Restaurants all over New Jersey are embracing fall flavors with fresh dishes and drinks. Be sure to check out some of our favorites.
The Black Swan, Asbury Park
This authentic Irish pub, which made NJM’s list of the best restaurants in Asbury Park, is debuting a brand-new dinner special this fall. The Sunday Roast dinner is available to guests every Sunday at 4 pm. The plate includes roasted Brussels sprouts and radishes, baby Yukon potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and the star of the dish, prime rib. Chef James Avery has also added a beef stew to the menu.
601 Mattison Avenue, Asbury Park; 732-361-7159
Blu Grotto, Oceanport
Fall specials have hit the menu at this Italian spot—including burrata (served with roasted beets and pistachio), chicory butternut squash (with Asian pear, goat cheese and hazelnuts), garganelli tre funghi (made with organic mushrooms, speck and truffle crema), Faroe Islands salmon (plus pancetta Brussels sprouts and butternut squash purée). Drinks include Sweater Weather (red wine, apple liqueur, autumn spices, orange juice) and Copy Cat (Tom Cat Gin, rosemary, honey, lemon and Prosecco).
200 Port Au Peck Avenue, Oceanport; 732-571-7900
Bourré, Atlantic City
New cocktails include an Apple Cider Margarita (mezcal and cider), Dat Pumpkin Rum (dark rum and maple syrup) and Cold Brew Bourbon (Heyday cold brew, bourbon and heavy cream). Happy hour is from 4–7 pm daily, featuring $6 house wines and $1 off beers and Bourré signature cocktails.
201 S New York Avenue, Atlantic City; 609-246-6670
Corbo & Sons Osteria, Shrewsbury
The menu at this Italian eatery boasts a bevy of new flavors. Delicata squash is served with Jersey Girl ricotta and truffle honey, or atop pizza with Marcona almond and olive pesto. There’s also squash ravioli with pecorino and aged sherry vinegar, and grilled pork chop with fried Brussels sprouts, local apple, pickled mustard seeds and pork jus.
555 Shrewsbury Avenue, Shrewsbury; 732-704-3289
Fascino, Montclair
Chef Ryan DePersio’s flagship—one of NJM’s best restaurants of 2022—has introduced new dishes fit for fall. Agnolotti tossed in a sage brown butter comes with a purple surprise inside: Okinawa sweet potato. Also new for autumn: pan-seared scallops with squash purée; seared black bass with corn succotash; and local Jersey Girl burrata with arugula, candied delicata squash and pecan crumble.
331 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair; 973-233-0350
Gladstone Tavern, Gladstone
A complete menu turnover has arrived at Gladstone Tavern. A few new dishes: butternut squash bisque, mushroom flatbread (with bacon and truffle cheese), pumpkin ravioli, and the autumn salad (apples, cranberries, cheddar, toasted oats and cider vinaigrette). As for cocktails, the Fall Harvest (local cider, Tito’s), Ginger Snap (Maker’s Mark, pear nectar, lemon, ginger, honey and soda) and the Autumn Sangria are perfect seasonal sips.
273 Main Street, Gladstone; 908-234-9055
Halifax, Hoboken
Pastry chef Joshua Coleman is putting his own twists on fall favorites. Halifax’s staple apple fritters now come with a maple ganache, vanilla bean curd and apple caramel sauce. Other new offerings include a pumpkin Swiss roll (graham cake, pumpkin mousse, honeycomb candy), apple pie choux (apple mousse, apple filling, whipped cream) and turtle pie cheesecake (vanilla cheesecake, chocolate pecan crunch, caramel glaze, pecan brittle). The wine list includes dessert wines that pair well with each sweet treat.
225 River Street (W Hotel), Hoboken; 201-253-2500
Juniper Hill, Annandale
At the seasonally focused Juniper Hill, local ingredients from Two Barn Farm in Pittstown contribute to a pumpkin soup, a kabocha squash soup and a swordfish entrée. Also new: potato poutine (with beef Bolognese, cheese and green onion) and the Autumn Squall potion (white rum, aged rum, Aperol, pineapple, bitters and Laphroaig).
73 Beaver Avenue, Annandale; 908-335-8905
Kitchen Step, Jersey City
Chef de cuisine Ken Pinney’s new dishes include roasted delicata squash (with za’atar-spiced lentils, sweet potato purée and sunflower sesame crumble), black garlic mushroom tagliatelle (with mint, Thai basil and fried shallot) and pumpkin spice ice cream. Cider House Rulez is the newest seasonal elixir, made with bourbon, cider, lemon, cardamom and nutmeg. Others are on the way.
500 Jersey Avenue, Jersey City; 201-721-6115
Landmark Americana, Glassboro
Fall specials now available at this South Jersey hotspot include the Oktoberfest Bratwurst sandwich, which is made with beer-poached bratwurst, beer cheese, sauerkraut and Dijonnaise. Pair the sandwich with an Angry Balls cocktail—made with Angry Orchard cider and Fireball whiskey, topped with whipped cream and served in a glass rimmed with cinnamon sugar. Happy hour is every Monday–Friday from 3–6 pm.
1 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro; 856-863-6600
Nunzio, Collingswood
Dishes on chef Michael DeLone’s fall menu include sweet potato gnocchi with brown butter, walnuts, sage and ricotta; duck breast with roasted squash risotto and fried leeks; and marinated beets with poached apples, goat cheese mousse and pistachios.
706 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood; 856-858-9840
Pluckemin Inn, Bedminster
Since September, Pluckemin Inn—one of NJM’s best restaurants of 2022—has been offering a potato leek soup made with cabbage, pork bangers, Gruyère cheese and truffle, as well as Scottish salmon with celery root and smoked haddock chowder. More recent additions include East Coast oysters with jalapeño and seaweed, and yellowfin tuna poke with tom yum vinaigrette.
359 US-206, Bedminster; 908-658-9292
Saddle River Inn, Saddle River
New sides at Jamie Knott’s Saddle River Inn—one of NJM’s best restaurants of 2022—include apple cider Brussels sprouts, maple-roasted carrots and burrata with brown butter figs. For mains, consider the pork chop with roasted apples, Alaskan halibut with butternut squash, Barnegat scallops with sage brown butter, and lobster ravioli with delicata squash and brown butter crumb.
2 Barnstable Court, Saddle River; 201-825-4016
South + Pine, Morristown
Craving brunch? Dig into South + Pine’s new buttermilk pancakes with cinnamon swirl, roasted maple apple, whipped cream cheese and toasted pecans. A new starter features burrata with caramelized figs, hazelnut crumble and bacon jam. For a main, try halibut in a carrot-saffron broth, or miso-roasted delicata squash.
90 South Street, Morristown; 862-260-9700