Opening
District Taco, Wayne
This fast-casual taco chain will celebrate the grand opening of its first New Jersey location on Friday, May 17. The first 30 guests on Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be eligible to receive free food. District Taco got its start in 2009 as a taco truck in the streets of Rosslyn, Virginia. There are now more than 15 eateries across Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The menu consists of customizable tacos, burritos, bowls, salads and quesadillas, plus classic sides like chips and guac.
1295 Hamburg Turnpike
Spring House, Tenafly
Located in a 230-year-old historic house—the oldest in Tenafly!—is a new and elegant restaurant, bar and social club. Spring House opens at 4 pm Tuesday through Sunday, where patrons can enjoy innovative libations in its various cocktail bars or dinner in the main dining room. Dishes such as steak frites, branzino and lasagna Bolognese make up the menu.
91 West Clinton Avenue
Tasca, Montclair
Montclair’s dining scene will welcome a new Iberian restaurant with “reimagined Portuguese and Spanish cuisine” this weekend. Tasca, which refers to a small eatery in Portugal and Spain, serves a rotating three-course prix-fixe menu in addition to a la carte desserts, cheese boards, sangrias and other beverages. Expect dishes like smoked whitefish pate, dunk confit and vegan meatballs. One of the founders, executive chef Robert Santello, has prior experience at NJM faves Heirloom Kitchen in Old Bridge and Heirloom at the St. Laurent in Asbury Park.
377 Bloomfield Avenue
The Brewed Awakening Cafe, Pitman
This new downtown coffee shop boasts late-night hours on Fridays and Saturdays, when it’s open 7 am-11 pm. (Monday through Thursday it’s open 7 am-7 pm; Sunday it’s open 8 am-5 pm.) All-day offerings include coffees, teas and espresso beverages with a variety of flavored syrups, plus bagels and baked goods.
44 South Broadway
Ludlam Island Brewery, Woodbine
This popular Cape May County brewery/taproom is reopening in a new spot: a renovated bowling alley! Opening Friday, May 17, it will offer a larger space for enjoying craft beer—both indoors and outdoors. A new food menu is available, as are local spirits and non-alcoholic beverages. Other perks include daily tours and tastings, plus regular live music.
2051 Dennisville-Petersburg R0ad
The Pier House, Cape May
La Mer Beachfront Resort’s onsite restaurant recently reopened. The Pier House is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and each menu features plenty of fresh seafood options—from blue-crab eggs Benedict to fried calamari to miso-marinated salmon. From June through August, there will be BBQ weekends on the resort’s lawn. Reservations recommended.
1317 Beach Avenue
Closing
Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, Hoboken
New Jersey’s only Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, a popular fast-casual chain, recently shut its doors. The Hoboken location opened in February 2023 on Washington Street, where it served unique dumpling flavors, from Korean BBQ to mac and cheese to smashed brownie. There are other locations in New York and Pennsylvania, as well as North Carolina, Texas and Canada.
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