Poll Results: Readers Choose Their Favorite NJ Restaurants of 2023

The winners of New Jersey Monthly's 40th annual Jersey Choice Restaurant Poll.

Skewers of shrimp and veggies at MudHen Brewing Company in Wildwood
MudHen's menu extends beyond typical bar eats. Photo: Courtesy of MudHen Brewing Company

The results of our 40th annual Jersey Choice Restaurant Poll are in. They showcase New Jersey Monthly readers’ picks for their favorite dining spots, by category, in New Jersey.

Balloting took place online in February. The winning restaurants in each category received the most votes in their region—North (Ⓝ), Central (Ⓒ) or South (Ⓢ) Jersey. Ballots from duplicate email or IP addresses were disqualified. Editorial discretion was used when votes were cast for restaurants that, in our judgment, belonged in another category.

We have also added our critics’ picks () for the top restaurants in the various poll categories.

Qualified entrants were eligible to win our random drawing for a dinner for two. A special congratulations to Seth H. from Middlesex County, who won dinner for two at Lobster House in Cape May, which was voted by readers as the Best of the Best in South Jersey.

So get out there and start eating!

[RELATEDThe 30 Best Restaurants in New Jersey of 2023]

Best of the Best

Ⓝ Lorena’s · Maplewood
Stage Left Steak · New Brunswick
Ⓢ Lobster House · Cape May

August 2023 cover of New Jersey Monthly

Buy our August 2023 issue here. Cover photo: Christopher Lane

Best New Restaurant

Ⓝ Azure · Morristown
Ⓒ Cousins Maine Lobster · Asbury Park
Ⓢ Boatyard 401 · Point Pleasant Beach

American | New American

1776 by David Burke · Morristown
Ⓒ Stage Left Steak · New Brunswick
Ⓢ Charlie’s of Bay Head · Bay Head
B2 Bistro · multiple locations
Common Lot · Millburn
Hearthside · Collingswood
Nicholas Barrel & Roost · Red Bank
Papillon 25 · South Orange

Asian Fusion

Ⓝ Ani Ramen · multiple locations
Ⓒ Taka · Asbury Park
Ⓢ Xina · Toms River
Bloom · Verona
Teak · Red Bank

Bagels

Ⓝ Ⓒ Hot Bagels Abroad · multiple locations
Ⓢ Baron’s Bagels · Point Pleasant
Bagels by Jarrett · West Orange
The Bagel Spot · Cherry Hill
Livingston Bagel · Livingston

Bakery

Ⓝ Calandra’s · multiple locations
Ⓒ Del Ponte’s · Bradley Beach
Ⓢ Mueller’s · Bay Head
The Artist Baker · Morristown
Balthazar · Englewood
Plum (gluten-free) · Montclair

Bang for the Buck

Ⓝ Cucina Calandra’s · Fairfield
Ⓒ Jose Tejas · multiple locations; Old Man Rafferty’s · New Brunswick (tie)
Ⓢ Surf Taco Coastal Cuisine · multiple locations
Cafe Giotto · Montclair
Committed Pig · Manasquan, Morristown, Summit

Bar Scene

Ⓝ Calandra’s Italian Village · Caldwell
Ⓒ Catherine Lombardi · New Brunswick
Ⓢ Martell’s Tiki Bar · Point Pleasant
Fitzgerald’s · Glen Ridge
Gladstone Tavern · Gladstone
Bradford Rooftop · Bridgewater
Ninety Acres · Peapack-Gladstone

Barbecue

Ⓝ Mighty Quinn’s · multiple locations
Ⓒ Big Ed’s · Matawan
Ⓢ Hickory Hog · Point Pleasant
Back Bay · Somers Point
Henri’s Hotts · Folsom
Local Smoke · Neptune City

Beer Selection

Ⓝ Cloverleaf Tavern · Caldwell
Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten · Asbury Park
Ⓢ Crab’s Claw Inn · Lavallette
Shannon Rose Irish Pub · multiple locations
Stage Left Steak · New Brunswick

Breakfast

Ⓝ Ⓒ Ⓢ Turning Point · multiple locations
The Corner · Montclair
Buttered Biscuit · Bradley Beach
Mad Batter · Cape May

Brew pub

Ⓝ Trap Rock · Berkeley Heights
Ⓒ Harvest Moon · New Brunswick
MudHen · Wildwood
Biravino · Red Bank
Long Valley Pub · Long Valley
Triumph · multiple locations

Brunch

Ⓝ Ⓒ Ⓢ Turning Point · multiple locations
Common Lot · Millburn
Village Hall · South Orange

Burger

Ⓝ Arthur’s Tavern · Morris Plains
Ⓒ Stage Left Steak · New Brunswick
Ⓢ Shake Shack · multiple locations
ChopHouse · Gibbsboro
Exit Zero · Cape May
Good Dog Bar · Atlantic City
South + Pine · Morristown

Caterer

Ⓝ Calandra’s Market & Deli · Caldwell
Ⓒ Ⓢ Joe Leone’s · multiple locations
Laurence Craig · Maplewood

Chain restaurant

Ⓝ Ⓒ Ⓢ Cheesesteak Factory · multiple locations
Bonefish Grill · multiple locations
Capital Craft · Green Brook
Shake Shack · multiple locations

Cheese steak

Ⓝ Cloverleaf Tavern · Caldwell
Ⓒ Hoagie Haven · Princeton
Ⓢ White House Subs · Atlantic City
Midway Steak House · Seaside Heights

Chinese

Ⓝ Hunan Taste · multiple locations
Ⓒ Peking Pavilion · Manalapan
Ⓢ Xina · Toms River
Jiang Nan · Montclair
Little Szechuan · Little Silver

Coffee | Tea Bar (non-chain)

Ⓝ Bluestone · Montclair
Ⓒ Booskerdoo · multiple locations
Rook · multiple locations
Beanery · Point Pleasant Beach
Java Love · Montclair
Small World · Princeton

Deli (Italian-Style)

Calandra’s Market & Deli · Caldwell
Ⓒ Ⓢ Joe Leone’s · multiple locations
D’Angelo Italian Market · Princeton
Millburn Deli · Millburn
Nicolo’s · Montclair
Taliercio’s · Red Bank

Deli (Kosher-Style)

Eppes Essen · Livingston
Ⓒ Harold’s New York · Edison
Ⓢ Kibitz Room · Cherry Hill
Pickled Herring · Marlboro
Micki & Al’s Noshery · Montclair

Desserts

Calandra’s Bakery · Caldwell
Ⓒ Catherine Lombardi · New Brunswick
Ⓢ La Scala Italian Pastry · Toms River
Bovella’s · Westfield
How Delish · West Orange

Diner

Prestige · New Providence
Ⓒ Skylark · Edison
Ⓢ Rainbow · Brick
Summit · Summit
Tops · East Newark

French

Ⓝ Chez Catherine · Westfield
Ⓒ Pascal & Sabine · Asbury Park
Ⓢ 410 Bank Street · Cape May
Bistro d’Azur · South Orange
Lorena’s · Maplewood

German | Austro-Hungarian

Ⓝ Black Forest Inn · Stanhope
Ⓒ Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten · Asbury Park
Ⓢ Sebastian’s Schnitzelhaus · Wrightstown
Pilsener Haus · Hoboken

Greek

Ⓝ Ambeli · Cranford
Ⓒ Kyma · Somerville
Ⓢ George’s Place · Cape May
12 Islands · Stirling
Stamna · Bloomfield

Hot Dog

Ⓝ Rutt’s Hut · Clifton
Ⓒ Destination Dogs · New Brunswick
Ⓢ Hot Dog Tommy’s · Cape May
Jersey Johnny’s Grill · Woodland Park

Ice Cream

Ⓝ APEM · Bloomfield
Ⓒ Ⓢ Hoffman’s · multiple locations
Bent Spoon · Princeton
Holsten’s · Bloomfield
Nicholas Creamery · Atlantic Highlands

Indian

Ⓝ Brick Lane Curry House · Montclair
Ⓒ Aarzu · Freehold
Ⓢ Aamantran · Toms River
Akbar · Edison
Mehndi · Morristown
Moghul · Edison

Italian

Ⓝ Cucina Calandra · Fairfield
Ⓒ Catherine Lombardi · New Brunswick
Ⓢ Capone’s · Toms River
ITA 101 · Medford
Luca’s · Somerset

Japanese

Ⓝ Ani Ramen · multiple locations
Ⓒ Taka · Asbury Park
Ⓢ Xina · Toms River
Aki · Bloomfield
Ichiban · Oakhurst
Umai Sushi · Verona

Latin American | Caribbean

Ⓝ Cuban Pete’s · Montclair
Ⓒ Clementine’s · Avon-By-the-Sea
Ⓢ 410 Bank Street · Cape May
Barrio Costero · Asbury Park
Jaimito’s Peruvian · Clifton
La Isla · Hoboken

Lunch

Ⓝ Calandra’s Il Vecchio Café · Caldwell
Ⓒ Old Man Rafferty’s · New Brunswick
Ⓢ Blue Pig Tavern · Cape May
Lambertville Station Inn · Lambertville
Raymond’s · Montclair, Ridgewood
South + Pine · Morristown

Mexican

ⓃⒸ Jose Tejas · multiple locations
Ⓢ Spicy’s Taco & Tequila Bar · Point Pleasant Beach
Barrio Costero · Asbury Park
Casa Maya · Gillette
Julio’s on Main · Vineland

Middle Eastern | Turkish

Ⓝ Chutzpah Kitchen · multiple locations
Ⓒ Reyla · Asbury Park
Ⓢ Beladina · Toms River
Beyond Pita · Montclair
Bosphorus · Lake Hiawatha
Lemon · Freehold

Pizza

Ⓝ Cucina Calandra · Fairfield
Ⓒ Tino’s Artisan Pizza · multiple locations
Ⓢ Marucas · Seaside Heights
Brooklyn · Haddon Heights
Razza · Jersey City
Santillo’s · Elizabeth
Star Tavern · Orange

Romantic

Ⓝ Bistro D’Azur · South Orange
Ⓒ Catherine Lombardi · New Brunswick
Ⓢ Charlie’s of Bay · Head Bay Head
Café Matisse · Rutherford
Rat’s Restaurant · Hamilton
Washington Inn · Cape May

Seafood

Ⓝ Oceanos · Fair Lawn
Ⓒ Blue Point Grill · Princeton
Ⓢ Lobster House · Cape May
Harvey Cedars Shellfish Company · Harvey Cedars
Oceanos · Fair Lawn
Quahogs · Stone Harbor
Shrimp Box · Point Pleasant

Soup | Salad | Sandwich

 Il Vecchio Café · Caldwell
Ⓒ Frank’s Deli & Restaurant · Asbury Park
Ⓢ Toast · multiple locations
Millburn Deli · Millburn
Frank’s Deli & Restaurant · Asbury Park
&Grain · Garwood

Southeast Asian | Thai

Ⓝ A Taste of Asia · Chatham
Ⓒ Origin French Thai · multiple locations
Ⓢ A Little Thai Kitchen · Cherry Hill
Bamboo Leaf · Bradley Beach
SLA Thai · Montclair

Southern | Soul Food

Ⓝ Marcus B&P · Newark
Ⓒ Delta’s · New Brunswick
Ⓢ Corinne’s Place · Camden
Drew’s Bayshore Bistro · Keyport
Kelsey’s · Atlantic City
Vonda’s Kitchen · Newark

Spanish | Portuguese

Ⓝ Don Pepe · Newark
Ⓒ Mar Belo · Long Branch
Ⓢ Spanish Potato Grill · Brick
O Pipo · Newark
Vila Verde · Wayne
Samba · Montclair

Steak

Ⓝ Roots · multiple locations
Ⓒ Stage Left Steak · New Brunswick
Ⓢ Old Homestead · Atlantic City
Prime & Beyond · Fort Lee
The Pub · Pennsauken
Rails · Towaco

Vegetarian | Vegan

Ⓝ Veggie Heaven · multiple locations
Ⓒ Good Karma Café · Red Bank
Ⓢ Bella Vida Garden Café · West Cape May; Jardin · Cape May; La Lus Vegan Cafe Beverly (tie)
Mesob Ethiopian · Montclair
Veganized · New Brunswick

Wine List

Ⓝ Calandra’s Mediterranean Grill · Fairfield; Spuntino Wine Bar · Clifton (tie)
Ⓒ Nicholas Barrel & Roost · Red Bank
Ⓢ Washington Inn · Cape May
Pluckemin Inn · Bedminster
Restaurant Latour · Hamburg
Stage Left Steak · New Brunswick


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