee Tee’s Grille (central)
33 West St, Monmouth Beach
732-870-8999

Lobster House (south)
906 Schellenger’s Landing Rd, Cape May
609-884-8296

South City Grill (critic’s pick)
70 Pavonia Ave, Jersey City
201-610-9225

    BRUNCH

Hilton-Short Hills (north)
41 JFK Parkway, Short Hills
973-379-0100

The Molly Pitcher Inn (central)
88 Riverside Ave, Red Bank
732-747-2500

The Mad Batter (south)
19 Jackson St, Cape May
609-884-5970

Rat’s Restaurant (critic’s pick)
16 Fairgrounds Rd (Grounds for Sculpture), Hamilton
609-584-7800

    LUNCH

Raymond’s (north)
28 Church St, Montclair
973-744-9263

Frog and the Peach (central)
29 Dennis St, New Brunswick
732-846-3216

Robin’s Nest (south)
2 Washington St, Mount Holly
609-261-6149

Pierre’s Restaurant and Wine Bar (critic’s pick)
995 Mount Kemble Ave (Rt 202), Harding
973-425-1212

    CARIBBEAN

Cuban Pete’s (north)
428 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair
973-746-1100

Nova Terra (central)
78 Albany St, New Brunswick
732-296-1600

410 Bank Street (south)
410 Bank St, Cape May
609-884-2127

La Isla (critic’s pick)
104 Washington St, Hoboken
201-659-8197

    CHINESE

Chengdu 46 (north)
1105 Rt 46, Clifton
973-777-8855

Crown Palace (central)
1285 Rt 35, Middletown
732-615-9888

Cape Orient (south)
315 Ocean St, Cape May
609-898-0088

China 46 Restaurant (critic’s pick)
88 Rt 46 W, Ridgefield
201-313-0088

    FRENCH

Epernay (north)
6 Park St, Montclair
973-783-0447

David Burke Fromagerie (central)
26 Ridge Rd, Rumson
732-842-8088

410 Bank Street (south)
410 Bank St, Cape May
609-884-2127

The Ryland Inn (critic’s pick—French haute)
111 Rt 22 W, Whitehouse
908-534-4011

The Chef’s Table (critic’s pick—French bistro)
754 Franklin Ave, Franklin Lakes
201-891-6644

    INDIAN

Raagini (north)
1085 Highway 22 E, Mountainside
908-789-9777

Moghul (central)
1655-195 Oak Tree Rd, Edison
732-549-5050

Karma (south)
2015 Rt 541, Westampton
609-914-0800

Passage to India (critic’s pick)
Lawrence Shopping Center, 2495 Rt 1, Lawrenceville
609-637-0800

    ITALIAN

Fascino (north)
331 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair
973-233-0350

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant (central)
3 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick
732-296-9463

Sapori Trattoria (south)
601 Haddon Ave, Collingswood
856-858-2288

Scalini Fedeli (critic’s pick)
63 Main St, Chatham
973-701-9200

    JAPANESE

Nikko (north)
881 Rt 10 E, Whippany
973-428-0787

Wasabi Asian Plates and Sushi Bar (central)
12 W Main St, Somerville
908-203-8881

Sagami (south)
37 W Crescent Blvd, Collingswood
856-854-9773

Wild Ginger (critic’s pick)
6 E Palisades Ave, Englewood
201-567-2660

    SEAFOOD

Esty Street (north)
86 Spring Valley Rd, Park Ridge
201-307-1515

Opah Grille (central)
12 Lackawanna Ave, Gladstone
908-781-1888

410 Bank Street (south)
410 Bank St, Cape May
609-884-2127

Opah Grille (critic’s pick)
12 Lackawanna Ave, Gladstone
908-781-1888

    SOUTHEAST ASIAN/THAI

Thai Chef (north)
664 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair
973-783-4994

Origin (central)
25 Division St, Somerville
908-685-1344

Labrador Lounge (south)
3581 Rt 35 N, Normandy Beach
732-830-5770

Origin (critic’s pick)
25 Division St, Somerville
908-685-1344

    SOUTH AMERICAN/MEXICAN

Señorita’s (north)
285 Glenwood Ave, Bloomfield
973-743-0099

José Tejas (central)
700 Rt 1 N, Iselin
732-283-3883

Gecko’s (south)
31 Perry St (Carpenter Square Mall), Cape May
609-898-7750

Casa Maya (critic’s pick)
615 Meyersville Rd, Meyersville
908-580-0799

    SPANISH/PORTUGUESE

Iberia (Tavern and Peninsula) Restaurants (north)
82-89 Ferry St, 63-69
Ferry St, Newark
973-344-7603/973-344-5611

Bistro Ole (central—tie)
230 Main St, Asbury Park
732-897-0048

Portuguese Manor (central—tie)
310-312 Elm St, Perth Amboy
732-826-2233

Ria Mar Restaurant
and Bar (central—tie)
25 Whitehead Ave, South River
732-257-1100

Spain 92 (central—tie)
120 Thompson St, Raritan
908-704-9292

Europa South (south)
521 Arnold Ave, Point Pleasant Beach
732-295-1500

Tapas de España (critic’s pick)
7909 Bergenline Ave, North Bergen
201-453-1690

    STEAK

The Park Steakhouse (north)
151 Kinderkamack Rd, Park Ridge
201-930-1300

Stage Left (central)
5 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick
732-828-4444

410 Bank Street (south)
410 Bank St, Cape May
609-884-2127

River Palm Terrace (critic’s pick)
1416 River Rd, Edgewater
201-224-2013

    PIZZA

Star Tavern and Pizzeria (north)
400 High St, Orange
973-675-3336

Pete and Elda’s (central)
96 Woodland Ave (Rt 35 S), Neptune
732-774-6010

Louie’s Pizza (south)
711 Beach Dr, Cape May
609-884-0305

Grimaldi’s (critic’s pick)
133 Clinton St, Hoboken
201-792-0800

    VEGETARIAN

Veggie Heaven (north)
473 Cedar Lane, Teaneck
201-836-0887

Down to Earth (central)
7 Broad St, Red Bank
732-747-4542

High Street Grill (south—tie)
64 High Street, Mount Holly
609-265-9199

Labrador Lounge (south—tie)
3581 Rt 35 N, Normandy Beach
732-830-5770

Down to Earth (critic’s pick)
7 Broad St, Red Bank
732-747-4542

    TAKEOUT

Picnic Caterers (north)
180 Kinderkamack Rd, Emerson
201-262-5505

Sallee Tee’s Grille (central)
33 West St, Monmouth Beach
732-870-8999

Depot Market Café (south)
409 Elmira St, Cape May
609-884-8030

    INEXPENSIVE

La Isla Restaurant (north)
104 Washington St, Hoboken
201-659-8197

Sallee Tee’s Grille (central)
33 West St, Monmouth Beach
732-870-8999

Louisa’s Café (south)
104 Jackson St, Cape May
609-884-5882

La Isla Restaurant (critic’s pick)
104 Washington St, Hoboken
201-659-8197

    HOW FAR HAVE YOU DRIVEN FOR A GOOD MEAL?

Average miles:
70 (readers’ poll)

Average minutes:
95 (readers’ poll)

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