NJ Restaurants That Have Closed Permanently Due to the Pandemic

These are the Garden State eateries that have closed for good.

At the onset of the pandemic in March, when restaurants were ordered to shut down, we worried that some might keep their lights off for good. Independent restaurants completely transformed their businesses overnight, shifting to takeout and delivery, and turning their dining rooms into makeshift grocery markets. Some received federal PPP loans to help cover payroll costs, while others were turned down for the coveted loans. In June, outdoor dining was allowed to resume, but didn’t exactly mean a return to normal business—and still doesn’t.

Six months later, and New Jersey restaurants are now able to offer indoor dining—at 25 percent capacity, with rules requiring heightened sanitizing, masks and gloves for staff and more. Yet not all restaurants survived long enough to welcome guests back into their dining rooms.

According to a new survey released by the National Restaurant Association, nearly 1 in 6 restaurants is closed either permanently or long-term. We’ve certainly seen a number of New Jersey restaurants close their doors for good, stating the economic impact of the pandemic as a major reason. We sadly predict such closures will continue—through this year and beyond—as restaurants continue to struggle amid the pandemic.

We’ve been keeping track of such closures over the last six months. Below, a brief list of the restaurants we’ve lost to the coronavirus pandemic, listed in alphabetical order.

A Toute Heure, Cranford

Bisque Restaurant, Ship Bottom

Bistro 18, Montclair

Brickwall Tavern, Burlington City

Brio Tuscan Grille, Cherry Hill

Café Fiori, Randolph

The Cassidy, Maplewood

Charlie Brown’s Steakhouse, Chatham, Denville and Wayne

Costanera, Montclair

Cucharamama, Hoboken

El Cocotero, Jersey City

Freelance Bistro, Newton

Fromage Grillé, Cranford

Front Street Trattoria, Red Bank

The Greek Flame, Haworth

Jackson Diner, Jackson

Jake’s Restaurant & Bar, Flemington

La Campagna Ristorante, Morristown

Laurel & Sage, Montclair

Libby’s Lunch, Paterson

Modine, Asbury Park

Nunzio’s Dolce Vita, Morristown

Pairings Palate + Plate, Cranford

Paolo’s Gourmet, Westwood

Plum on Park, Montclair

Social 37, Toms River

Square 1, Jersey City

Stewart’s Root Beer, Hazlet

Technique, Westwood

Tiffin, East Hanover

Tuckerton Beach Grille, Tuckerton

Villa Rosa, Haddonfield

*Other chains, such as Zinburger, Smashburger, Ruby Tuesday, Perkins and Pizza Hut have also closed locations across the state.

Editor’s note: 100 Steps Kitchen + Raw Bar is Cranford is temporarily closed, not permanently.

Read more Coronavirus, Table Hopping articles.

By submitting comments you grant permission for all or part of those comments to appear in the print edition of New Jersey Monthly.

Required
Required not shown
Required not shown