NJ Food and Fun - New Jersey Foodie - NJ Must Try List

[shabbystorm]

As any real foodie knows it just takes one bite to know it is good!

New Jersey is home to approximately 25,000 restaurants and take out.

Take a NJ road trip and try some great NJ food. Share your Road Trip or fancy night out on the town.

This is a list from my daily eating adventures - Food You Must Try in NJ!

Joe Leone's Point Pleasant NJ - Eggplant Pie
Kyoto Englishtown NJ - Sashimi
Kyoto Atlantic Highlands NJ - Sushi Winter Roll
Olives Princeton NJ - Rocky Road Brownie
Blue Rooster Bakery & Cafe Cranbury NJ - Goat Cheese Galette
David Bradley Chocolate Manalapan NJ - Zany Nuggets
Moghul Restaurant - Hot Fluffy Buttery Naan
Ming Edison NJ - Vegetarian Hakka Noodles
Tung Hsing House Spotswood NJ - Chicken and Broccoli
Krispy Pizza Old Bridge NJ - Grandma Pizza
Carmen's Bakery Union NJ - Best Italian Bread!
Hong Fu Highland Park NJ - Soup Dumplings
Perlins Vegetarian Cherry Hill NJ - Mushroom Bourekas
Yumi Sea Bright NJ - Cheesecake Tempura
Surf Taco Point Pleasant NJ - Surf Taco
Saigon II Lincroft NJ - Vietnamese Egg Rolls
Ling Ling Riverwalk Chinese Basking Ridge NJ - Pancake Wrapped Shrimp
Organic Tofu House Ridgewood NJ - Seafood Pancake
Bluewater Seafood Grill East Brunswick NJ- Roasted Potatoes
Flaky Tart Atlantic Highlands NJ - Macaroni and Cheese and Macaroons
Veggie Heaven Upper Montclair NJ - Vege Roast Pork
Flirt Sushi Lounge Allendale NJ - Spicy Tuna Tortilla
Mendokers Bakery Jamesburg NJ - Cinnamon Sugar Strawberry Paczki
Big Ed's Old Bridge NJ - Baby Back All You Can Eat Ribs
Rosa's Bakery Shrewsbury NJ - Ice Cream Cannoli
Pop Shop Collingswood NJ - Pretzel Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Antonio's Mozzarella Factory Springfield NJ -
Fried Eggplant Mozzarella Red Peppers and Pesto
Greek Store Kenilworth NJ - Pastitito and Mousaka
The Petite Cafe Nutley NJ - Try one of the 100 Stuffed Cupcakes (Pure Genius - Food Art)
Donna Toscana Chocolates Cranford NJ - Olive Oil and Salt Truffle
Panico's New Brunswick NJ - Gnocchi
Lucy's Ravioli Kitchen Princeton NJ - Roller
Harold's Deli Edison NJ - Pastrami Sandwich
Dixie Picnic Ocean City NJ - Upcake
Delicious Orchards Colts Neck NJ - Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Wemrock Orchards Freehold NJ - Peach Pie and Apple Cider Donuts
Fuji Dayton NJ - Yummy Yummy Sushi Roll
Mastoris Diner Bordentown NJ - Cheese Bread
Harvest Moon New Brunswick NJ - Puddin Bites (Oh My)
Ristorante da Benito Union NJ - Pasta e Fagioli Soup
Abbate Bakery Matawan NJ - Pignoli Cookie
Fred and Murray Freehold NJ - Hush Puppy
(Hot Dog Potato Knish Deep Fried In An Egg Roll Wrapper)
White Rose System Highland Park NJ - Taylor Ham Egg Cheese Sandwich
Tiger's Tale Skillman NJ - Crab Melt Away
Tastee Sub Shop Edison NJ - Since 1963
Thomas Sweet Princeton NJ Ice Cream - Blend In
Thomas Sweet Chocolates Princeton NJ
Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Ritz Cracker Sandwich
Spiritos Elizabeth NJ - Veal Parm (Oh My)
Midway Boardwalk Seaside NJ - Sausage Sandwich
Monster Sushi Summit NJ - Sukiyaki Cellophane Yam Noodles
Shanahan's Bakery Milltown NJ - Kifley
Nonna's Marlboro NJ - Holy Moly Cannoli
Bent Spoon Princeton NJ - Lychee Nut Ice Cream
Jack Baker Lobster Shanty Monroe Township NJ - Hush Puppies
Mendokers Bakery Jamesburg NJ - Hammantashen
Old Monmouth Candies Freehold NJ - Peanut Brittle
Siam Garden Red Bank NJ - Shrimp Kung Gai Ob Med
Sunny Palace East Brunswick NJ - E Fu Noodles
El Artesano Union City NJ - Hot Churros
Tick Tock Diner Clifton NJ - Disco Fries
Chocolate Bar Beach Haven NJ (LBI) - Liquid Chocolate
Konbu Japanese Manalapan NJ - Fat Boy Salad
Gimme Jimmy's Cookies Montclair NJ - Oatmeal Raisin Cookie
Salt Creek Grill Princeton NJ - Garlic Fries
Mr C Grease Truck New Brunswick NJ - Fat Cat or Fat Tyrell
Lox Stock Deli Milltown NJ - Fried Kreplach
Petite Soo Chow Cliffside Park NJ - Sauteed Snow Pea Leaves / Rice Cake Noodles
Melting Pot Red Bank NJ - Chocolate Fondue Dessert


Life is short! Eat Well - Stay Happy - Live Long!

[choco_lab38]

Thanks for listing so many reasons why I can never move out of this state! Great list, although we could debate whether Olive's peanut butter cookies trump their rocky road brownies LOL!
I'm happy to say I've experienced most of the places/items listed over the course of my lifetime, and you've mentioned a few new to me, that have piqued my curiousity.
As it happens, I'm having Lucy's butternut squash raviolis for dinner tonight--THAT place is a gem!

[flourgirl]

This is awesome - I'm making it a priority to work my way down the list and vist every one of these places that I haven't already. Thanks so much!

[shabbystorm]

Thanks for the feedback and email.

I keep adventuring and eating with the help of chowhounds and my own pursuit of happiness and amazing NJ foods places. Will update the list in the future with even more Must Try foods in NJ.

[The Professor]

not a bad list.
A big +1 from me on Panico's in New Brunswick. I had Osso Bucco there that truly permanently spoiled me for any other.

I might argue about Big Ed's for ribs (when I had them there they were virtually flavorless if not for the sauce, which there was way too much of (to compensate?) The ribs tasted boiled. Not a good way to do ribs.
Also, while Harold's Deli is indeed very good, just 2-3 miles away (also in Edison) is Jack Cooper's Deli. Jack is long gone, but the current regime is hollding up the torch quite well and at more reasonable prices to boot. Their pastrami is, to me, considerably better than Harold's. And if you venture further north, up Livingston way, there is also Irving's Deli...an awsome take on deli that compaes quite favorably to Katz's in NYC and in some ways, surpasses it. __Really__ great pastrami there as well.

[shabbystorm]

Definitely all can be debated, chowhounds know that best.

Approximately 25,000 restaurants/take out here in the Garden State!

Absolutely agree, there is no way one person, one magazine, or one newspaper can ever know everything there is to eat in New Jersey!

For fun do the math (just hypothetical) Number of restaurants in NJ divided by number of NJ counties - divided by number of towns - minus number of fast food places. This gives you the number of restaurants we would have to visit to see them all (plus and minus new and defunct restaurants). Then factor in travel, time, full belly, long walks, etc. Then calculate the number of food combinations possible at each restaurant with the potential variables of a bad night, sick chef, alternate food shipment, humidity, etc. It is only logically that we can keep on eating different things here in NJ for the better part of our lives. Then statistically the likely hood of each of us picking the exact dish and agreeing, LOL - well that is what makes this world great! We all can learn something from each other.

Happy Eating!

[Passadumkeg]

Then why can't I find great pizza in Middlesex county? Memories of my youth are not to be found.

[jrd303]

What are the qualities that make a pizza great to you Passum?

[Passadumkeg]

NY style thin crust. Have been going to Coffaros for 40 years, but Spezzi's in Sayreville is gone.

[choco_lab38]

Did you ever have Carlo's pizza in what used to be the Sayrewoods Shopping Center (Now Gateway Plaza, or something) on Rte. 9 and Ernston Road? My childhood pizza memories were centered there.
I hear the former owners have/had a place on Bordentown Ave. in the Quick Chek strip mall--haven't been, but have been meaning to try.

[Passadumkeg]

No, but the new location is next to the bank and convenient. Thanks, but I won't have our choco lab.

[shabbystorm]

Got a slice from Coffaros after Rutt's Hut.

This was the most delicious and unique slice of Pizza I ever had!

My husband put it to the top of his list which means it is amazing, he takes his pizza very seriously.

Grew up literally 3-4 miles from this place and never had a slice until today, third generation Coffaro is a really nice guy too.
- thank you.

[Tapas52]

Papas in Trenton (Chambersburg) to me is the best Tomato Pies In NJ hands down. been there since 1912 second oldest in the country.

[shabbystorm]

Went old school today on my way home Bella La Pizza Rt 18 East Brunswick - Same guys - reheated bar pie - great slice!?!

[jrd303]

Another I'd like to put out there are the pupusas at:

Roxana's Pupuseria
621 Lincoln Blvd
Middlesex, NJ 08846

It's a hole in the wall unique and delicious.

[shabbystorm]

THese were AMAZING! Got them to go - Hot and delicious - had a bite of each kind dipped in sauce:
Pupusa Revuelta (Cheese and Pork)
Pupusa de Queso (Cheese)
Pupusa de chicharron (Pork)
Pupusa de Frijol (bean)
Thank you for this post!

[Tapas52]

I love Papusa's....when I lived in Newark years ago there was a Salvadorian Papusaria on Bloomfield Ave we always went to...they even had a fantastic homemade garlic sauce to drizzle on top of them..outstanding! Thank for the heads up gotta try it when in the area.

[shabbystorm]

Ate so much today, it was a nice day to take a long walk.
Thanks to you Tapas52 Had a peanut butter malted from Jersey Freeze todaY!
That was Amazing! It makes the list! THank you.

[Ike]

Hmmm, hey Tapas52, any idea what the pupuseria in Newark was called? I live near there, but I haven't explored much. Oh and by the way, "pupusas" does not have an apostrophe. Sorry, I have a compulsion to point out apostrophe abuse. Don't end up on here:
http://www.apostropheabuse.com

Homemade garlic sauce sounds really good right now.

[Tapas52]

If I could remember it was on Bloomfield Ave near Clifton Ave..

[Lewes17266]

Is Delicious Orchards a restaurant?

[choco_lab38]

Delicious Orchards is now an upscale market and serves prepared foods and is still known for their pies and cider donuts I remember it years back when it was still a working orchard. As a kid it wasn't fall until our family drove down to get our pies, apples and cider. They used to have bee hives too, if I remember correctly, and I was fascinated by that and loved to get pieces of the honeycomb--a Chowhound at an early age!

A similar market that I frequent even more these days is Dearborn Market in Holmdel. They have great meats and stuffed breads, and a grilled turkey wild rice salad that is my favorite! I live in the Trenton area now, so for me to hike to Holmdel for this place says something.

[Lewes17266]

Wow. It sounds wonderful. Thanks so much. These places are on my bucket list!

[Passadumkeg]

My mom & dad loved Delicious Orchards. Mom used to buy sirloin hot dogs for my kids there.

[eatinman]

Frankly I don't find central NJ to be that exciting for food hounds.. . and it maybe do to how close we are to NY city, where the food can be mind blowing excellent.
That said, I think some of the dishes at the Bistro in Red Bank qualify for Must Try list.
Duck Salad - really enough for two.
Lobster Pancakes - although there is not huge quantities of Lobster, there is an sufficient amount of Lobster and they are sooo good!

[FriedClamFanatic]

Very kewl idea........in fact, I may steal it! And since I live just over the river and through the woods from NJ, I may have to attack a few of these!

Thanks

[Passadumkeg]

Look out for Jersey drivers! Statistically, however, Mass ( I'll leave out the holes) motorists are the worst drivers. Gotten better since you moved to the Keytone State?

[FriedClamFanatic]

Well, at least since I got my kid out of driving on Mass roads!

[Passadumkeg]

As fellow full belly clam fan, maybe this thread will help you:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/5273...

You'll get a kick out of what a foreigner you are.
Scargod and I are about to pig out on fried oystters and Q in the deep south next month.
Keg

[FriedClamFanatic]

Gald to see you've become "educated" in the past few years.............and yeah, I'm still jealous! And the Q and orseters sounds great!

BTW.did you ever fill me in on your wife and Chappaquoit? Just want to make sure we didn't date the same gal (if it was......you ARE the lucky one!)

[Passadumkeg]

She was Northfield Acadamy, class of '69! Her bro was Tilton '63.

[FriedClamFanatic]

Although the right age, I don't think she was the one, but I probably met her.

[hotdoglover]

All these places, but not one hot dog restaurant?! New Jersey is known for hot dogs.

[Passadumkeg]

List them for us, please.

[aklein]

I can only name one of the ripper joints in north jersey: Rutt's Hutt in Clifton

But here in Monmouth Cty. (not rippers)...

Max's, Long Branch
Windmill, Long Branch (orig. location)
That Hot Dog Place, Red Bank

[hotdoglover]

There are so many of them. Jimmy Buff's and Tommy's for Italian Hot Dogs. Buff's in East Hanover for their footlong (old Syd's dog), Boulevard Drinks, Rutt's Hut, Hiram's, Max's, the Windmill, Galloping Hill Inn, Jerry's Famous Frankfurters.

[shabbystorm]

LOL never eaten a ripper (I want a really well done one) - or a buff's italian hot dog. Your insight is most appreciated.

[Tapas52]

Rutts Hut "RIPPER" with their special mustard relish is heaven! I even have a nice T shirt for there also everytime i wear it around south jersey people comment & the memories exhanged.

[shabbystorm]

Ok so Hubby took me today for a RIPPER - wanted a creamator - the guy cautioned me cause he thought I could not handle it, caved and got the weller - AMAZING!
It makes the Must try List!
No T-shirt - just a picture of the Sign and the Owl on top of the building.

Next stop - Joe Joe's Italian Hot Dog Toms River NJ and a texas weiner from Hot Grill Clifton. I know can all be debated, read the threads.

[equal_Mark]

Yer not gonna post the pic?

[shabbystorm]

Here are the pictures

[shorebilly]

Rutt's Hutt get a weller, Clifton NJ

[shabbystorm]

Some additions to the original post - from my daily eating adventures and the help of chowhound. New Jersey is a great place..sure there are more to come!

Town Hall Deli South Orange NJ - Sloppy Joe Sandwich Since 1927
The Manor West Orange NJ - Lobster All You Can Eat Buffet
Pierre Chocolat at the General Store Allenwood NJ - Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffle
Restaurant Nicolas Middletown NJ - A Perfect Gourmet Meal!
Rutt's Hut Clifton NJ - Ripper Hot Dog
Jimmy Buff's West Orange NJ - Italian Hot Dog Celebrating 75 Years!
Mart Pretzels Cinnaminson NJ - Soft Pretzel and Boost Slush
Joe's Peking Duck House Marlton NJ - Peking Duck Sandwich
Roxana's Pupueria Middlesex NJ - Pupusas
Jersey Freeze Ice Cream Freehold NJ - Peanut Butter Malted
Delorenzo's Trenton NJ - Tomato Pie (Oh My)
The Scone Shoppe Point Pleasant NJ - Try one of their 40 different Scones
Zoe's Vintage Kitchen Atlantic Highlands NJ - Ham and Brie French Toast

Life is short! Eat Well - Stay Happy - Live Long!

[dani0622]

I forgot how good Town Deli's sloppy joes are.

And yes, on a good day, Zoe's ham and brie french toast is rockin.

[dannyrogue]

I believe you have overlooked New Jersey's most beloved eatery: Hoagie Haven. This place is the jam and anyone within a 1 hour radius of Princeton, New Jersey should make it a point to go try the state's (and possibly the world's) greatest sandwiches and hoagies.

[gbean]

I disagree. Many moons ago they made a great hoagie but it was never the same once it changed hands. Poor quality meat (what little is on there), crappy bread and don't get the cheesesteak unless you're a fan of steak-umms. They're still pretty cheap, I'll give 'em that--but in the end, you get what you pay for.

[frackit]

I agree with gbean. I live in downtown Princeton and eaten at Hoagie Haven on a regular basis for the past 10 years. However it's not because the Hoagies are exceptional, but for the same reason many others do I suspect - its cheap, plentiful, open all the time, and its a Princeton tradition. It's one of the very few inexpensive non-chain options in Princeton. Not to say I don't appreciate it, but I've had better hoagies at random NJ strip malls. Poor quality meat and indeed crappy bread just don't cut it when making a hoagie in NJ.

[jrd303]

Hoagie Haven is great value and certainly beloved but I don't think I'd go out of my way to try it.. If your an hour North save time and just go to tastee in Edison. It's the same style sandwich.

If your over by Keyport hit up Mike's, also near enough in style that I wouldn't go out of my way to go to Princeton.

If you're by Old Bridge go to Carluccio's a little up Rt. 1 in a strip mall just before Damon's Grill if you're heading north. Maybe 2-3X the cost. Take the money you'd spend to travel to Princeton and invest it towards your sandwich. They have well over a 100 different sandwiches and take the time to make it right. I'm 99.99% sure they bring their bread in from Brooklyn every morning.

.

[shabbystorm]

Trying a Bloch at Hoagie Haven Princeton NJ is on my food fun to do list...

[dannyrogue]

What's a Bloch? I'm a Hoagie Haven fanatic but usually stick to the classics: cheese steak (w/ or w/out bacon), chicken parm, egglplant parm. anyway, I'd always be curious to try something new, so lay it one me . . .

[bgut1]

I would like to know as well.
Dannyrogue - How is a cheesesteak with bacon a classic? Sorry, but to me it comes down to either 1) wit or witout and 2) provolone or wiz.

http://www.bestcheesesteaks.com/order...

[dannyrogue]

It's a Hoagie Haven classic . . . I should clarify . . . and for the record, wit' onion and whiz and sixer of Yuengling . . .

[bgut1]

That's how I order mine as well :)

[shabbystorm]

Bloch = chicken parm with bacon and eggs.
http://www.hoagiehaven.com/menu-sandw...

Are you going to fly in from Shanghai for that? LOL

[dannyrogue]

I just may. I just may . . .

[gbean]

Sub Maria's in Hamilton--corner of Nottingham and Hollywood. They make a great sandwich w/ quality meat and just the right amount....

[Passadumkeg]

Seven Hills of Istanbul, Highland Park
Grease Trucks

[The Professor]

Drove by Seven Hills yesterday...looks like they've folded, with a new Lebanese restaurant about to take over in that space.

[ambrose]

Yes, Seven Hills is no more. See the following:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/629039

Interesting that a Lebanese restaurant is going into the Seven Hills space. The only other Lebanese restaurants I'm familiar with are Evelyn's in New Brunswick and Cedars in Somerville.

[Passadumkeg]

Bummer! Any other Turkish in the area? The only other I know of is on rt 9 s in Manalapan. Thanks.

[shabbystorm]

Note: Corrected a spelling error from above, felt bad.

Some additions to the original post - from my daily eating adventures and the help of chowhound. New Jersey is a great place..sure there are more to come!

Town Hall Deli South Orange NJ - Sloppy Joe Sandwich Since 1927
The Manor West Orange NJ - Lobster All You Can Eat Buffet
Pierre Chocolat at the General Store Allenwood NJ - Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffle
Restaurant Nicholas Middletown NJ - A Perfect Gourmet Meal!
Rutt's Hut Clifton NJ - Ripper Hot Dog
Jimmy Buff's West Orange NJ - Italian Hot Dog Celebrating 75 Years!
Mart Pretzels Cinnaminson NJ - Soft Pretzel and Boost Slush
Joe's Peking Duck House Marlton NJ - Peking Duck Sandwich
Roxana's Pupueria Middlesex NJ - Pupusas
Jersey Freeze Ice Cream Freehold NJ - Peanut Butter Malted
Delorenzo's Trenton NJ - Tomato Pie (Oh My)
The Scone Shoppe Point Pleasant NJ - Try one of their 40 different Scones
Zoe's Vintage Kitchen Atlantic Highlands NJ - Ham and Brie French Toast

Life is short! Eat Well - Stay Happy - Live Long!

[evantap]

My favorite restaurant in NJ: Mesob, in Montclair, fantastic Ethiopian cuisine. Far better than Makeda in New Brunswick, IMO. It's a much better vibe, more traditional. Try their vegetarian or meat sampler with any of the following: doro tibs, maiser wat, butcha, gomen, ingudai tibs.

And, my oh my, if you're a coffee drinker make sure you try the traditional Ethiopian coffee. They roast it fresh and it's phenomenal, to say the least.

[jrd303]

I would usually never recomend a place after just 1 visit but today I wound up at the Europa Deli on Amboy ave at the edge of Perth Amboy. I saw a grand opening sign here yesterday and was hoping with a name like Euaropa Deli they would make Chicken Paprikish. I notice walking in that there's a glowing neon pizza sign fashing in the window and I'm scratching my head trying to figure out if there's two different businesses working out of the same space. Whoever heard of an ethnic deli making pizza? I walk up the steps and it's pretty clear that it's one business. Two elbow high tables were in the middle surrounded by barstools and a couple of booths on the side wall. From the outside the signage I'm thinking this may be place that makes their own coldcuts or prepares fresh Eastern European food. Not only that but the place looks more like a bakery than any kind of deli or pizza parlor. There's a whole section with different rolls and row upon row of interesting pastries that I've never seen before. I grab a menu that clearly says Europa Deli and set about trying to find Paprikish or Pierogi. The entire menu ended up being in Spanish. I swear I felt like I was in the twilight zone. I must have looked front to back 3 or 4 times trying to find the European part of the menu to no avail. The entire menu was Spanish. I love Latino cooking just as much as a good Paorikish so I figure let's see what they offer.

I fugure first time I'm in any kind of Latin restaurant there's two things I like to try before I order an entree, If they make empanadas or rice and beans that's the first thing I'm going to order. Fortunately the Europa Deli had both and after seeing empanadas on the menu I look up and on top of the counter is a basket of plump empanadas. They looked like they were about to burst. They offer two kinds. Ham and cheese or one filled with around six difrerent ingredients. I ordered one with ham and cheese and wile waiting for it ordered rice and beans as well. They list pinto's and black beans on the menu. I ordered black beans. Whille they're getting my order ready I look down and see squares covered in red jelly and criss crossed with crust/ and I asked if it was guava.

Ends up that the man and woman running the place are a mix of Uraguayan and Argentinian. I'm guessing they're husband and wife but I'm not certain.. The husband was tending to the ovens and the wife was taking the orders and running the register. They told me it wasn't guava but the equivalent in their culture and used a word I've never heard before.. That peakied my interest and I ordered a slice. It was sort of like guava and was delicious. They have a unique collection of pastries.

Ended up there was a bit of a language barrier. I was served a ham and cheese sandwich instead of an empanada and pinto's instead of black beans. I was dissapointed at first because I really wanted an empanada but the sandwich was fantastic. They told me they do all the baking on premesis and the roll was heavenly. Crusty chewy and flaky, it made for a really good base to a sandwich. They toasted it to the perfect temperature without asking.. I hope that I didn't just have a lucky first experience and this is the way they treat every order.

Though the order was completely messed up I wasn't even really in the mood for latin and I still loved every bite. I wish these people the best of luck cause the meal I was served made my day I hope they get a ton of business so they can keep the products as fresh as they were today..

The rice was a medium grain and was sticky without being over glutenous. The grains still had their individual texture but soaked up the bean gravy nicely. The beans them self were subtle cooked almost to the point of falling abpart and contained a fresh herb that I wasn't familiar with. . .

They opened just yesterday. I'll be back tomorrow for the emapanda. I've never had food from Uruguay or Argentina before today and am pretty excited to get back here for more.

It's very easy to get to as it''s right off 440/287

932 Amboy Ave
Perth Amboy, NJ 08861
[phone]

map:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&... . . .

[Passadumkeg]

Thanks! Just over the (old name Liberty Bridge) bridge from Sayreville, my old stomping grounds. I speak Spanish and lived in South America. There is no Latin food in my neck of the wood, so this is a definite my next visit.

[jrd303]

I've been back there 15-20 times since that post.. While I've enjoyed everything there and I found it to be unique I can't recommend going out of your way for anything there.. As a neighborhood lunch place and a bakery I would say it's wonderful and would feel lucky to live close by. I wouldn't want someone to plan out a two hour drive thinking this is a must have NJ experience and be disappointed though,

If you live within twenty minutes or are passing by on 440 it's well worth a visit. They bake everything on site and all the bread is very good as are all the pastries and the prices are very reasonable. The fillings in the empanadas are consistent and delicious.

They've had steady business and seem to be doing well. My one concern is they don't always have everything on the lunch menu. I've given up on the menu and just ask what they have that day, One day I was served stewed chicken in a tomato broth with potatoes and it was a simple but delicious meal. . .

[shabbystorm]

Please note from the original list above: Petite Soo Chow Cliffside Park NJ Has Closed.

[sockster]

A couple of more additions to the list of greats...these down by the water: Bay Ave Trottoria in Highlands. One of the best around. Ama in Atlantic Highlands serving incredible risotto, and for the best sushi around, Yumi in Sea Bright. Also don't forget Casa Solar in Belmar...every bite is a happy one!

[aacharya]

I wish Chow would allow a wiki for 'sticky' threads.

[ms444]

shabbystorm, this has kept us busy this summer, do you have more suggestions?

[seal]

Here's a few:

Jose Tejas Woodbridge - Gumbo (also great chips and salsa and drinks)
Pad Thai Highland Park - Sausage Fried Rice, Garlic Beef, Shrimp + Avocado curry
Teak Red Bank - Lamb Chop appetizer and drinks
Cucharamama Hoboken - Fabada de Horno and Pisco Sours (and everything else!)
Diaz's Flavor Long Branch - Pernil and rice and beans
Manow Lincroft - Fish Filet Massaman or Rad Prik
Ralph's Ices Lincroft - Cantaloupe Water Ice w vanilla soft serve

I could go on, but I am getting hungry ;o)

[shabbystorm]

Have been very busy eating - the original list was one of my first posts to chowhound.
Yes, have THOUSANDS of suggestions from all my travels.
The best advice is go out there and make your own list.
You never know what kind of delicious happiness you will find.

[dannyrogue]

Shabby,
thanks for getting us all talking. always nice to find new places. also great to know that Jersey has so much great food. Question, do you have recommendations for Jersey Shore Pizza? I know Seaside Heights has the legendary "3 Brothers" place, but there must be a lot of great pizzerias up and down the shore line. Thoughts?

[shabbystorm]

Hi Danny
Pizza/red sauce is a tough one, very personal, so many nuances.
Don't have a recommendation, but definitely search the Chowhound Information Vault, years of data. There are lots of people who have spent their entire lives, decades, eating pizza at the Jersey shore, think they can better direct you.
Or
Post a new thread, cause like life, food in NJ is always changing.
Wish I could be more help.