Food suggestions in Clifton

[scholar399]

My parents are soon relocating to Clifton. Looking for any good spots to hit. Feel free to list anything. At this point, the only thing i know of is Mr. Cupcake!

[PuniceaRana]

For the best pizza and great Chicken Parm go to Dominick's on Union Blvd.in Totowa (right next door to Clifton) The fact that they are pretty much the only pizza joint that does not deliver, yet they manage to still do a very busy take out business should tell you something....esp in a town that has so many pizza places. The place is nothing fancy, only has a couple of small tables for eating in, the vast majority of their business is take out. They have wonderful lunch specials, and make a great gnocchi too!

[foodyum]

I may regret this but I'm giving up my office's favorite peruvian chicken place in Paterson- we've been up and down market st and the winner is tia delias on market and mill st in paterson. Unbelievably nice, folks, and quarter chicken lunch with salad and fries for just over 5 bucks. Have with the inca cola.

[WarmBeer]

Can someone please explain to me the appeal of Tick Tock diner? Been there for breakfast, which was just very standard and somewhat higher priced than most places, with below average service. Outside is appealing with the chrome, etc. but inside is somewhat dowdy. I have been to many many much much better NJ diners including:
Nevada in Bloomfield
Jefferson in Hopatcong
Pilgrim in Cedar Grove
I'd even rather eat at 6 Brothers just a little further west on 46 than the Tick Tock. I figured they must be living off their rep. but when I see several folks here still recommending them I just wonder ... am I really missing something or is it more nostalgia than a real consideration of the current status. I've been to more than 30 places covered by DDD and the T/T was one of the few to really be disappointing.
ed

[tommy]

It seems to me that it's no better than other decent diners. Lots of nostalgia here I think, even though the original structure was moved in the early 90s and replaced with the new building.

[nsxtasy]

>> Can someone please explain to me the appeal of Tick Tock diner?

In three words: World's best cheesecake.

[WarmBeer]

What makes it so good? Creamy or Cakey (I like creamy)? With or without toppings(no toppings for me)? Crust or crustless(a graham cracker crust can't hurt, especially if chocolate or coconut is included-nor frequently found in this area)? Flavors evident other than cream cheese (I like a hint of lemon)?

[menton1]

Better than Junior's?

[Ike]

Kamil's for outstanding Lebanese food. The decor isn't much but in the warmer months, you can sit outside. Really delicious.

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Kamils Restaurant
1489 Main Ave, Clifton, NJ 07011

[menton1]

YOur parents went to Kamil's?

[Ike]

Who, mine? In fact, yes, my parents have gone there several times. They're fairly adventurous eaters, but you don't really need to be that adventurous for Lebanese. If you like Greek, and/or hummus/grape leaves/kebabs etc., then you'll probably like it. The advice is intended for whomever reads it who also is likely to enjoy Lebanese food. If Scholar399's parents are relatively open-minded then they'll enjoy it.

But if you want a fancier place, then try Toros, a Turkish restaurant with gorgeous decor just across the border from Clifton in a decent part of Paterson.

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Toros Restaurant
1083 Main St, Paterson, NJ 07503

[menton1]

Oh, sorry, seemed like you were answering for scholar.

[scholar399]

nO- THEY have not made it until Kamils yet. Toros looks like it should be on the list- done the usual suspects, botany village, ruts hut, hot grill, zinburger, joes, chengdu 46 and tik tock, segovia.

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Kamils Restaurant
1489 Main Ave, Clifton, NJ 07011

Toros Restaurant
1083 Main St, Paterson, NJ 07503

[foodyum]

That's the best Toro's and its pretty on the inside. Great lunch specials.

[menton1]

So where have your parents eaten at, scholar?

[bifpocaroba]

A few others.

The best wings in north Jersey are located in Clifton.... Sharky's Wings and Ray Bar on hihland Ave. Their raw bar is excellent as well.

Chengdu 46 is always rated as one of the top Chinese in North Jersey in NJ Monthly. I havent been there in a while but it was always very good.

You also have a White Castle if your into that.

I agree with above posters, Rutts Hut and The Hot Grill are awesome.

Down In the Botany Village area some very good Polish butchers where you can get very good Kielbasas.

As far as Diners Tick Tock is certainly NJ's most popular and for a good reason but I also like the Lexington Diner. Harp n' Bard is always good for a drink in an Irish Bar setting.

Plenty of places in Clifton and surrounding towns/cities.

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Hot Grill
669 Lexington Ave, Clifton, NJ 07011

Lexington Diner
351 Lexington Ave, Clifton, NJ 07011

Chengdu 46
1105 US Highway 46, Clifton, NJ 07013

[huiray]

"As far as Diners Tick Tock is certainly NJ's most popular and for a good reason but I also like the Lexington Diner."
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I also used to love the Colonial Diner, on Orient way in Lyndhurst just down the road from Clifton.

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Lexington Diner
351 Lexington Ave, Clifton, NJ 07011

Colonial Diner
27 Orient Way, Lyndhurst, NJ 07071

[cleverwon]

Jaimito's - 389 Lexington Ave

AWESOME Peruvian/Chinese food.

[valerie]

Segovia in Moonachie for Spanish food.

http://www.segoviarestaurant.com/

[njmarshall55]

Definitely a thumbs-up for Segovias. I'll second that one!

[briansnat]

Rutts Hut and The Hot Grill for hot dogs. For food shopping, Corrados Market.

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Hot Grill
669 Lexington Ave, Clifton, NJ 07011

[glutton]

Brace yourself for insanity at Corrado's. On the one hand, I loved the huge chunks of St. Agur cheese priced for a song. And I loved the cheap olives, cheap figs, etc. But most of the produce was not terribly high quality (at the same time, it was cheap -- you get what you pay for, I guess) and the store was jammed with folks who would think nothing of running you down with their shopping cart. It was a riot in there and I'll go back, but you have to accept it for what it is.

[phDuh]

100% agree. If there's any way you can make it through with a hand basket, it helps to get through the aisles and not be broadsided. (The large baskets need bumpers and turn signals!)

[menton1]

Travel 15 minutes to Montclair or Rutherford for some better and more creative restaurants. Around Clifton you'll find fast food, red sauce Ital-American and a few basic ethnic places. (Which are good, but sometimes you want a better-restaurant experience). Montclair & Rutherford are restaurant towns.

[bifpocaroba]

LaRiviera on Piaget Ave is excellent.

http://larivieratrattoria.com/

There is also a place near the Allwood Theatre that I haven't been that is supposed to be excellent. Let me do some digging and find out the name.

[huiray]

"There is also a place near the Allwood Theatre..."
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Do you mean Dalto Ristorante? http://daltoristorante.com/

There is also Jamie's Cigar Lounge (http://jamiescigar.com/default.aspx) at Market & Bloomfield... I haven't eaten there in years, though. It used to be a formal sit-down Red Sauce Italian place - but it looks like it has now become a swish sports bar.

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Dalto Ristorante
14 Market St, Clifton, NJ 07012

[maryanne06]

Here's a start: Mario's for great thin-crust pizza, Rutt's Hutt for "ripper-style" hot dogs and Tick-Tock Diner for a fun Jersey diner experience. Nearby on Grove Street in Montclair is Applegate Farms Ice Cream....a wonderful place with great ice cream. Also in nearby Bloomfield is Stamna Greek Taverna, a wonderful Greek restaurant.

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Stamna Restaurant
1049 Broad St, Bloomfield, NJ 07003

Applegate Farm
356 W Main St, Freehold, NJ 07728

Greek Taverna
292 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair, NJ 07042

Tick-Tock Diner
281 Allwood Road, Clifton, NJ 07012

[nsxtasy]

>> Tick-Tock Diner

Gotta love a place whose sign out front says "EAT HEAVY"! :)

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Tick-Tock Diner
281 Allwood Road, Clifton, NJ 07012

[huiray]

It's also a bit of a blast from the Art Deco 50s. Fun place. Decent diner food; I ate there off-and-on when I lived in the area.