The 40 Best Restaurants in New Jersey (2024)

One unifying force in New Jersey, something that all of us can agree on, is that there are countless great restaurants here. Everyone has a favorite neighborhood pub, sushi spot, pizza place—and the list goes on. That’s one reason our annual Best Restaurants list is a must-read for New Jerseyans.

Crafting the list is no simple task. Throughout the year, our editors and critics have checked out hot new restaurant openings, revisited old favorites and tasted countless dishes and drinks—culminating in a meeting of the minds to whittle down our list.

In recent years, the list featured 30 restaurants, but with so many great places to dine in our state, our editors felt that it was time to increase that number to 40. This new list reflects the growing diversity of New Jersey and its variety of cuisines. Several recent openings made the cut, too, which shows the vibrancy of our food scene as well as its resurgence since the pandemic.

What you’ll find below is a list of the 40 restaurants in New Jersey that our editors and critics feel are worthy of being on this selective, annual list. Each establishment features extraordinary food, service and ambience, and will present an unforgettable dining experience for any New Jerseyan who visits.

Enjoy!

Aarzu

Freehold

When an Indian restaurant makes a dish as simple as garlic naan seem otherworldly, you know they are doing something right. But the nontraditional items at Aarzu shine just as brightly, with standouts like the duck paratha taco, a delightful culinary mashup boosted by a fabulous hoisin-tamarind glaze. Entrées, such as the lamb roganjosh, hit it out of the park, too. Don’t get too attached to specifics of the current dishes, though, as a major overhaul is on its way, with both a new menu and a new restaurant interior. “We love evolving and changing the menu, so we think it’s time,” says owner Sidharth Sharma. One can only imagine what they will dream up next. —Ryan Loughlin
30 East Main Street; 732-333-0933

Bici

Ramsey

Chef Anthony DeVanzo often cycles to work on one of his cherished Italian racing bikes (bici in Italian). But he’s been impassioned by cooking since his tricycle days, “when I could barely see over the stove,” he says. Later, DeVanzo mastered French technique at the Culinary Institute of America and opened Bici in 2016. Its dining space was recently doubled, and the menu has expanded, too, with seasonal fare like seared sea scallops with lemon risotto and an elevated Greek salad. At the menu’s core are Bici signatures like cauliflower sformatino (pudding) and garnet-red Chianti risotto. BYO. —KT Harrison
61 East Main Street; 201-962-9015

Black Sheep Provisions & Bar

Garwood

If the designation fine casual in the culinary vernacular requires some clarification, this establishment is a prime example. Black Sheep’s unassuming visage is fronted with retail-style, plate-glass windows. Behind the glass, the setting is comfortable and modern, with laid-back elegance. Black Sheep’s owners/partners—restaurateur Daniel Meyer, CFO; Vincent Comunale, a sommelier and alum of prominent restaurant groups; and chef Nick DeRosa, who cut his teeth in local kitchens, including Kitchen Step in Jersey City—each bring a niche of expertise to the table. The experience behind the cuisine can be tasted: juicy mussels presented in a bath of citrusy cream sauce with melt-in-your-mouth triangles of toast ready for dunking; golden-brown Barnegat scallops with a fragrant, cilantro-forward chimichurri; and expertly seared, dry-aged, bone-in DeRosa strip steak (DeRosa’s family owns prime beef purveyor F. A. DeRosa in Westfield). —Deborah P. Carter
514 North Avenue; 908-518-9463

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Blu on the Hudson

Weehawken

First-time customers “discover that our food is as riveting as our Manhattan skyline view, which frames the Empire State Building,” says Blu on the Hudson’s general manager, Andrew Christianson. But magic aplenty awaits inside, too, at Blu’s intensely social bar, seductive bar-cove tables, view-graced tables for two, and the stylish sushi bar. Service is personal, says Christianson, and executive chef JC Ortega’s dishes delight, whether fresh-that-day ahi tuna, salmon and branzino, or luscious Australian Wagyu steaks. co*cktails please the palate and the eye, and sommelier service focuses on the diner’s taste. —KT Harrison
1200 Harbor Boulevard; 201-636-1200

Café 2825

Atlantic City

When Joe Lautato and his wife, Ginny, opened Café 2825 in 1986, they thought they’d retire early after the Tropicana, which looms over the property, bought the building in an expansion. That expansion never happened. Instead, Joe is still cooking his mother’s Sicilian recipes at what has become the hardest reservation to get in Atlantic City. The theatrical tableside burrata, cacio e pepe, and Caesar presentations are all musts. —Victor Fiorillo
2825 Atlantic Avenue; 609-344-6913

The Circle

Newton

Soon after its 2021 opening, the Circle garnered New Jersey Monthly’s rare 3.5-star rating. Now it flaunts a liquor license for global tippling in its Colonial-farmhouse dining rooms and sunset-graced deck. Co-chefs/owners Brendan Ullmann, 30, and Tyler O’Toole, 32, met at Manhattan’s elite Jean-Georges. “We dared fate by opening out here during the pandemic,” says Fredon native Ullmann, “betting that Sussex County would embrace innovative, Asian-influenced, garden-fresh food.” Adds O’Toole, “Now diners drive from all over, and our local regulars are fiercely proud to be part of New Jersey’s culinary explosion.” Summer’s delightful duck entrée, uplifted with alluring Indian flavors, captures the Circle’s fervor and inspiration. —KTH
310 Route 94; 973-862-6410

Clemmy’s

Waretown

When Clemmy’s opened in Waretown as a 26-seat, farm-to-table restaurant last August, customers lined up to sit shoulder-to-shoulder at the counter. Chefs/owners Allen and Carolyn Walski plan to keep it cozy and seasonal, with lots of local ingredients, from Viking Village scallops to Valley Shepherd cheese. Chef Allen’s salads are odes to simplicity, his desserts a nod to comfort, with Grammy’s Famous Orange Cake a zesty staple. Entrées are finished with generous amounts of fresh herbs. Airline chicken breast, roasted to crisp, succulent perfection and served with seasonal greens and beans, is anything but basic. No reservations at this BYO, but there are cornhole and live music on the sidewalk, and the wait is worth it. —Kelly-Jane Cotter
290 Route 9; 609-891-4066

D’Floret

Lambertville

Having run the kitchens of some of New York City’s top restaurants and served as mentor to notable chefs like Tom Colicchio, Dennis Foy has been charming diners for the last dozen years in his own far more intimate space, D’Floret in Lambertville. With its open kitchen adjoining the 24-seat dining room, guests can watch the 73-year-old chef whip up fine, Mediterranean-influenced, seasonal dishes. The menu changes almost daily, so you might be lucky to dine when roasted lamb loin with a rich Bordelaise sauce or herb-coated seared swordfish are in the offing. Foy’s wife, Estella Quinones, brings her warm personality to the front of the house at this BYO. —Jill P. Capuzzo
18 S. Main Street; 609-397-7400

The Ebbitt Room

Cape May

With the Ebbitt Room open for 36 years, chef Jason Hanin, who has helmed it for eight, is well acquainted with its clientele’s expectations and takes them very seriously. But, he still reserves the right to shake things up. Tenets of Hanin’s kitchen include offering dishes that are clean, approachable and recognizable. “I never want someone to look at their plate and say, ‘What the hell is this?’” Innovation is all about the flavor arrangement, he says. Take the halibut, a menu favorite: “It has a white-miso marinade that becomes more umami in cooking, creating a natural sugar caramelization. It’s served on top of sautéed Tuscan kale, with carrot purée underneath for creaminess—but no cream. Then the plate is sauced with a reduction of fresh beet-root juice, which creates an intensity that adds sparkle and really closes the deal.” —DPC
25 Jackson Street; 609-884-5700

Elements

Princeton

Dining at this restaurant is an extraordinary experience from start to finish. The choice is between a five-course tasting menu and a chef’s tasting menu, and the prices, though not for the faint of heart, are worth it. You’ll start with not one, but two amuses bouches: a homemade rice cracker with a smoked-salmon spread and delicate edible flowers sprinkled on top, and a buttermilk panna cottta with kimchi and trout roe. The service is extremely attentive and the ambience is sedate and monied. The inventiveness and originality of most courses are exceptional, like the rib-eye steak served over a burning slab of hickory and an actual living terrarium. For dessert, incredibly creamy Hawaiian vanilla ice cream with fresh strawberries and caramel served over a homemade biscuit is a showstopper. —Jacqueline Mroz
66 Witherspoon Street; 609-924-0078

Ember & Eagle

Eatontown

From the moment you walk through the door, you know you’re someplace special. Chef Ryan DePersio’s newest restaurant is located within the beautiful Suneagles Golf Club, in the former officers’ quarters of nearby Fort Monmouth. “It doesn’t hurt that you walk into a mansion, with these beautifully designed rooms,” says DePersio, the award-winning executive chef. “The anticipation builds once you’re walking upstairs to your table or for a drink at the bar.” The food at this lovely spot, which opened last October, is special—from the warm, house-made potato-and-onion focaccia to the delicious crudos to his signature ricotta gnocchi served with a sweet-sausage Bolognese. —J. Mroz
2000 Lowther Drive; 732-443-3009

Faubourg

Montclair

In less than five years, Faubourg has become an institution in New Jersey for fine French dining and celebratory meals—and rightly so. Started by two French culinary veterans who formerly worked under famed chef Daniel Boulud, Faubourg’s Dominique Paulin and chef Olivier Muller have been regularly wowing restaurant-goers with their lively and sophisticated spot. Choose the sleek dining room or the stunning, glass-enclosed patio for your meal, and begin with one of their fabulous co*cktails or a glass of champagne. Start with the tarte flambée, made with fromage blanc and bacon. The steak is cooked to perfection, but for a Gallic treat, try the coq au vin. The pair plans to open a second location in Weehawken this month, and it’s sure to be as busy as this one. —J. Mroz
544 Bloomfield Avenue; 973-542-7700

Felina

Jersey City and Ridgewood

These welcoming haunts share most of a menu, but like fraternal twins, their personalities are distinct. Felina Steak, an expansive Hudson riverfront perch, has a Parisian brasserie look and fashionable crowd, while Ridgewood’s Felina, exuberant and sometimes clamorous, is the twin always up for a party. It occupies a majestic, neoclassical bank reconfigured as varied dining spaces; the rooftop bar, serving the entire menu, is magical. Both Felina menus mix splendid pizza, pasta and meatballs with faves like seared Barnegat scallops, salmon fillet and Prime strip steak. At Felina Steak, the bright, seafood-focused dishes propose “eat light and love it.” —KTH
Felina Steak: 2 Chapel Avenue, Jersey City; 551-277-0588
Felina: 18 Prospect Street, Ridgewood; 551-276-5454

Fiorentini

Rutherford

Fiorentini (Florentines) Antonio and Brenda De Ieso grew up concurrently in Florence, but met in Manhattan. They crafted their own eatery in Rutherford, a town that Antonio considers “like a Tuscan village, so welcoming and supportive.” It’s no stretch to support a restaurant like Fiorentini, which aces pitch-perfect service, a BYO policy, and Brenda’s enchanted-forest decor indoors and out. Antonio’s authentic Italian food is explosively flavorful, artfully composed, and scrupulously seasonal, with myriad ingredients from the Boot. The chef believes that “food can uplift us,” but earthly delights abound here, like voluptuous pink-crab velouté enveloping a ricotta-and-egg-yolk “Raviolo Crab-onara.” BYO. —KTH
98 Park Avenue; 973-721-3404

F1rst

Hawthorne

Adam Weiss’s mom and grandmother cooked and entertained nonstop. He says, “I was their little sous-chef.” Flash forward: Franklin Lakes’ kitchen kid graduates from the Culinary Institute of America and launches an increasingly high-profile Bergen County career. “But my goal was always my own place,” he says. His F1rst, open only a year, satisfies North Jerseyans’ yearning for a serene, suave BYO bistro serving dazzlingly delicious food, like gazpacho creamy with mozzarella, Alsatian-style duck breast with cider-braised red cabbage and sweet potato mashies, and Weiss’s thrillingly reimagined Mounds Bar. More to savor: F1rst’s hostess is—yup, Mom. BYO. —KTH
112 Lincoln Avenue; 973-830-2119

The Frog and the Peach

New Brunswick

It’s a Tuesday evening, and nearly every table is full. The dining room is abuzz with conversation as servers swoosh past, handing out warm bread and delivering co*cktails. After more than 40 years, F&P runs like a well-oiled machine, but manages to stay fresh with interior updates and a host of events, from Friday date-night magicians to wine-pairing dinners. And, of course, its seasonal options that lean on locally sourced meats, seafood and produce are expertly executed. Balance and excitement are menu fundamentals. The offering of Garden State sea scallops hits all the marks: baby bok choy with a hint of crunch, silky avocado, shish*to peppers, and a sprinkling of toasted nori topped with an emulsion of pickled ginger. —DPC
29 Dennis Street; 732-846-3216

Gass & Main

Haddonfield

Nominated this year for a James Beard award as best mid-Atlantic chef, chef Dane DeMarco has brought nostalgia and fun to this alleyway 36-seat BYO that opened early last year. Having run several gastropubs in Philadelphia, DeMarco describes Gass & Main’s concept as “quirky upscale spins on classic dishes.” To fully appreciate DeMarco’s culinary skills, the five-course Dinner Party option lets diners sample close to a dozen of the 37-year-old chef’s creations, from flash-fried Brussels sprout chips to sweet-and-spicy rainbow carrots to truffle gnocchi mac ‘n’ cheese to a funnel cake-based strawberry shortcake. —JPC
7 Kings Court, 973-721-3179

Gioia Mia

Montclair

Finding your niche in a town known for its dining scene is challenging, but this tiny and mighty spot in Montclair proves it can be done. The menu shows this establishment understands its audience: lots of small-plate shareables, a generous selection of house-made pastas, and large plates with streamlined, relatable ingredients. I wrinkled my nose but demurred when my dinner-mates ordered the asparagus tabbouleh to share. One fork in, and I was grateful they had insisted. This rendition pairs nutty bulgur with subtly crunchy cucumber and asparagus, a tangy feta, a sprinkle of dill, and a fresh-mint vinaigrette finish. Lovely. Same for the spring-pea risotto with pickled fennel and grains, perfectly gooey with creamy Gouda. BYO. —DPC
331 Bloomfield Avenue; 973-233-0350

Halifax

Hoboken

Chef Seadon Shouse grew up in a small fishing village in rural Nova Scotia, Canada, and grew to love seafood from a young age. He brings that sensibility to Halifax, located in the W Hotel in Hoboken. The warm, modern dining room looks across the Hudson at Manhattan’s skyline for a stellar view day or night, and Shouse’s kitchen stands up to the view. He smokes fish, seafood and meats in-house, and even makes his own vermouth. From the clam chowder to the New Jersey sea scallops, the ricotta gnocchi to the rabbit campanelle, the menu has something that everyone will savor and remember. —J. Mroz and DPC
225 River Street; 201-253-2500

Il Capriccio

Whippany

Sure, there are restaurants with hipper scenes. But this classic Italian spot, open since 1984, is a longtime NJM favorite for a reason—many, in fact. There’s the delicious food from chef Antonio Grande, like the perfectly prepared Caesar salad, made tableside, and a veal parm that is so tender and delicate, we dare to call it light. Impeccable service comes from a staff who knows the names of practically everyone who walks through the door. The old-school establishment requires proper attire, so dust off your nice duds for a classy lunch or dinner. —Julie Gordon
633 Route 10 East; 973-884-9175

James on Main

Hackettstown

The 36 seats at storefront bistro James on Main are consistently booked solid. Chef/owner Bill Van Pelt opened in 2016, naming the place for his son. “I stay close to my roots,” says the Hackettstown native. “I do this for our community.” In the mix are out-of-town bons vivants paying homage to Van Pelt’s inventive, delectable New American fare, like crispy pork belly hunks with lusty mole sauce, and ravishing diver scallops atop a corn cake. Much of the menu conveys an alluring flicker of smoke from the kitchen’s flaming grill. BYO. —KTH
105 Main Street; 908-852-2131

Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen

Morristown

A 1919 Italianate mansion is a grand and glorious setting, “but that’s where the formality ends,” promises Jockey Hollow owner/culinary director Chris Cannon. Varied dining environments suit your mood: outdoors under French café umbrellas; a cozy, clubby whiskey bar; a serene salon up the marble staircase; or the genial, Art Deco Oyster Bar. Cannon’s vibrant menu, served throughout, tantalizes with lushly textured, rousingly flavorful dishes like Jersey burrata with nutty, peridot-hued pea purée; short rib-stuffed, truffle-perfumed piramidali (triangular pasta); and Jersey-caught black sea bass atop lemon-scented purple quinoa. Jockey Hollow’s Thursday wine dinners are fearless, fun and frugal. —KTH
110 South Street; 973-644-3180

June BYOB

Collingswood

Classically trained chef Rich Cusack was convinced there was still an appetite for French food among today’s foodie set, and to prove it, he launched June BYOB in downtown Collingswood three years ago. Since then, the white-tableclothed, gold-chandeliered, 42-seat dining room has been consistently packed. From the black truffle and duck jus-bathed hand-pressed duck breast to the swirled plate of escargot and royal trumpet mushrooms in Bordelaise sauce, Cusack’s gamble on folks with sophisticated palates has paid off. Meanwhile, for those seeking more casual French fare, Cusack and his wife, Christine, last year opened Café le Jardin, a French bistro in neighboring Audubon. —JPC
690 Haddon Avenue; 856-240-7041

Kinjo

Newark

Located in downtown Newark, Kinjo is the latest spot from chef Jamie Knott (Madame, Cellar 335) for hip foodies—but this time, he’s created innovative variations on Japanese food. Knott says he wanted to open a restaurant where people could share small plates, relax with a co*cktail, and listen to music when a DJ sets up on the weekends—and he delivers. The food is fun and interesting, starting with the bread service, where Knott makes simple steamed bao buns extraordinary with miso butter, crispy scallions and furikake, a Japanese seasoning. Warning: A fight could erupt over the Korean fried chicken wings and smashburger bao buns, already going viral on social media. —J. Mroz
159 Washington Street; 973-944-2828

Lita

Aberdeen

Rock-star restaurateurs David Viana and Neilly Robinson opened Lita in 2023. Homespun yet sophisticated, it offers dramatic, elevated takes on Iberian classics such as paella and piri piri chicken, cooked over a charcoal fire on an open hearth. Family recipes, luxurious ingredients and attention to detail reveal Viana’s reverence for the cuisine that “the people of Newark missed when they left Portugal.” The seasonal, three-course prix-fixe menu is refreshed weekly. An all-chef waitstaff alternates between front-of-the-house and kitchen duties, sharing tips. Adjacent to the dining room is La Otra, a co*cktail nook noted for its globally inspired drinks. —Kelly-Jane Cotter
1055 Route 34; 732-696-8517

Madame

Jersey City

In this cozy, French, subterranean bistro in the former (and beloved) Madame Claude Bis, chef Jamie Knott brings on the hipster vibe in Jersey City. New chef de cuisine Sadie Alberti continues Knott’s vision of providing the perfect spot for late-night noshing (it’s open until 11 pm on Fridays and Saturdays), with flavorful short-rib gnocchi; the famed Madame burger, on a brioche bun with Basque cheese, caramelized onions, truffle aioli and fries; and sublime deviled eggs and caviar. Even the bread service—focaccia with Gruyère and French onion broth ladled over it—is divinely Gallic. —J. Mroz
390 4th Street; 201-876-8800

Ninety Acres

Peapack and Gladstone

Creating a cuisine worthy of the lush environment of Ninety Acres, nestled in Natirar Park in Somerset County, sets a high bar. When chef Peter Rudolph, a West Coast transplant, first spied the grounds, he says, “I felt a deep kinship with this place.” While executive chef of Madera in California, Rudolph earned a Michelin star in 2021, a distinction he describes as simply an outcome of keeping focus on the guests’ experience, “and then working really hard on the consistency of the product to provide that every time.” Rudolph, who joined Ninety Acres two months ago, is still massaging the product—a contemporary American cuisine with French influences. “I am looking forward to connecting with local purveyors and growers, which will play a large part,” he says of the revamped menu. Drawing from the property’s farm is a boon for Rudolph, who believes “vegetables are a continuation of the earth’s energy.” Presentations delight, like creamy carrot butter with fans of fresh dill for the warm, airy brioche buns, and dishes layered “from the top down,” like the duck breast arrayed with golden snow peas and cherries, finished with a foamy bacon jus. —DPC
200 Natirar Dive; 908-901-9500

Ocean Steak

Atlantic City

The finest casino in Atlantic City is Ocean Casino Resort, so it’s no surprise that the city’s finest steak house, with its recently renovated bar, sits inside the towering property. Start with a classic wedge salad, whatever East Coast oysters are being shucked, and the local scallops in a Jersey-corn-purée appetizer. Then dig into the ginormous tomahawk chop for two, topped with the shrimp scampi add-on, of course. —VF
500 Boardwalk; 609-783-8000

Orchard Park by David Burke

East Brunswick

Orchard Park opened in December 2020, at the height of the pandemic, to…no acclaim. “Nobody was talking about restaurants,” says general manager Chris Sjoholm. “We were doing takeout, and we developed a huge local following. Since reopening for full service, we’ve been filling our 125 seats and bar most nights.” No wonder; Orchard Park checks all the boxes. It’s stunning, and service feels like an embrace. Executive chef Erick Dally incisively describes his open kitchen’s output as “rustic and refined,” like his meaty Mediterranean branzino with zesty Sicilian caponata, crispy fingerlings and sparky chimichurri. The buzzy oval bar beckons with superlative co*cktails and eats like Dally’s short-rib grilled cheese on sourdough. Give in to the cookie skillet dessert. —KTH
670 Cranbury Road at Chateau Grande Hotel; 732-554-5714

Osteria Crescendo

Westwood

When he opened this upscale, modern restaurant in downtown Westwood, chef Robbie Felice says he wanted to cook the kind of Italian food he ate while living in Italy—very simple and delicious. He achieves that goal while also creating a place that is warm and inviting. The space is divided in two, with a beautiful bar on one side and a sleek dining room with large windows on the other. Start with the ciccheti, an Italian term for small plates or snacks. The calamari fritti is divine, and don’t miss the fazzoletti, handkerchief pasta served with basil pesto and stracciatella. The desserts are spectacular, especially the chocolate semifreddo, a frozen dessert served with vanilla crema, honeycomb, caramel and peanut crunch. On a recent visit, we practically licked the plates clean. —J. Mroz
36 Jefferson Avenue; 201-722-1900

pastaRAMEN

Montclair

Superstar chef Robbie Felice, a James Beard Rising Chef nominee, achieves a hat trick with this fun and vibrant Italian ramen spot (his other two popular restaurants are Viaggio in Wayne and Osteria Crescendo in Westwood). Here, he successfully melds Japanese and Italian cooking, known as Wafu, to create sensational dishes such as cacio e pepe gyoza, ramen Napolitan and temomi ramen shrimp scampi. It all works wonderfully together. Felice started the restaurant with pop-up tastings around the country, which were so popular that pastaRAMEN was born. The vibe is hip at this BYO in downtown Montclair, which opened just last year, and the music can be loud, but it’s definitely worth the wait for a table here. —J. Mroz
6 South Fullerton Avenue; no phone

Poached Pear Bistro

Point Pleasant

From start to finish, this delightful storefront restaurant is a treat. Owner and executive chef Scott Giordano founded the Poached Pear ten years ago, and his creativity and commitment to fresh, quality ingredients are still evident. From the pear pizzetta to the sesame-crusted ahi tuna to the pan-seared diver scallops served over perfect zucchini and cherry risotto, this place is a winner. BYO. —J. Mroz
816 Arnold Avenue; 732-701-1700

Red Horse

Bernardsville and Rumson

“Red Horse is my passion project,” says chef David Burke. “These are historic restaurants with deep community roots. The challenge is updating them while honoring their legacy.” Red Horse Bernards Inn, once Bernardsville’s beloved 1909-vintage dining room and hotel, has been gracefully nipped and tucked. Its explosively flavorful food is finessed by Chris Grare, who has led kitchens in Hong Kong, New York City and New Jersey. His foie gras-stuffed duck breast is a master class in modern luxury. In Rumson, Red Horse’s no-craving-left-behind menu showcases glorious sushi, superlative steaks, beguiling desserts and a sensational Sunday-brunch value. —KTH
Bernardsville: 27 Minebrook Road; 908-766-0002
Rumson: 26 Ridge Road; 732-576-3400

Restaurant Latour

Hamburg

Restaurant Latour at Crystal Springs Resort exemplifies the kind of rarefied hospitality offering often labeled aspirational, which means pricey. But Latour is inspirational too, proffering refined and restorative evenings that celebrate nature’s beauty and gifts. Dinner is a charmed experience that can stretch for hours, illuminated by sunset over the Kittatinny Mountains, ennobled by wine pairings from the resort’s legendary wine cellar, and graced by genteel service. Diners’ two options—tasting menus of three or seven courses—showcase chef Aishling Stevens’s innovative, micro-local creations, at once garden delicate and robust. —KTH
Crystal Springs Resort, 1 Wild Turkey Way; 844-205-1857

River Palm Terrace

Edgewater

Says John Campbell, who founded this archetypal steak house in 1983, “We’re not about sizzle. We’re all about the steak.” River Palm Terrace’s beef is indeed all that: thick-cut, finely marbled Prime Angus, aged in-house, lovingly seared and broiled, and served precisely to order with a toothsome char. The ebullient hubbub in the vintage, wood-boothed dining room and inviting bar supplies the sizzle. Career waiters with old-school moxie steer diners through the massive menu and wine list. Ours led us to unforgettable steak tartare on crispy rice, sushi chef Andy Lin’s stellar rolls, chef Dino Suriano’s house-made pasta, porterhouse for two with a home-fries pancake, and righteous cheesecake. Long may River Palm Terrace reign. —KTH
1416 River Road; 201-224-2013

Saddle River Inn

Saddle River

Step inside this rustic, old building nestled on the banks of the Saddle River, and you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to another time. Formerly a barn dating back to 1791, the dark wood paneling and water views add to the romance. Chef Jamie Knott took over in 2013, and he continues the tradition of fine, contemporary French dining, but adds a twist—sometimes with Asian influences, such as the Long Island duck served with lo mein and bok choy. This is an upscale establishment with prices to match, but the food and ambience make it all worthwhile. —J. Mroz
2 Barnstable Court; 201-825-4016

Sagami

Collingswood

Editors’ note: As announced in late July, Sagami is closed indefinitely following the passing of co-owner Chizuko f*ckuyoshi. These days, sushi is everywhere. But that wasn’t always the case. The first sushi bars didn’t open in the United States until the 1960s, and Sagami, which debuted in 1974, appears to have been the first sushi restaurant in South Jersey and the greater Philadelphia area. Being first doesn’t always mean being the best, but in the case of Sagami, it remains peerless: impeccably fresh, expertly prepared, and in the same family for all these years. —VF
37 Crescent Boulevard; 856-854-9773

Shumi

Leonia and Ridgewood

Founded in Somerville in the 1980s by Chef Kunihiko “Ike” Aikasa, Shumi moved to Ridgewood in 2016 and debuted in Leonia in 2023. They’re owned and run by Chef Ike and his protégé, Livingston-raised David Seo. One is always on premises, keeping the bliss-out bar high. The twin sushiyas share à la carte lunch and dinner menus spotlighting original, ravishing rolls featuring the likes of marinated, seared Japanese Wagyu beef and sweet miso-brushed, lightly grilled Chilean sea bass. Stupendous dishes are many, like fatty tuna on crispy rice or in a poke bowl. But Shumi’s forte is omakase, the many-course chef’s tasting meal. Shumi Leonia offers a plush, private omakase room where Ike and Seo reverently carve every sublime morsel from fish and mollusks flown in daily from Tokyo. Yet these culinary temples feel more like chic clubs, with sleek décor, Rothko-reminiscent paintings by Leonian Ryoo Ji, and a soundtrack of sexy lounge music. BYO. —KTH
Leonia: 354 Broad Avenue, 201-272-6577
Ridgewood: 70 East Ridgewood Avenue; 201-345-0808

Stage Left Steak

New Brunswick

With its Covid-shuttered townhouse dining room once again seating diners in Roaring Twenties splendor, Stage Left Steak has recaptured its longtime spot on this list. Opened in 1992 by Francis Schott and Mark Pascal, who produced dinners as Rutgers classmates, Stage Left is a cornerstone of New Brunswick’s downtown revival. Diners encounter perfectionism in every sip and bite, whether an Old Fashioned co*cktail; an epic, all-Jersey charcuterie board; a luscious, wood fire-cooked, house-aged steak; or a massive lamb chop, emerging triumphant from chef Ricky Stevens’s live-fire kitchen grill. —KTH
5 Livingston Avenue; 723-828-4444

Zeppoli

Collingswood

Though not located on Collingswood’s central restaurant row, discerning diners have found their way to this small storefront BYO on the edge of town for authentic Sicilian cooking. Opened in 2011, the wood-paneled 35-seater offers a three- or four-course tasting menu for $55-$75 per person. Focusing on fresh ingredients and simple preparations, most dishes were created by owner and South Philly native Joey Baldino, and tweaked by chef Blake Weisman, like rabbit stew in a rich tomato and rosemary-coated potatoes. —JPC
618 Collings Avenue; 856-854-2670

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