Rosie will be on vacation until mid-March. Guest blogger Tammy LaGorce will post in her place, unless otherwise noted.
Zeppelin Hall, at 88 Liberty View Drive in Jersey City, is changing its name to Zeppelin Hall Biergarten & Barbecue. The restaurant, named Buzzfeed’s most popular bar in New Jersey in 2014 and 2015, is still offering its traditional German and American fare but has added saucy and smoky new choices including barbecued brisket, St. Louis style ribs, slow smoked pulled pork, smoked chicken and beef ribs. A selection of barbecue sides is also available. To complement the new menu items, live country music is coming on Fridays and Saturdays at 10 p.m. Bands include Big Hixx, Brian Clayton Band and Jake’s Rockin Country Band. The idea to add barbecue to the menu came to Director of Operations John Argento, former owner of the 80’s club Danceteria, after he visited Danny Meyer’s Blue Smoke kitchen. He and Zeppelin Hall’s chef, Franco Robazetti, bought a Southern Pride smoker for their 2015 Barbecue Fest; Chef Robazetti then went on a pork pilgrimage to find the best barbecue in the country. He returned with secrets from pitmasters including James Beard winner Aaron Franklin, from Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Tex.
In addition to the new menu, Zeppelin Hall is introducing a new set of weekly specials, including Mussel Mania Wednesdays, Family Night Tuesdays and Endless Happy Hour Thursdays. The restaurant will also continue monthly food events like the Some Like It Hot Food Festival, Celtic Week, The Whole Hog Festival, the Chili Cook-off and Bacon Fest. For more information, 201-721-8888.