The results of our 39th annual Jersey Choice Restaurant Poll, presented by New Brunswick Performing Arts Center, 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.
There are plenty of restaurants to try (or visit again) on the list, so we hope you’re hungry!
[RELATED: The 30 Best Restaurants in New Jersey of 2022]
Best of the Best
Ⓝ Lorena’s · Maplewood
Ⓒ Nicholas Barrel & Roost · Red Bank
Ⓢ 410 Bank Street · Cape May
★ Bodegon · Cliffside Park
★ Fiorentini · Rutherford
★ Santorini · Wildwood
★ Tara Kitchen · Wildwood
★ Versi Vino · Maple Shade
Best New Restaurant
Ⓝ 1776 by David Burke · Morristown
Ⓒ Black Swan Public House · Asbury Park
Ⓢ Santorini · Wildwood
Buy our August 2022 issue here. Cover photo by Laura Moss
American | New American
Ⓝ James on Main · Hackettstown
Ⓒ Nicholas Barrel & Roost · Red Bank
ⒸⓈ B2 Bistro + Bar · Bayville, North Brunswick, Point Pleasant Beach, Red Bank, Toms River
★ Café Panache · Ramsey
★ Common Lot · Millburn
★ The Farm & Fisherman · Cherry Hill
★ Mama Dag’s Seafood & Pizza House · West Orange
★ South + Pine · Morristown
★ Wanda BYOB · Haddonfield
Asian Fusion
ⓃⒸ Ani Ramen House · Multiple locations
Ⓒ Taka · Asbury Park
Ⓢ Xina · Toms River
★ Grace Bistro · Marlton
Bagels
Ⓝ Hot Bagels Abroad · Bloomfield, Clifton, Montclair, South Orange
Ⓒ Bagel Masters · Shrewsbury
Ⓢ Baron’s Bagels · Point Pleasant
★ Bagelati · Cinnaminson, Voorhees
★ Bagels by Jarrett · West Orange
★ Hot Bagels Abroad · Various locations
★ Sonny’s · South Orange
Bakery
Ⓝ Calandra’s Bakery · Caldwell, Fairfield, Newark
Ⓒ The Gingered Peach · Lawrence Township
Ⓢ Mueller’s Bakery · Bay Head
★ Able Baker · Maplewood
★ Artist Baker · Morristown
★ Boaggio’s Bread · Mount Laurel
★ Cocoluxe · Peapack
★ Liv Breads · Englewood, Millburn, Short Hills
★ Palazzone 1960 · Wayne
★ Plum (GF) · Montclair
Bang for the Buck
Ⓝ Cucina Calandra · Fairfield
Ⓒ Cattani Catering & Kitchen · Ewing
ⒸⓈ Surf Taco · Multiple locations
★ Miga Sushi · Denville
★ Popolari · Bloomfield
★ Sagami · Collingswood
Bar Scene
Ⓝ Calandra’s Italian Village · Caldwell
Ⓒ Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten · Asbury Park
Ⓢ Charlie’s of Bay Head · Bay Head
★ Fitzgerald’s · Glen Ridge
★ Giumarello’s · Haddon Township
★ Verona Inn · Verona
Barbecue
Ⓝ Mighty Quinn’s BBQ · Clifton
Ⓒ Big Ed’s BBQ · Old Bridge
ⒸⓈ Local Smoke BBQ · Cookstown, Highlands, Neptune City, Red Bank, Sea Girt
★ Fat Jack’s · Turnersville
★ Obalton (Korean) · Fort Lee
★ Red, White & Cue · Green Brook
★ Ruthie’s · Montclair
Beer Selection
Ⓝ Cloverleaf Tavern · Caldwell
Ⓒ Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten · Asbury Park
Ⓢ Crab’s Claw Inn · Lavallette
★ Blu Alehouse · Weehawken, Woodbridge
★ Erlton Social · Cherry Hill
Breakfast
ⓃⒸⓈ Turning Point · Multiple locations
Ⓒ Buttered Biscuit Café · Bradley Beach
Ⓢ Mad Batter · Cape May
★ Amy’s Omelette House · Cherry Hill
★ The Corner · Montclair
★ Edison Automat · Edison
Brew Pub
Ⓝ Long Valley Pub & Brewery · Long Valley
Ⓒ Triumph Brewing Company · Princeton, Red Bank
Ⓢ MudHen Brewing Company · Wildwood
★ Iron Hill Brewery · Maple Shade
Brunch
Ⓝ Anthony’s Cheesecake · Bloomfield
ⓃⒸⓈ Turning Point · Multiple locations
Ⓢ Mad Batter · Cape May
★ The Cubby Hole · Moorestown
Burger
Ⓝ Arthur’s Tavern · Morris Plains
Ⓒ Stage Left Steak · New Brunswick
Ⓢ The Ark Pub & Eatery · Point Pleasant Beach
★ The Fare Porter · Haddonfield
★ LT Bar & Grill · Hackensack
Caterer
Ⓝ Calandra’s Italian Market & Deli · Caldwell
Ⓒ Cattani Catering & Kitchen · Ewing
ⒸⓈ Joe Leone’s Italian Specialties · Manasquan, Point Pleasant Beach, Sea Girt
★ Cathy’s Catering · Moorestown
Chain Restaurant
Bonefish Grill
Cheesecake Factory
Jersey Mike’s Subs
Cheese Steak
Ⓝ Cloverleaf Tavern · Caldwell
Ⓒ Hoagie Haven · Princeton
Ⓢ White House Subs · Atlantic City
★ Cockadoodle Dan’s · Palmyra
Chinese
Ⓝ Hunan Taste · Denville, Montclair
Ⓒ Kuo Social · Robbinsville
Ⓢ Xina · Toms River
★ Hunan Taste · Denville, Montclair
★ Han Dynasty · Cherry Hill
Coffee | Tea Bar
Ⓝ The Coffee Potter · Long Valley
Ⓒ Booskerdoo Coffee Co · Asbury Park, Fair Haven, Holmdel, Monmouth Beach, Red Bank
Ⓢ The Beanery · Point Pleasant Beach
★ The Station · Merchantville
★ New Leaf Tearoom · Riverton
Deli (Italian-Style)
Ⓝ Calandra’s Italian Market & Deli · Caldwell
Ⓒ Taliercio’s Ultimate Gourmet Deli · Red Bank
ⒸⓈ Joe Leone’s Italian Specialties · Manasquan, Point Pleasant Beach, Sea Girt
★ Croce · Cherry Hill
★ Nicolo’s · Montclair
Deli (Kosher-Style)
Ⓝ Eppes Essen Deli & Restaurant · Livingston
Ⓒ Harold’s New York Deli Restaurant · Edison
Ⓢ Irv & Karen’s Hot Pastrami · Brick
★ The Borscht Belt · Stockton
★ The Kibitz Room · Cherry Hill
Desserts
Ⓝ Calandra’s Bakery · Caldwell, Fairfield, Newark
Ⓒ Catherine Lombardi · New Brunswick
Ⓢ 410 Bank Street · Cape May
★ How Delish · West Orange
★ Mango Mango · Cherry Hill
Diner
Ⓝ Prestige Diner · New Providence
Ⓒ Americana Diner · Shrewsbury
Ⓢ Rainbow Diner Restaurant · Brick
★ Chit Chat · West Orange
★ Ponzio’s · Cherry Hill
French
Ⓝ Faubourg · Montclair
Ⓒ Pascal & Sabine · Asbury Park
Ⓢ 410 Bank Street · Cape May
★ The Little Hen · Haddonfield
German | Austro-Hungarian
Ⓝ Black Forest Inn · Stanhope
Ⓒ Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten · Asbury Park
Ⓢ Sebastian’s Schnitzel Haus · Wrightstown
★ Best of the Wurst · Riverside
★ Charley · Harrison
Greek
Ⓝ Stamna Taverna · Bloomfield, Little Falls
Ⓒ The Greek Spot · Ocean Township, Red Bank
Ⓢ George’s Place · Cape May
★ Estia Taverna · Marlton
★ Santorini · Wildwood
Hot Dog
Ⓝ Rutt’s Hut · Clifton
Ⓒ Destination Dogs · New Brunswick
Ⓢ Hot Dog Tommy’s · Cape May
★ Moon Dog Grill · Moorestown
Ice Cream
Ⓝ Applegate Farm · Montclair
Ⓒ Nicholas Creamery · Atlantic Highlands, Fair Haven, Long Branch, Tinton Falls
ⒸⓈ Hoffman’s Ice Cream & Yogurt · Point Pleasant Beach, Spring Lake Heights
★ Apem · Bloomfield
★ Holsten’s · Bloomfield
★ Pee Wee’s · Medford
Indian
Ⓝ Brick Lane Curry House · Upper Montclair
Ⓒ Aarzu Modern Indian Bistro · Freehold
Ⓢ Aamantran Indian Cuisine · Toms River
★ Mausam · Montclair
★ Tiffin · Cherry Hill
Italian
Ⓝ Cucina Calandra · Fairfield
Ⓒ Catherine Lombardi · New Brunswick
Ⓢ Toscano · Bordentown
★ Bici · Ramsey
★ Fiorentini · Rutherford
★ ITA 101 · Medford
★ Palato · Montclair
★ Popolari · Bloomfield
Japanese
Ⓝ Fujiyama · Hackettstown
Ⓒ Taka · Asbury Park
Ⓢ Izakaya · Alantic City
★ Sagami · Collingswood
Latin American | Caribbean
Ⓝ Cuban Pete’s · Montclair
Ⓒ Barrio Costero · Asbury Park
Ⓢ 410 Bank Street · Cape May
★ Que Ricas · Westmont
Lunch
Ⓝ Calandra’s Il Vecchio Café · Caldwell
Ⓒ Cattani Catering & Kitchen · Ewing
Ⓢ Blue Pig Tavern · Cape May
★ The Bistro · Haddonfield
Mexican
ⓃⒸ Jose Tejas Fairfield · Iselin
Ⓒ Tortuga’s Mexican Village · Princeton
Ⓢ Cinco De Mayo Mexican Grill · Toms River
★ El Oaxaqueño · New Brunswick
★ Julio’s on Main · Vineland
Middle Eastern | Turkish
Ⓝ Beyond Pita · Montclair
Ⓒ Reyla · Asbury Park
Ⓢ Falafel Brothers · Brick
★ Efes Mediterranean Grill · New Brunswick
★ Norma’s · Cherry Hill
★ Tara Kitchen · Wildwood
Pizza
Ⓝ Cucina Calandra · Fairfield
Ⓒ Federici’s Family Italian Restaurant · Freehold
Ⓢ Manco & Manco Pizza · Ocean City, Somers Point, Atlantic City
★ Bakeria 1010 · Linwood
★ Pizza Crime · Haddonfield
★ 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
★ Caffe Aldo Lamberti · Cherry Hill
★ Haven · Edgewater
★ Jardin at the Hugh · Cape May
Seafood
Ⓝ H2Ocean Restaurant & Raw Bar · Cedar Knolls
Ⓒ Blue Point Grill · Princeton
Ⓢ The Lobster House · Cape May
★ Cap’n Cats Clam Bar · Franklinville, Voorhees, Woodbury
★ Quahogs · Stone Harbor
Soup | Salad | Sandwich
Ⓝ Calandra’s Il Vecchio Café · Caldwell
Ⓒ Frank’s Deli & Restaurant · Asbury Park
Ⓢ Barry’s Do Me a Flavor · Beach Haven
★ Crumb · Haddonfield, Bordentown
Southeast Asian | Thai
Ⓝ Pandan Room · Hackettstown
Ⓒ Bamboo Leaf Thai Eatery · Bradley Beach
Ⓢ A Little Thai Kitchen · Cherry Hill
★ Binh Duong · Bloomfield
★ Sanook Thai · Haddonfield
Southern | Soul Food
Ⓝ Vonda’s Kitchen · Newark
Ⓒ Delta’s Restaurant · New Brunswick
Ⓢ Corinne’s Place · Camden
Spanish | Portuguese
Ⓝ Don Pepe Restaurant · Newark
Ⓒ The Portuguese Fisherman · South River
Ⓢ Under the Moon Cafe · Bordentown
★ Forno’s of Spain · Newark
★ Seabra’s Marisqueira · Newark
★ Solar Do Minho · Belleville
Steak
ⓃⒸ Roots Steakhouse · Morristown, Princeton, Ridgewood, Summit
Ⓒ Stage Left Steak · New Brunswick
Ⓢ 410 Bank Street · Cape May
★ Chubby’s · Gloucester City
★ Let’s Meat · River Vale
★ Old Homestead · Atlantic City
★ Rails · Towaco
★ The Feathered Fox · Livingston
★ Edward’s Steakhouse · Jersey City
Vegetarian | Vegan
Ⓝ Veggie Heaven · Denville, Montclair, Teaneck
Ⓒ Good Karma Vegan Café · Red Bank
Ⓢ Green Cuisine · Stone Harbor
★ Goodbeet · Westmont
★ Michezo · South Orange
★ How Delish · West Orange
Wine List
Ⓝ Calandra’s Mediterranean Grill · Fairfield
Ⓒ Nicholas Barrel & Roost · Red Bank
Ⓢ Washington Inn · Cape May
★ Restaurant Latour · Hamburg
★ Pluckemin Inn · Bedminster
★ Versi Vino · Maple Shade
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