FOCUS ON NORTH AND CENTRAL JERSEY
While New Jersey might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of culinary excellence and pulsing nightlife, think again—you might be surprised by how many New Jersey towns have thriving dining and nightlife scenes with innovative, award-winning chefs, myriad ethnic cuisines you may never have tried, and carefully curated wine lists, co*cktails, and craft beers on tap. Here are our picks for towns to check out, north to south.
Montclair, New Jersey
Montclair, a restaurant capital of New Jersey
Dining options, mostly clustered in Montclair Center, range from cutting-edge gourmet to very modest cheap eateries. Two high-end restaurants, both among NJ Monthly’s statewide top 30, are Fascino (Italian) and Turtle and the Wolf (Contemporary American). Highly regarded ethnic options include Laboratorio Kitchen, Ani Ramen, Tacoria, Samba Montclair, Mesob Ethiopian, and Mishmish Cafe (Middle Eastern). The Corner is a popular spot for breakfast and brunch. Applegate Farm, a local institution, is a 100-year-old ice cream stand in Upper Montclair that was once part of a large farm.
Just Jake’s is a sports bar and restaurant, popular with a young crowd, that features live music. Tierney’s Tavern is a classic Irish pub with an upper level for live music and comedy, serving popular burgers and other pub food.
Morristown, New Jersey
Endless dining and nightlife possibilities in Morristown
Morristown has so much dining to choose from—American, BBQ, Italian, French, Greek, Polish, Mediterranean, Portuguese, Spanish, Mexican, Honduran, Ecuadorian, Colombian, Indian, Chinese, Pan-Asian, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Thai, and Soul food—and many places have live music and stay open late, giving Morristown a lively nightlife. Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen, in the magnificent 1918 Vail Mansion, serves New American food. Around the perimeter of the Green, Committed Pig serves up excellent burgers and decadent grilled cheese choices. The Famished Frog has a great craft beer selection with live music on Fridays and Saturdays. Next door at Hops, there’s a wider selection of craft beers and pub grub with TVs and live music. Morristown also has Roots Steakhouse and South + Pine American Eatery. Every town needs a good Irish Pub—Dublin Pub and Grasshopper Off the Green fit the bill. Try Pierogies House for Polish fare. Not far from the county courthouses, The Grand Café serves French cuisine. Fig & Lily Garden is a lovely spot for contemporary Mediterranean food. Mehndi has great Indian food and ambience. About a mile from downtown, The Blue Morel in the Westin Governor Morris hotel serves upscale New American cuisine and also offers sushi and a raw bar. Sweet treat offerings in Morristown include Swiss Chalet Bakery & Cafe, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Artist Baker, gourmet chocolatier Enjou Chocolat, and heavenly ice cream at South Street Creamery.
Madison and Chatham, New Jersey
Main streets teem with restaurants in Madison and Chatham
Casual, haute, romantic, trendy—Madison’s restaurant scene offers something for everyone. Named for its cross streets, Central + Main has a great neighborhood feel and serves delicious classic yet sophisticated American comfort food. When you’re looking for something special, Il Mondo Vecchio should be at the top of the list, serving fine Northern Italian cuisine in an intimate setting in a historic building. Palm Thai is an excellent choice for original authentic Thai food. A fan favorite for Mediterranean cuisine is Biladi Grill. Daddy Matty’s BBQ is the real deal, and also offers a Colorado–style Mexican twist on BBQ. The borough has four fun neighborhood grill/bars—Bottle Hill Tavern, Prospect Street Tavern, 54 Main Bar & Grille, and Rocco’s Tuscany Bar & Grill—that provide live entertainment and draw a sports–watching crowd. Shanghai Jazz is a hotspot for world–class live jazz and Chinese/Asian fare.There’s also an old–fashioned ice cream parlor, candy store, cupcake shop, bakery, juice shop, hot dog shop, bagel cafes, diners, and specialty marketplaces such as Gary’s Wine & Marketplace, Madison Market, and Ossinos’ Market. Free parking is available on downtown streets and after 4 pm in all borough–owned lots.
Just two miles down Rte. 124 (called Main Street in both towns) is Chatham, which also has a thriving dining scene. Casual Arminio’s Italian Corner has great thin-crust pizza. Bean Curd offers Chinese food. Charley’s Aunt Restaurant is a popular local bar and American restaurant. Mexican Spice offers authentic Mexican food. Mitsuba Japanese Cuisine is popular for sushi. Namkeen Hot Chicken and Waffles specializes in hot chicken and fries, with Pakistani flavors. Right down the street is Sonny’s Indian Kitchen, which has a reputation for wonderful Indian cuisine. Sorriso Kitchen serves farm-to-table dishes. Twin Elephant Brewing Company, on Watchung Avenue near River Road, has a good selection of fresh craft beers, and Chatham River Grille (on River Road) is a bar that serves casual pub food.
Summit, New Jersey
Great cafes, taverns, and upscale restaurants abound in Summit
Summit has a wide selection of restaurants—everything from diners and pizzerias, to casual bistros, to fine dining. Cuisines include American, Italian, Greek, Mediterranean, Portuguese, Argentinian, Spanish, Mexican, Colombian, Chinese, Asian, Japanese, and Thai. Great casual dining options include Summit Diner, Hat Tavern at the Grand Summit Hotel, Pizza Vita, The Committed Pig, Winberie’s Restaurant & Bar, Piattino: A Neighborhood Bistro, and The Office Tavern Grill. Summit has some great cafes for coffee, breakfast, and lunch; popular spots are Boxwoods Coffee, Batavia Café, and Marigolds. For dessert, people from all over come to stand in long lines for ice cream from the famous Magic Fountain (ZRolls Ice cream is another fun spot). If you’re looking for an upscale restaurant for a special dinner, check out Summit House Restaurant & Bar, Fiorino Ristorante & Bar, Huntley Taverne, Roots Steakhouse, Fin Raw Bar & Kitchen, or Due 360. After dark, popular bars with entertainment include Fin Raw Bar & Kitchen, Fiorino Ristorante & Bar, Hat Tavern, Huntley Taverne, Marco Polo Restaurant & Tavern, The Office Tavern Grill, and Winberie’s Restaurant & Bar.
Somerville and Bridgewater, New Jersey
Foodies from all over the state come to Somerville and Bridgewater for its burgeoning dining scene
Somerville is a regional destination for dining, with a wide range of family-owned restaurants clustered along Main Street. Wolfgang’s Steakhouse is swanky, often with fancy cars parked out front. The new and very popular Village Brewing Company tends toward business casual. Other top-rated restaurants are Greek (Kyma), Italian (Da Filippo’s, Savor Restaurant, Cafe Picasso, Alfonso’s), seafood (Boulevard Seafood Company), Korean (Seoulville), Thai (Origin), and for dessert, Fresh Tiki Bar for ice cream. There’s also an Irish pub, Chinese, sushi, Costa Rican, Indian, Middle Eastern, Mexican, delis, bakeries, and coffee shops.
Bridgewater, which surrounds Somerville, has Bridgewater Commons, with a food court and a number of full-service restaurants, including Maggiano’s, Seasons 52, Redstone Grill, and the popular Shake Shack chain. The Bradford is a new NYC-style rooftop bar/restaurant. It’s expensive, but you get a good view. Other top-rated restaurants include Thai Kitchen, Booker & Zinc, Time To Eat Diner, Bridgewater Diner, Bombay Spice, Cafe Emilia, Top O Th Hill Tavern, Pho Main Street, Sushi House, and La Catena.
East Brunswick and New Brunswick, New Jersey
Lots of great dining and nightlife in the two towns of East Brunswick and New Brunswick
East Brunswick has a wide variety of family-friendly restaurants and casual bars. There are chain restaurants, such as Carrabas and Bonefish Grill, and also family-owned restaurants including Bollywood Tadka for Indian, Rice Factory for Thai, Wasabi House for Japanese, as well as Chinese, Italian, Middle Eastern, and Mexican options. Blue Water Grille and Fresco Steak and Seafood Grill offer upscale dining. For more upscale dining and dancing, many head to New Brunswick, just about ten minutes away.
In New Brunswick, Old Man Rafferty’s has a large dining area (as well as outdoor seating), a bar, and a varied American menu with lots of pub-style fare. The Frog and the Peach is also a reliable choice for American cuisine. Try Sahara and Mamoun’s Falafel for Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine (stick with Mamoun’s if you want a casual atmosphere). Evelyn’s serves Lebanese food, in nice weather on a lovely outdoor patio. Veganized turns out excellent vegan food, beautifully presented, in a cozy dining room with exposed brick walls and warm, neutral tones. Clydz, recently under new ownership and with a new chef, has a nice ambiance, also with an exposed brick wall, a bar, and warm lighting. Catherine Lombardi Restaurant is a more old-fashioned upscale Italian restaurant and bar with carpeting and walls of deep red. Pithari Taverna, a cheerful Greek restaurant with a whimsically decorated interior of Mediterranean blues (down to the blue checkered tablecloths), is worth the quick trip to Highland Park. For dessert, you can’t go wrong with Thomas Sweet for ice cream and chocolate.
Princeton, New Jersey
Everything from fine dining to tasty cheap eats for student budgets attract folks to Princeton
Plenty of restaurants line Nassau Street and Palmer Square, ranging from a quick and inexpensive grab-and-go to a lavish multiple-course dine-in. Higher-end options in town include Mistral, with Modern-Global cuisine, and Elements, which emphasizes fresh, local ingredients and a five-course offering that changes daily. Both are ranked on NJ Monthly’s statewide top 30. For a more moderately priced sit-down meal, try the Italian and Spanish tastes of Mediterra or the American cuisine of the pub-style Winberie’s. PJ’s Pancake House is a popular breakfast option for students and residents, especially on weekends. On the cheaper end, Tacoria is a zesty grab-and-go Mexican Street Kitchen option.
Triumph Brewery and Ivy Inn are two great bars, with live bands at the former and a weekly karaoke night at the latter. Finally, check out Conte’s down Witherspoon Street if you are in the mood for a beer and a slice.
