The Food Lover’s Guide to Jersey

BY DINA CHENEY

Acclaimed New Jersey chef, Robbie Felice, spent years cooking around the world. But he couldn’t shake a craving for the breakfast sandwiches he’d grown up eating during his childhood here. It was those sandwiches (plus a longing to live near friends and family) that led him to return when he opened his restaurants: Viaggio (Wayne), Osteria Crescendo and Bar Mutz (Westwood), and PastaRamen (Montclair).

Felice is not alone. Several noteworthy chefs trained far afield have set up shop in the state, drawn by its comfort food, high-quality seafood and produce, diverse restaurants, and chef community. Read on to discover their favorites.

Prime Ingredients

“There’s a reason why New Jersey is called ‘The Garden State,’” said Ryan DePersio, who moved back to his home state to open Fascino (Montclair), Battello and The Kitchen Step (Jersey City), and NICO Kitchen + Bar (Newark).

New Jersey farmers grow more than 100 different types of crops, including tomatoes, sweet corn, eggplant, spinach, bell peppers, asparagus, cucumbers, blueberries, peaches, and cranberries, according to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.

Of these fruits and vegetables, blueberries get star billing. They're the top-selling crop celebrated in the town of Hammonton’s annual Red, White and Blueberry Festival. To taste the freshest local blueberries, Jersey tomatoes, and more, order home delivery from Windsor-based Harvest Drop, which sources goods from about ruby-red tomatoes, sweet corn that pops with summer,” he said. “Think heirloom vegetable tartare or blueberry-studded desserts that taste like the earth itself."

Foy's praise extends to the state's fresh seafood, like Cape May oyster's, Jersey Shore fluke, and Long Beach Island scallops "so delicate they melt in your mouth like butter."

Thanks to New Jersey’s vicinity to New York and Philadelphia purveyors, "we can get any ingredients,” points out David Burke, who owns restaurants and a bakery in nine New Jersey towns. His NJ empire includes Orchard Park (East Brunswick and Fort Lee), Red Horse (Rumson and Bernardsville), Dixie Lee Bakery (Keansburg), THE GOAT (Union Beach), Drifthouse (Sea Bright), Son Cubano (West New York), and Ventanas at the Modern (Fort Lee).

VIBRANT ETHNIC FOOD SCENE

"Melting pot" might be a cliched phrase, but "it's a good summary of New Jersey food, said Felice. "There are so many different cuisines in one small state. You can get Peruvian, Mexican, Spanish, Korean...Recently, I went to Sushi Kai in Fort Lee for omakase. It blew me away—I couldn't believe it was in New Jersey."

Arguably, jersey City offers the largest variety of restaurant types, while Edison is known for Indian food, Newark for Portuguese and Brazilian, Fort Lee and Palisades Park for Korean, and Edgewater for Korean and Japanese.

Among his personal favorites, Felice frequents Alpagracia (West New York) for pupusas and Obtaltan (Fort Lee) for Korean barbecue. Anthony Bucco, SVP Culinary Operations, by Landmark and Founder, Heart to Harvest, swears by Shanghai Bun (Matawan) for soup dumplings and hand-pulled noodles and Wasu (Watchung) for sushi.

HOMEY CLASSICS

Humble fare like breakfast sandwiches just might be the soul of New Jersey cuisine, whether served up at pizzerias, bagel shops, delis, boardwalk food stands, or diners. These are not nutritional recommendations—just delicious ones.

BREAKFAST SANDWICH

Called a “Taylor Ham, Egg and Cheese” in North Jersey and “Pork Roll” in the southern part of the state, these sandwiches feature egg and cheese (and often bacon or ham) on a bagel or hard roll. “I always tell friends from out of town to get one, said Felice, who orders his on an everything bagel with “SPK” (salt, pepper, and ketchup). “Any random bagel shop” will have a good one, said Felice.

PIZZA

“It’s a constant battle who has better pizza: New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut,” said Felice, who tries a new pizzeria each week (his favorites include Casano’s Pizza Parlor in Rutherford, Rasco’s in Edgewater, and Kinchley’s Tavern in Ramsey). The state offers different pie styles, including Sicilian, Neapolitan, Trenton Tomato Pie (thin-crust with the sauce on top), and Tavern-style (crunchy, with a thin crust). DePersio’s favorite? Song E Napule in East Rutherford.

Bucco recommends Razza (Jersey City), which he calls the “gold standard” and a “masterclass in ingredient sourcing, fermentation, and simplicity.”

BOARDWALK SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS

For DePersio, a sausage and pepper sandwich on the boardwalk is a “fun” annual shore tradition. Italian American in origin, this “walking food,” as he describes it, features sausages and peppers cooked on a flat-top grill and served on a crispy roll, sometimes with marinara sauce. “It’s the perfect balance: earthy meat, peppers and onions with their natural sugars, chewy Italian bread. You have to decide if you want it with or without peppers and onions,” said DePersio. (Actually, there’s no decision, stresses DePersio. You have to get it with.)

STAR CHEFS

New Jersey cooks might excel at down-to-earth classics. But “we’re not just boardwalk food and saltwater taffy,” emphasizes Felice. New Jersey has been home to standout chefs for years, like Foy (whom Burke describes as the state’s first celebrity chef) and Craig Shelton. Famed for his farm-to-table cuisine, Shelton originally helmed the kitchen at The Ryland Inn (he’s now at Shelton Hospitality Group and Mountainville Manor). In the last few years, more culinary luminaries have flocked to the state. Just take Montclair, home to Faubourg, a French brasserie from two Daniel Boulud restaurant alums; and the forthcoming MM by Morimoto, from “Iron Chef” Masaharu Morimoto. Meanwhile, in Old Bridge, David Viana of Heirloom Kitchen has garnered serious acclaim. Register for one of his cooking classes to learn some of his secrets.

CHEFS’ DREAM JERSEY MEALS

Wondering what DePersio, Burke, and Foy would include in an ultimate New Jersey dinner? Here are their ideal menus:

DEPERSIO would visit Verana (Norwood), “his favorite restaurant of all time.”

He’d begin with polpo alla Luciana (braised octopus with olives, capers, potatoes, and tomato) or carpaccio di tonno (thinly pounded bluefin tuna with tomato confit, almond, pickled shallot, mint, and chile oil). Then he’d order bucatini con vongole Calabrese (pasta with Manilla clams, guanciale, tomato confit, and bottarga breadcrumbs) or tagliatelle al tartufo (pasta with black truffles) and tagliata di Manzo (Snake River Farms Wagyu flat iron steak with Robuchon potatoes). He’d finish with pollo alla Parmigiana, featuring aged mozzarella and tomatoes.

BURKE would start with lobster dumplings or lobster Cobb salad (with lobster from Lusty Lobster) or raw oysters (from Barnegat Oyster Collective). Then he’d opt for pasta (from the Semolina Pasta Shoppe) with ham and wild mushrooms (from Two River Farm). Next, he’d order a duo of bison filet mignon and short ribs (from Fossil Farms) with a sauce featuring Laird & Co. applejack. Dessert would be a pie with seasonal fruit, like blueberries and peaches, drizzled with honey from his backyard.

FOY would start with slow-roasted Cape May soft shell crabs with chive butter, followed by Long Beach Island scallops with cauliflower puree. Dessert would be white peaches (from Von Thun’s Country Farm Market) with cream.

WHAT’S THE LATEST WITH RESTAURANT REAL ESTATE?

When it comes to commercial real estate, it’s now a buyer’s market, said Jennifer Bono, licensed real estate agent, Delaney Restaurant Realty, and blogger. Despite high inventory, sellers should be able to sell, so long as they’re realistic about pricing, she said.

Since food costs have doubled since the pandemic and consumer spending is down, restauranteurs should “keep it simple,” said Bono. “A lot of people think they should go in 100% with $70 steaks and $16-$19 cocktails. But that goes opposite of the trends we’re seeing. The people who will make a lot of money in the next year or two will open a casual bar and grill or neighborhood spot.”

Unfortunately, liquor license laws continue to plague restauranteurs. Currently, liquor licenses can range in price from as little as $25,000 to as much as $1-$2 million, said Bono. In July 2024, Gov. Murphy passed a law intended to ease the transfer of pocket (inactive) licenses. But Bono doesn’t expect many transfers to occur until 2027. “This will take a few years to regulate itself,” said Bono.

A TASTE OF NEW JERSEY HISTORY

The third state is home to many restaurants steeped in history. Here’s a sampling:

• During the Revolutionary War, General George Washington and his troops are believed to have eaten at the Stage House Tavern (Scotch Plains), established in 1737.

• The Black Horse Tavern & Pub (Mendham), from 1742, is believed to be New Jersey’s oldest continuously operating restaurant.

• The Cranbury Inn (Cranbury), founded in the mid-1700s, has hosted noteworthy guests, like Albert Einstein and Brooke Shields.

• Ho-Ho-Kus Inn & Tavern (Ho-Ho-Kus), built as a home in the late 18th century, earned a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for its wine list.

• Set in an early 20th century Tudor-style mansion, Ninety Acres (Peapack) is a fine dining restaurant and cooking school focused on seasonal cuisine.