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New Jersey Digest •

Mexico City Speakeasy Named Best Bar in the World

Every year, the best bars across the globe are ranked by The World’s 50 Best Bars. This year’s list highlights 50 varied bars across the planet contributing to the current cocktail renaissance we find ourselves in. The list travels New York to Toronto, Bangkok to LA, but it’s the top spot that is making waves. 



A Mexico City bar was named the best bar in the entire world. 




View this post on Instagram A post shared by HANDSHAKE SPEAKEASY (@handshake_bar)



Mexico C...
New Jersey Digest •

Did Social Media Kill Traditional Food Writing?

It is impossible to ignore how much social media has changed the landscape of food media. At the risk of sounding like a grumpy old man, I can’t help but sometimes yearn for the days when written media was what drove the conversation around restaurants. This isn’t to say that social media has ruined the industry—in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Now, more than ever, there is an abundance of creative and well-researched food content on the internet—and I, as a food obsessive for my entire life—th...
New Jersey Digest •

Chef Sean Gray Revitalizes 300-Year-Old NJ Tavern

I am a total sucker for a restaurant atmosphere—the design choices and how they contribute to a meal’s success. After all, the first thing you judge when walking into a new restaurant is how it looks. It’s the first thing you form an opinion on, no matter how hard you fight it. When a restaurant employs an atmosphere that transfers you to another world, that’s what makes for memorable dining experiences. 



My absolute favorite style of restaurant you ask? That’s easy. The ones that shameless...
New Jersey Digest •

New York Chefs Are Reviving The Classic Diner, Could New Jersey Be Next?

Just recently, the legendary Kellogg’s Diner in Williamsburg, Brooklyn—which has been closed since 2023—reopened with a new concept and a team of talented chefs at the helm. The restaurant now still operates as a diner, albeit with a litany of items you might not expect to find.

Chef Jackie Carnesi—who left her job as the Executive Chef at Brooklyn’s Nura to take over the diner—brings a cuisine near to her heart, and perhaps unexpected for Kellogg’s: Tex-Mex. In a Food 52 article published sho...
New Jersey Digest •

NJ Diner Makes List of Nation’s Best: 5 More NJ Diners Worthy of the Same Praise

A recent article from Time Out Magazine ranked the top 10 diners across the nation and New Jersey owns a spot on the list. Is anyone surprised? We are the diner capital of the world, after all.

This Keyport diner is no stranger to accolades. Broad Street Diner was even rated the second-best diner in NJ back in 2022—which is no small feat when it comes to New Jersey. The local favorite sports 50s-style digs with it’s art-deco exterior, shiny red booths and checker-rimmed plates just a few block...
New Jersey Digest •

NJ Chef Appears on Season 23 of FOX’s Hell’s Kitchen

Chef Gordon Ramsay’s hit show Hell’s Kitchen debuts with its 23rd season tonight and you might notice a familiar face from the NJ dining scene as one of this season’s contestants. 

Joe Tartamella, the Executive Chef of Felina Restaurants (Ridgewood, Summit and Jersey City), makes his TV debut as a contestant on Hell’s Kitchen. The shooting took place over the course of three weeks earlier this year. 

Tartamella, who has been professionally cooking for almost two decades, describes the experi...
New Jersey Digest •

Famed NYC Chef Missy Robbins is Doing a Pop-Up in Hoboken, Here’s How to Order - New Jersey Digest

NJ locals will be able to taste Michelin Star-rated and James Beard Award-Winning Chef Missy Robbins’ food for one day only this Saturday, September 21. The take-out event will take place in Hoboken at the W Hotel and will focus on jarred goods, pantry staples and more. 
Chef Missy Robbins is the visionary behind the wildly successful Lilia and its sister restaurant Misi—both which operate out of Brooklyn, NY. Each restaurant has been highly touted for Robbins’ calculated approach to Italian coo...
New Jersey Digest •

I Tried Every Surfside Flavor So You Don’t Have To, Here’s the Top 5 - New Jersey Digest

With summer now at its practical end, it’s a better time than ever to reflect on what was undoubtedly the drink of the 2024 season: Surfside canned cocktails. It’s the fastest-growing canned cocktail on the market, and is increasingly popular amongst the Jersey Shore bars.
I did the hard work. I tasted every single Surfside flavor—from classic Iced Tea Vodka to the new Strawberry Lemonade—and I have narrowed the list down to my favorites. These are the top five Surfside flavors, according to me....
New Jersey Digest •

Popular Midwest Burger Chain to Add 4 NJ Locations - New Jersey Digest

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers is expanding its presence across the U.S., with plans to open 21 new locations through four development deals. The expansion includes Monmouth County, New Jersey, where franchisee Peter Labib will establish four new restaurants, according to ROI-NJ.
Freddy’s, known for its fast-casual dining concept, currently operates over 530 locations across 36 states. The company has more than 130 additional sites planned for development in the next two years. Originati...
New Jersey Digest •

CatBird Brings More Than Just Pizza to Asbury Park - New Jersey Digest

Asbury Park’s food scene has been on a constant climb for the last decade. Within the Jersey Shore city, you see the likes of decades-old delis sporting vintage digs, chef-driven menus set in boutique hotels, boardwalk food, and of course, several excellent pizza options. While there are numerous great pizzas in town, I want to talk about the newest kid on the block: CatBird, nestled on Sunset Avenue overlooking Deal Lake. 
CatBird might be new, but the face behind it is no stranger to dishing o...
New Jersey Digest •

Why Asbury Park’s Heirloom Is Still One of NJ’s Greatest Restaurants - New Jersey Digest

There are categories when it comes to restaurants. The simple take-out counters, complete with greasy, paper-wrapped sandwiches. Then there’s the a la carte gems that specialize in no-frills plates. Steakhouses, tasting menus—you name it. The point is this: there are many types of restaurants in the world—and specifically in New Jersey—and there’s a place in my heart for all of them. 
Still, sometimes meals stand out. Sometimes, I leave a restaurant with a different level of satisfaction. Someti...
New Jersey Digest •

Grand Tavern Masters the Art of Timeless Cooking - New Jersey Digest

There’s a common theme with The Grand Tavern. Despite being a relatively niche, if-you-know-you-know type of spot, those who have been, rarely have a bad word to say. In fact, nearly everyone I talk to—from highly respected Chefs to NJ food obsessives—rates it as one of the best in the state. That’s why no matter the night you dine at the Neptune City converted tavern, it’s usually booked and busy.
Locals and traveling diners alike flock to Grand Tavern for Executive Chef and Owner Paul Holzheim...
New Jersey Digest •

"It’s More Than Love" Pizza Legend Al Santillo Begins Rebuild After Tragic Fire  - New Jersey Digest

Earlier this year, the legendary Elizabeth pizzeria, Santillo’s Brick Oven Pizza, suffered a major fire overnight that damaged the space beyond what many thought was possible to repair. However, owner and pizzaiolo Al Santillo, hasn’t lost sight of his comeback. In fact, he tells me that his devotion to the pizzeria is so strong, that giving up was never an option.
Santillo’s Brick Oven Pizza is one of our Top 40 Pizzas in NJ
The Santillo’s fire was unique in that it damaged a piece of equipment...
New Jersey Digest •

The Roxy Specializes in Bistro Fare Without the Borders - New Jersey Digest

If it’s not the eclectic food menu—defined by globe-spanning flavors and techniques—or the poised cocktail menu that veers off into the territory of well-riffed classics, then it might just be the flawless design that pulls you into The Roxy. And once they have you, there’s no sense in fighting it—you’ll be hooked. 
The murmurs of The Roxy were almost too much to ignore. When I first heard word that the team behind what I consider to be one of the best restaurants in the state, Corto, would be b...
New Jersey Digest •

Ram & Rooster’s Chinese-Inspired Tasting Menu Pairs Traditional Concepts With Culinary Poise - New Jersey Digest

I have been closely following Ram & Rooster, a Chinese-inspired tasting menu concept that opened in the Spring, since May of 2022 when Executive Chef and Owner Sean Yan took to Instagram to announce the project. It would be a full two years until the restaurant would open—building the expectations into an almost impossible-to-surmount feat. I spoke with Yan earlier this year about the project, which further added to my excitement. 
I watched as the pieces of the restaurant slowly fell into place...
New Jersey Digest •

Surprise, Sofia Still Excels With Sizzling Steaks, Caviar and More - New Jersey Digest

There are few things in the food world that I enjoy more than a classic steakhouse. The intoxicating aroma of aged steaks—sizzling on hot plates—wafting through the dining room, the showy seafood towers adorned with chilled lobster and caviar, the slabs of thick, house-cured bacon, pours of whiskey to start and full-bodied reds to take you through the meal. I love everything about the classic steakhouse template. 
In North Jersey, Englewood’s Sofia has long impressed diners with Italian-inspired...
New Jersey Digest •

Bar Classics and Community Intersect at Jersey City’s Wing Bar - New Jersey Digest

I love buffalo wings. I have been asked many times throughout my career what my death-row meal would look like. The answer changes a lot, but the most recurring character is a simple plate of buffalo wings. So, when I heard buzz of a spot in Jersey City called Wing Bar with a mission to bring diners some of the best wings in the state—well—I knew I had to try it. 
What I found is a place that does much more than just wings. We’re talking excellent smash burgers, hand-breaded tenders, juicy chick...
New Jersey Digest •

Sunday Motor Co. Is More Than Just a Cafe, It's a Brand - New Jersey Digest

“We try to approach it as a more holistic brand, rather than just a restaurant” says Nick Vorderman, as he looks around the dining room of Sunday Motor Co., his auto-inspired cafe in Madison, NJ. One look at the place, and that statement rings true. Racks of thoughtfully designed merch line the walls, and a green-infused color palette works to define an unmistakable brand identity. Sunday Motor Co. is unlike any cafe I’ve been to in New Jersey—maybe anywhere.
For starters, the cafe is set in an...
New Jersey Digest •

Chef Robbie Felice to Host Hell’s Kitchen Winners for an Exclusive Farm-to-table Dinner - New Jersey Digest

—We’ve got the inside scoop on an exclusive collab dinner with Chef Robbie Felice and Hell’s Kitchen Winners Alex Belew and Ryan O’Sullivan
When I talk to Chef Robbie Felice about cooking, the passion in his voice is palpable. And while the accomplished restaurateur gets excited discussing the Japanese-inspired noodles at his ever-famous pastaRAMEN, or salumi program at his flagship Viaggio, it’s perhaps his NJ farm dinners that excite the chef the most. 
“I shouldn’t even be telling you this ye...
New Jersey Digest •

NJ Pizzeria Makes List of Nation's Best - New Jersey Digest

The New York Times released a list yesterday highlighting 22 of the best pizza places in the US right now. The list, which highlights a variety of pizza styles, includes pizzerias in New York, Alaska and, yes, New Jersey. The Garden State possesses just one spot on the list (as compared to Alaska’s two), but so does New York—so we can’t really complain too much.
So, which NJ spot made the list? Well, you don’t have to be a genius to guess that the New York Times named Jersey City’s Razza as one...
New Jersey Digest •

Stop What You’re Doing and Head to this Belmar Pizzeria; It’s One of Jersey’s Best

I will be the first person to admit that I was late to Pizzeria ‘Lucci in Belmar, NJ. Despite it opening a few months back, and the many, many claims I’ve heard calling it one of Jersey’s best, it took me some time to get there. Better late than never, I say.

My visit to Pizzeria ‘Lucci came with some of the highest expectations I’ve ever placed on a pizza shop. Chefs I respect immensely raved about it. Would it meet that gargantuan bar? You don’t need special powers to know the answer: of cour
New Jersey Digest •

Dueling Tuna, Scallops and More at Five Tastes Collab With 7 Doors Down

If you haven’t yet been to a Five Tastes pop-up dinner, then I’m not really sure what you’re waiting for. Five Tastes is Executive Chef Cedric Gayon’s tasting menu concept, which revolves around modern cooking techniques and globally spanning flavors. He runs Five Tastes along with Chefs Juan Vizueta and Kleber Gomez.

The most recent event was held at, and in collaboration with, 7 Doors Down in Bloomfield, NJ. You probably already know my opinion on 7 Doors Down, which is a restaurant I conside
New Jersey Digest •

New Taco Truck Concept Exceeds Expectations During Montclair Pop-Up

Last week, we broke the news of a new taco truck—Lulu’s Truck—coming to Montclair at the hands of the expert team behind Gioia Mia. You can read that announcement here.

A pop-up dinner was held for Lulu’s at Gioia Mia this past Sunday, which featured a menu rife with Mexican fare in place of the restaurant’s normal menu. If this sneak peek is any indication of what Lulu’s will bring to the table, then Montclair diners are in for a treat when the truck opens officially this summer.

As we popped
New Jersey Digest •

Top Montclair Restaurant Unveils Plans To Open Taco Truck

A top-rated NJ restaurant has unveiled plans for a taco truck—yes, you heard that right—coming early this summer.

Gioia Mia opened in 2023 to instant critical acclaim for their chef-driven menu, which is defined by seasonal produce and global flavors. Owners Mary Cumella and Chef Logan Ramirez have put together restaurant experience that takes diners through the likes of gelee-topped chicken liver mousse, handmade semolina cavatelli with fatty sausage, blood orange-soaked scallop tiradito and H
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