Restaurant Reviews
Neptune’s Hippest Bar Scene: The Grand Tavern in Neptune
November 15, 2018
The Grand Tavern in Neptune has earned a loyal following, especially from local chefs, bartenders and sommeliers. The food is good, if uneven, but the reason the place is rocking is the quality of its bar scene.
The menu is vast at Pho 9 Vietnamese in Cherry Hill, but servers will help you find your way. And psst: portions are huge.
Where Europe Meets Asia: Bosphorus in Lake Hiawatha
November 8, 2018
Bosphorus is named for the strait that separates Europe and Asia and divides the city of Istanbul. Its Turkish cuisine is itself a bridge.
Geared For a Fine Ride: Bici in Ramsey
November 1, 2018
Chef and bicyclist Anthony DeVanzo balances tradition and creativity at his refined Italian BYO.
The Salty Whale & Guesthouse has been fully refurbished and renamed by new owners. The Guesthouse is still in the works, but the restaurant features appealing wings, mussels in Thai green curry and coconut milk and a host of burgers and sandwiches. At dinner, there’s a bone-in pork chop for $26.
The recently opened Dolce & Salato is a cozy Hoboken storefront—part café, part takeout shop—celebrating the foods of southern Italy and Sicily.
All-Season Italian on the Shore: Marandola’s in Bradley Beach
October 17, 2018
At Marandola’s in Bradley Beach, Mark Marandola says he makes his Italian menu 'not too red-saucy.’ He calls it “a mixture of traditional and a little innovative.”
A Friendly Hive of Eats, Drinks, Music and Games: MudHen in Wildwood
October 10, 2018
The new MudHen Brewing Co. in Wildwood is an all-year venue with plenty of dishes to lure the hungry as well as brews to entice the thirsty.
An Ascent Long Awaited: The Hill in Closter
October 4, 2018
Ben Pollinger, who won a Michelin star in New York in 2006, finally opens his own restaurant—in his home county.
Hên Vietnamese Eatery in Cherry Hill offers six types of the classic bánh mi sandwich. There’s also four pho soups, plus many other dishes at this "stylish eatery…in a clean and modern space" that opened in June.
Biagio Iuliano and his wife, Carmela Arale, have run Trattoria Biagio since 2003. They renovated and expanded the Stirling establishment in 2016. It offers “polished cuisine in an elegant setting,” for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Spanish, With a Galician Accent: Casa d’Paco in Newark
September 19, 2018
At Casa d’Paco in the Ironbound section of Newark, the Leston family prepare the food of their native region, Galicia, on the northwest coast of Spain.
A Greek Chorus for Today: Elia in East Rutherford
September 13, 2018
In a space with a vaunted history, new owners introduce a classic cuisine, imaginatively updated.
Cape May’s Seafood Jewel: Louisa’s Café in Cape May
September 6, 2018
Louisa’s Café has just 34 seats (up from the original 20, when it opened in 1980), but the reason the BYO is packed is the quality of its seafood.
Shan Shan Lu, originally from northwest China, opened Shan Shan Noodles in Parsippany in 2014. Asian noodles in all forms, with all sorts of accompaniments, are its specialty.
A Chef’s New Shingle: Braun’s Tavern in Bloomfield
August 22, 2018
After launching Satis Bistro to success in Jersey City, chef Michael Fiorianti did less well with a Satis branch in Bloomfield. So he closed it and reopened as Braun’s Tavern.
Disco fries, pork-roll waffle sandwiches and boozy milkshakes are on the menu at Asbury Lanes Diner.
A Velvet-Rope Scene Without the Velvet Rope: Sofia in Englewood
August 14, 2018
That’s the vibe that restaurateur Eddy Sujak says he was shooting for in opening Sofia in Englewood. On a largely Italian menu, the steaks are worthy of high praise. The rest ranges from good to needs-some-work
Tapas-style appetizers are abundant and easy to share at this sleek, diner-like spot.
The Embrace of Place: Marcus B&P in Newark
August 1, 2018
In his own joyous and artful way, Marcus Samuelsson binds the many strands of Brick City into an alluring whole.