The results of our 36th Annual Jersey Choice Restaurant Poll are in. Balloting took place online throughout the month of February. The winning restaurant in each region—North (N), Central (C) and South (S)—received the most votes in its category. 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. Winners will be announced in next month’s issue of New Jersey Monthly.
Best of the Best
N: Ariane Kitchen & Bar, Verona
C: Nicholas, Red Bank
S: 410 Bank Street, Cape May
★ The 30 Best Restaurants in New Jersey
Best New Restaurant
N: The Pasta Shop, Denville
C: Semolina, Red Bank
S: MudHen Brewing, Wildwood
★ The 28 Best New Restaurants in New Jersey
American | New American
N: Ariane Kitchen & Bar, Verona
C: Nicholas, Red Bank
S: Blue Pig Tavern, Cape May
★ A Toute Heure, Cranford
★ Central + Main, Madison
★ Farm & Fisherman, Cherry Hill
★ James on Main, Hackettstown
★ Laurel & Sage, Montclair
★ Maritime Parc, Jersey City
★ Park Place, Merchantville
Pork bao buns at Ani Ramen. Photo by @girleatsnyc, courtesy of Gail PR
Asian Fusion
N: Ani Ramen, Montclair
C: Teak, Red Bank
S: Buddakan, Atlantic City
★ Roosterspin, New Brunswick
★ Wabi Sabi, Bloomfield
Bagels
N: Hot Bagels Abroad, Multiple locations
C: Bagel Barn, Princeton
S: Baron’s Bagels, Point Pleasant
★ O’Bagel, Basking Ridge
Bakery
N: Calandra’s, Caldwell, Fairfield, Newark
C: Flaky Tart, Atlantic Highlands
S: Mueller’s Bakery, Bay Head
★ Able Baker, Maplewood
★ Artist Baker, Morristown
★ Balthazar, Englewood
★ Dulce, Collingswood
★ LilliPiEs, Princeton
★ Liv Breads: Artisan Bakery and Coffee Bar, Millburn
★ Palazzone 1960, Wayne
Bang for the Buck
N: Cucina Calandra, Fairfield
C: Old Man Rafferty’s, New Brunswick, Hillsborough
C, S: Surf Taco, Multiple locations
★ Kitchen 519, Glendora
Bar Scene
N: Ariane Kitchen & Bar, Verona
C: Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten, Asbury Park
S: Brown Room, Cape May
★ Gypsy Tequila Bar (Borgata), Atlantic City
★ Keg & Kitchen, Westmont
★ SM23, Morristown
Courtesy of Local Smoke BBQ
Barbecue
N: Hot Rod’s BBQ, Wharton
C, S: Local Smoke BBQ, Multiple locations
S: Hickory Hog, Point Pleasant
★ Fink’s BBQ Smokehouse, Dumont
★ Henri’s Hotts, Hammonton
★ Red, White & Que Smokehouse, Kearny
★ Surfing Pig, North Wildwood
Beer Selection
N: Cloverleaf Tavern, Caldwell
C: Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten, Asbury Park
S: Crab’s Claw Inn, Lavallette
★ Amendment 21, Point Pleasant Beach
★ Cowan’s Public House, Nutley
★ Mohawk House, Sparta
★ Social 37, Toms River
★ Taphouse 15, Jefferson
★ Yard House, Moorestown
Breakfast
N, C: Toast, Montclair, Asbury, Red Bank
N, C, S: Turning Point, Multiple locations
S: Chicken or the Egg, Beach Haven
★ The Corner, Montclair
★ Klotz’s Kitchen, Point Pleasant
★ Mike’s Little Red Store, Atlantic Highlands
★ Plum on Park, Montclair
★ Sabrina’s Café, Collingswood
★ Sweet Basil’s Cafe, Livingston
★ Zoe’s Vintage Kitchen, Atlantic Highlands
Brew Pub
N: Trap Rock, Berkeley Heights
C: Triumph, Princeton
S: MudHen Brewing, Wildwood
★ Gaslight, South Orange
★ Iron Hill, Maple Shade, Voorhees
★ JJ Bitting, Woodbridge
★ Krogh’s, Sparta
Brunch
N, C: Committed Pig, Manasquan, Morristown, Summit
N, C, S: Turning Point, Multiple locations
S: Mad Batter, Cape May
★ Amanda’s, Hoboken
★ Avenue, Long Branch
★ Cardinal Provisions, Asbury Park
★ Marcel, Montclair
Pork roll sandwich with waffle fries. Courtesy of the Committed Pig
Burger
N, C: Committed Pig, Manasquan, Morristown, Summit
C: Stage Left Steak, New Brunswick
S: Vagabond, Atlantic City
★ Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen, Morristown
★ Pour House, Westmont
★ South + Pine, Morristown
★ Windward Tavern, Brick
Related: The 12 Best Restaurants in Princeton
Caterer
N: Calandra’s, Caldwell
C: Culinary Creations, Hillsborough
C, S: Joe Leone’s, Point Pleasant Beach, Sea Girt
Chain Restaurant
Cheesecake Factory
Bonefish Grill
Jersey Mike’s Subs
Cheese Steak
N: Cloverleaf Tavern, Caldwell
C: Hoagie Haven, Princeton
S: White House Subs, Atlantic City
★ Barry’s Do Me a Flavor, Beach Haven
★ Donkey’s Place, Camden
Aromatic flounder fillet at Joyce Chinese. Photo by Morgan Ione Yeager
Chinese
N: Hunan Taste, Denville
C: Temple Gourmet Chinese, Red Bank
S: Xina, Toms River
★ Cheng Du 23, Wayne
★ Han Dynasty, Cherry Hill
★ Joyce Chinese, River Edge
★ Shan Shan Noodles, Parsippany
★ Taste of Szechuan, Cherry Hill
Coffee | Tea Bar
N: Bluestone Coffee Company, Montclair
C: Rook Coffee Roasters, Multiple locations
S: Lava Java, Lavallette
★ Booskerdoo, Multiple locations
★ Local, Montclair
★ Modcup, Jersey City
★ Small World, Princeton
Deli (Italian-Style)
N: Calandra’s, Caldwell
C: DeMarco’s, Aberdeen
C, S: Joe Leone’s, Point Pleasant Beach, Sea Girt
★ Nicolo’s, Montclair
★ Piccolo’s Gastronomia, Ridgefield
★ Rosario’s, Montclair
★ Sergio & Co., Denville
★ Severino Pasta, Westmont
★ Vito’s, Hoboken
Deli (Kosher Style)
N: Deli King, Clark
C: Harold’s, Edison
S: Wolfie’s, Toms River
★ Hobby’s, Newark
Tropical dessert flight at Vanillamore
Desserts
N: Bovella’s, Westfield
C: The Bent Spoon, Princeton
S: Washington Inn, Cape May
★ Vanillamore, Montclair
Diner
N: Tick Tock Diner, Clifton
C: Skylark Diner & Lounge, Edison
S: Mastoris Diner, Bordentown
★ George’s Place, Cape May
French
N: Chez Catherine, Westfield
C: Pascal & Sabine, Asbury Park
S: 410 Bank Street, Cape May
★ Avenue, Long Branch
★ Lorena’s, Maplewood
★ Manon, Lambertville
German | Austro-Hungarian
N: Black Forest Inn, Stanhope
C: Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten, Asbury Park
S: Mickey & Minnie’s Inn, Egg Harbor City
Greek
N: Ambeli, Cranford
C: Pithari Taverna, Highland Park
S: George’s Place, Cape May
★ Black Olive, Voorhees
★ Elia, East Rutherford
★ Greek Flame, Haworth
★ Lefkes, Englewood Cliffs
★ Stamna, Bloomfield, Little Falls, Lincroft
Hot Dog
N: Rutt’s Hut, Clifton
C: Destination Dogs, New Brunswick
C, S: Windmill, Multiple locations
★ Hot Dog Johnny’s, Buttzville
★ Würstbar, Jersey City
A cone of purple sticky rice gelato from Bucket & Bay in Jersey City. Photo by Juan Roque
Ice Cream
N: Applegate Farm, Montclair
C: Bent Spoon, Princeton
S: Hoffman’s, Multiple locations
★ Bucket & Bay, Jersey City
★ Halo Pub, Princeton
★ Holsten’s, Bloomfield
★ Jefferson Dairy, Lake Hopatcong
★ Milk, Sugar, Love, Jersey City
★ Springer’s, Stone Harbor
★ Taylor’s, Chester
★ Torico, Jersey City
Indian
N: Brick Lane, Montclair
C: Aarzu, Freehold
S: Aamantran, Toms River
★ Mehndi, Morristown
★ Amma’s South Indian Cuisine, Voorhees
Related: The 16 Best Restaurants in Morristown
Italian
N: Fascino, Montclair
C: Anjelica’s Restaurant, Sea Bright
S: Spano’s, Point Pleasant
★ Chef Vola’s, Atlantic City
★ Il Capriccio, Whippany
★ Girasole, Atlantic City
★ Osteria Morini, Bernardsville
★ Ristorante Giorgia, Rumson
★ Undici, Rumson
Japanese
N: Ani Ramen House, Montclair
C: Taka, Asbury Park
S: Xina, Toms River
★ Ai Sushi, Somerville
★ Hontei, Palisades Park
★ Sagami, Collingswood
★ Shumi, Ridgewood
★ Tomo’s Cuisine, East Hanover
★ Umeya, Cresskill
Courtesy of Cubacán
Latin American | Caribbean
N: Cuban Pete’s, Montclair
C: Cubacán, Asbury Park
S: 410 Bank Street, Cape May
★ Costanera, Montclair
★ Samba, Montclair
★ Somos, North Arlington
★ Vital, Montclair
★ Zafra, Hoboken
Lunch
N: Raymond’s, Montclair, Ridgewood
C: Old Man Rafferty’s, New Brunswick, Hillsborough
S: Blue Pig Tavern, Cape May
★ Café Giotto, Montclair
★ Pierogies House, Morristown
★ Slamwich Scratch Kitchen, Madison
★ Saddle River Café, Saddle River
★ South and Pine, Morristown
Mexican
N: Villalobos, Montclair
C: 10th Ave Burrito Company, Belmar
S: Cinco De Mayo, Toms River
★ El Guacamole, Millville
★ El Pueblo, North Cape May
★ Folklore Artisanal Taco, West Orange
★ Mi Pueblito, Kearny
★ Pancho’s Grill, South Bound Brook
★ Pancho’s Taqueria, Atlantic City
★ Taco Shop, Rio Grande
Middle Eastern | Turkish
N: Beyond Pita, Montclair
C: Reyla, Asbury Park
S: Falafel Brothers, Brick
★ Yasmeen, Clifton
Pizza
N: Star Tavern, Orange
C: Pete & Elda’s/Carmen’s, Neptune
S: Poppi’s Brick Oven, Wildwood
★ Bivio, Montclair
★ Papa’s Tomato Pies, Robbinsville
★ Ralph’s, Nutley
★ Razza, Jersey City
★ Talula’s, Asbury Park
★ Tony D’s, Caldwell
★ Santillo’s, Elizabeth
The N Bar at Restaurant Nicholas. Photo by Viki Reed
Romantic
N: Highlawn Pavilion, West Orange
C: Nicholas, Red Bank
S: Washington Inn, Cape May
★ Anton’s at the Swan, Lambertville
★ Café Matisse, Rutherford
★ Peter Shields Inn, Cape May
★ Rat’s, Hamilton
Seafood
N: H2Ocean, Cedar Knolls
C: Blue Point Grill, Princeton
S: Lobster House, Cape May
★ The Bonney Read, Asbury Park
★ Hooked-Up Seafood, Wildwood
★ Parker’s Garage, Beach Haven
★ Two Fish, Haddonfield
★ Quahog’s Seafood Shack, Stone Harbor
Soup | Salad | Sandwich
N: Millburn Deli, Millburn
C: Frank’s Deli & Restaurant, Asbury Park
S: Barry’s Do Me a Flavor, Beach Haven
★ Farmer & the Chickpea, Whitehouse Station
Southeast Asian | Thai
N: Topaz Thai, Belleville
C: Bamboo Leaf, Bradley Beach
S: Buddakan, Atlantic City
★ Binh Duong, Bloomfield
★ Gayeon, Fort Lee
★ Pandan Room, Hackettstown
★ Ricky’s Thai, Skillman
★ SLA Thai, Montclair
Pork tenderloin with fennel-corn kimchi and blistered shishito peppers at Mathews. Photo by Brent Herrig
Southern | Soul Food
N: Vonda’s Kitchen, Newark
C: At the Table, Asbury Park
S: Corinne’s Place, Camden
★ Drew’s Bayshore Bistro, Keyport
★ Mathews, Jersey City
Spanish | Portuguese
N: Don Pepe, Newark, Pine Brook
C: Despana, Princeton
S: Europa South, Point Pleasant Beach
★ Broa, Jersey City
★ Malaga, Hamilton
★ Seabra’s Marisqueira, Newark
★ Spain Rincon, Wharton
Steak
N: Roots Steakhouse, Morristown, Ridgewood, Summit
C: Stage Left Steak, New Brunswick
S: Prime 13, Point Pleasant Beach
★ ChopHouse, Gibbsboro
★ Edward’s, Jersey City
Vegetarian
N: Veggie Heaven, Denville, Montclair, Teaneck
C: Good Karma Vegan Café, Red Bank
S: Green Cuisine, Stone Harbor
★ Veganized, New Brunswick
Wine List
N: Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas, Clifton
C: Nicholas, Red Bank
S: Washington Inn, Cape May
★ Café Aldo Lamberti, Cherry Hill
★ Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen, Morristown
★ Restaurant Latour, Hamburg
★ The Manor, West Orange
★ Pluckemin Inn, Bedminster