The results of our 34th Annual Jersey Choice Restaurant Poll are in. Balloting took place online throughout the month of February. The winning restaurant in each region (north, central and south) received the most votes in its category (there were some ties). Ballots from duplicate e-mail 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 (★). All qualified ballots were eligible to win our random drawing.
Best of the Best
Fascino Montclair
Restaurant Nicholas Red Bank
410 Bank Street Cape May
Best New Restaurant
Common Lot Millburn
Barrio Costero Asbury Park
Charlie’s of Bay Head Bay Head
American | New American
Ariane Kitchen & Bar Verona
Stage Left New Brunswick
Blue Pig Tavern Cape May Poached Pear Bistro
Point Pleasant Beach (TIE)
★ Brick Farm Tavern, Hopewell
★ Fromagerie, Rumson
★ The Kitchen Step, Jersey City
★ Peacock Inn, Princeton
★ South and Pine, Morristown
★ Terrace Lounge at the Manor,
West Orange
Asian Fusion
Ani Ramen House Montclair
Teak Red Bank
Buddakan Atlantic City
★ Koreander, Montclair
★ Wabi Sabi, Bloomfield
Bakery
Calandra’s Multiple locations
Confections of a Rock$tar
Asbury Park
Mueller’s Bay Head
★ Able Baker, Maplewood
★ Balthazar, Englewood
★ Flaky Tart, Atlantic Highlands
★ Gina’s, Montclair
★ McMillan’s, Westmont
★ Palazzone 1960, Wayne
Bang for the Buck
Cucina Calandra Fairfield
Old Man Rafferty’s
New Brunswick, Hillsborough
Surf Taco Multiple locations
★ Farm and Fisherman, Cherry Hill
★ Kitchen 519, Glendora
Bar Scene
Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen (Vail Bar) Morristown
Watermark Asbury Park
Martell’s Tiki Bar
Point Pleasant Beach
★ Charlie’s of Bay Head, Bay Head
★ The Crosby, Montclair
★ SM23, Morristown
Barbecue
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que Newark
Jersey Shore BBQ Belmar,
East Brunswick
Local Smoke BBQ
Multiple locations
★ Bluff City BBQ, Montclair
★ Finks BBQ Smokehouse, Dumont
★ Hickory Hog, Point Pleasant
★ Kimchi Smoke, Montclair, Westmont
★ Pulled Fork, Long Valley
Beer Selection
Cloverleaf Tavern Caldwell
Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten Asbury Park
Crab’s Claw Inn Lavallette
★ Irish Mile, Haddon Township
★ Mohawk House, Sparta
★ Old Bay, New Brunswick
★ Social 37, Toms River
★ Taphouse 15, Jefferson
Breakfast
Toast Multiple locations
Turning Point
Multiple locations
Uncle Will’s Pancake House Beach Haven
★ The Corner, Montclair
★ George’s Place, Cape May
★ Lovin’ Oven, Frenchtown
★ Mariner’s Cove, Brielle
★ Plum on Park, Montclair
★ Zoe’s, Atlantic Highlands
Brew pub
Trap Rock Berkeley Heights
Triumph Princeton
Artisan’s Toms River
★ Gaslight, South Orange
★ Iron Hill, Maple Shade, Voorhees
★ Krogh’s, Sparta