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)