Rustic Roadhouse, 12 Taps: Claremont Tavern in Bernardsville

Claremont Tavern
Bernardsville
121 Claremont Road
908-766-4544

Open: Lunch, Tues-Sun; dinner, daily

Price: $$

Style: A roadside tavern with rustic charm, the Claremont serves modern variations on classic pub fare, has 12 taps of beer and hosts a weekly trivia night.

The Scoop: Chef/owners Andrew Pantano and Steven Borton transformed the former La Petite Chateau, a French restaurant, into the cozy and welcoming Claremont in 2011. Downstairs, there’s a dining room and a bar, the latter outfitted with flatscreens. They turned the upstairs into an event space with a bar, screens and arcade games.

The Menu: Choose from among 14 small salads and starters like wasabi tuna spring rolls—wasabi served on the side for dipping—and applewood beef skewers. A hearty chicken, sausage and tortellini soup special was perfect for a chilly day, and the thin-crust pizzas (my favorites include the prosciutto and fig and the spicy sausage and broccoli rabe) are beautifully charred in the brick oven. The main attractions, though, are the big 10-ounce burgers, such as the signature Claremont (pictured), with bacon, frizzled onions and cheddar on a brioche bun topped with two crispy onion rings made with red onions. Fries will cost you extra. Go for the asiago steak fries; they’re worth the $4.

Heads Up: The parking lot behind the restaurant is small and street parking scarce. If you’ve got a big group, it makes sense to carpool.