August 2022: Best Restaurants | New Jersey Monthly

August 2022: Best Restaurants

An activity we wholeheartedly endorse? Visiting New Jersey’s restaurants and, in the process, supporting the talented chefs and hardworking staff who make them what they are. This month’s cover story features our annual list of New Jersey’s 30 Best Restaurants. Many are old favorites, while a well-curated selection of others—including chef David Burke’s 1776, shown on the cover—are deserving new additions. The message here: Don’t abandon the familiar, but build on it, drawing from all the traditions that make America not a melting pot, but an infinite canvas.

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GARDEN VARIETY

Ben Gravy Shares the Story of His Sobriety and Unique Surf Mission

“I started considering how I could take that poor trajectory of my life and turn it into something more,” says the Longport native, now the subject of the documentary “For the Dream.”

Jim Raffone and three other climbers hold a JAR of Hope banner on Mt. Everest

Manalapan Father Cimbs Mt. Everest on Behalf of His Son

Jim Raffone founded JAR of Hope to raise funds and awareness for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a disease from which his 13-year-old son, James, suffers.

Black and white photo of the Nutley home that Annie Oakley and her husband occupied for 12 years

At Height of Fame, Sharpshooter Annie Oakley Moved to Nutley

The Essex County community was an idyllic respite for Oakley after years spent living in tents, hotels and rooming houses on tour.

Book cover of "Retail Gangster" by Gary Weiss

‘Retail Gangster’ Recounts Crazy Eddie’s Stunning Fall from Grace

Investigative journalist Gary Weiss’s new book tells of massive fraud at a popular NJ electronics store.

These Sisters Launched a Virtual Tie-Dye Store From Their Cherry Hill Home

Lauren and Brooke Greenberg’s Tie Dye LAB was born in their laundry-room utility sink during the pandemic.

Handwoven seagrass bowl with green fruit

Earthy Home Accents We’re Loving

Embrace a laid-back summertime vibe via natural textures and pretty details.

Sorriso Kitchen

Cooking for a Cause: These Restaurants Keep New Jerseyans Full—and Fulfilled

After releasing our annual 30 Best Restaurants list, we take a look at some local eateries that are serving up charitable initiatives.

Tom Szaky of TerraCycle works at his laptop

Trenton-Based TerraCycle Turns Trash to Treasure

The global company collects and recycles millions of pounds of hard-to-recycle garbage, like dirty diapers.

FEATURES

Performers in Atlantic City

Is Atlantic City Finally On a Roll?

Developers in this iconic Shore town are hoping, once more, to hit the jackpot.

The open kitchen, visible from the dining room at David Burke’s new 1776 in Morristown

The 30 Best Restaurants in New Jersey of 2022

The best restaurants in New Jersey span the state with all types of cuisine, from modern American at 1776 by David Burke in Morristown to French at Faubourg in Montclair.

A tomato dish at Common Lot in Millburn

Poll Results: Readers Choose Their Favorite NJ Restaurants of 2022

The winners of New Jersey Monthly’s 39th annual Jersey Choice Restaurant Poll, presented by New Brunswick Performing Arts Center.

David Burke at 1776 restaurant

David Burke, NJ’s Rockstar Chef, Serves Flavor, Fun and Surprise

With 8 Jersey eateries among his 15 worldwide, the Hazlet native makes room for whimsy (Think: whisks dipped in cake batter and pizzas topped with actual crickets!).

50-year-old Jerry Clark, an attorney and lifeguard, holds a rescue board by the ocean at Spring Lake

Meet the Professionals Moonlighting as Jersey Shore Lifeguards

For these lawyers, nurses, firefighters and office workers, lifeguarding gigs offer an escape from the daily grind.

HOME & GARDEN

The grand exterior of the Paragano family's three-floor Spring Lake home

How a Couple Meticulously Designed a Multigenerational Home in Spring Lake

A longtime builder and a nurse with a knack for design collaborated on their year-round family gathering spot.

EAT & DRINK

Patrons and a server in the Lookout's dining room, which boasts a panoramic view of the Delaware Bay

Restaurant Review: The Lookout in North Cape May Turns a Ferry Terminal Into a Destination

The octagonal eatery on the ferry’s second floor boasts one of the best dining views anywhere on the Jersey Shore.

Miriam O'Hare, project manager of Rows for the Hungry, helps students from New Brunswick Middle School tend the garden.

Middle Schoolers Dig Learning at North Brunswick Garden

On a visit to Rows for the Hungry, eighth-graders rolled up their sleeves and tended to crops for community kitchens.

Beef birria tacos at El Ranchero Taqueria in Jersey City

El Ranchero Taqueria Offers Flavorful Fare with Homemade Feel

This Jersey City gem serves up delicious Mexican dishes at modest prices.

Burger and fries at Firkin Tavern in Ewing

Firkin Tavern Boasts Generous Bar, Game Room

This Ewing gastropub whips up American staples—plus a few curveballs.

The churro latte at the Local Market & Kitchen in LBI's Ship Bottom

The Local Market & Kitchen: A One-Stop Shop in Ship Bottom

Seconds from LBI’s entrance, this super-convenient market is stocked to satisfy virtually any craving.

Muckraker Beermaker's Insalata ale on an outdoor table with an umbrella and trees in the background

Local Brewers Turn to Beloved Jersey Tomato

These summer ales honor the Garden State’s star crop.

EXIT RAMP

Illustration of hikers overlooking foliage and water

Exploring Other Jersey Shores

They’re not all sea and sand (or Snooki). Discover the land along the Delaware River—plus a puzzlingly named town in Pennsylvania.