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!
[RELATED: The 30 Best Restaurants in New Jersey of 2023]
Best of the Best
Ⓝ Lorena’s · Maplewood
Ⓒ Stage Left Steak · New Brunswick
Ⓢ Lobster House · Cape May
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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