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New Jersey Digest •

Short Ribs and Truffled Scallops Shine at Jersey City's 87 Sussex

It’s a frigid night in the dead of winter—the streets of Jersey City are unusually empty. What better way to warm up than a good meal? Not just any meal will do, though. I want big flavors. I want dishes that leave an impression. I want to forget about the cold outside and melt into the dinner as the courses pass me by, aided by hefty pours of wine along the way. 



I seek refuge inside of 87 Sussex, a new-to-me restaurant that’s putting out a menu rife with flavors from across the globe—cent...
New Jersey Digest •

The 20 Best Things I Ate in 2024, in New Jersey

With 2025 swiftly approaching, I find myself reminiscing on some of the best bites I’ve had in New Jersey this year. With NJ’s food scene constantly evolving, it feels as if the list of best bites gets better each year. I truly believe food to be a universal language—one that I, as a Restaurant Editor, love to share with the world. From perfect pizza pies to stuffed pork gyros, nothing is off-limits. Without further ado, these are the best bites I’ve had—in New Jersey—in 2024. 



In no partic...
New Jersey Digest •

New Jersey's 30 Best Restaurants of 2024

New Jersey excels at more things than we can count. One of our top achievements? Food. Each year, we set out to define the best restaurants that the Garden State has to offer. In this year’s list, you’ll find it all: Chinese-inspired tasting menus, reimagined red sauce joints, Wafu-Italian noodles, authentic paella and more. These are the 30 best restaurants in NJ. No paid partnerships. No geographic appeasement. Just excellent food, drink and service.



5119 Asbury Ave, Tinton Falls



Man...
New Jersey Digest •

Osteria LK Has a Secret Weapon: Delicious Food, No Fluff

For Chef James De Sisto, cooking is clearly a labor of love. This is evident in the way he crafts menus. Seasonings are used to accentuate and not mask. Food is meant to simply be delicious. He dials back the clock in that way, returning to the idea of cooking because you want to serve something that’s delectable—not something that requires a PhD in gastronomy to understand. Food is supposed to be a universal language, after all. 



De Sisto has displayed this idea at his Montclair restaurant...
New Jersey Digest •

Top NJ Restaurant to Host Friends of James Beard Benefit Dinner Complete With Wine Pairing, 5 Courses and More

On December 12, Lita—an Iberian restaurant in Aberdeen Twp—will host a Friends of James Beard Benefit Dinner with the goal of raising money to celebrate the people who run America’s vibrant food culture. The dinner is part of the Friends of James Beard Benefit series, featuring events hosted by individuals, businesses, and organizations outside of JBF that provide vital funding for its programs. 



The event is made possible by Pat La Frieda and Marques de Caceres  Vineyard.



Lita was nam...
New Jersey Digest •

Alma Izakaya Is Popping up at a Popular Montclair Burger Joint

Alma Izakaya is Chef Bill Sanders’ take on an Izakaya, AKA the late night food and drink spots that stud the streets of Tokyo. For Sanders, who was formerly the chef at Newark’s Kinjo, rich ramen broths, chewy noodles, plump gyoza and fluffy bao buns are just where he feels the most comfortable. Alma pops up at various different locations.



His most recent pop-up was held at Gioia Mia in Montclair. The dinner followed a tasting menu format with several a la carte items available to add on....
New Jersey Digest •

Frank Sinatra’s Longtime Hairdresser, Joseph Paris, Discusses Forthcoming Memoir: ‘Hairman of the Board’

There was a lot that went into making Frank Sinatra the star that he was. It went beyond the silky smooth voice and profound lyricism. Sinatra was known for his style—the masterfully tailored suits which often accentuated his adept performance skills, and the way he carried himself. Of course, as an Italian from New Jersey, his hair was anything but an afterthought. The man behind it, Joseph Paris, was instrumental to Sinatra’s image—without him, it wouldn’t be the Sinatra that we idolize today....
New Jersey Digest •

NJ’s Best-Kept Dining Secret: A Tasting Menu You Can’t Miss

One of my favorite parts about what I do is seeing how different chefs choose to tackle the eclectic seasonal changes that the Garden State is known for. Even now, as the shift from summer to fall, fall to winter, looks vastly different than it may have a decade ago, I still can’t help but marvel at the continued strive by chefs to always mold themselves into whatever the seasons might call for. I find this especially impressive in a tasting menu environment—where the menu is not just allowed to...
New Jersey Digest •

NJ Eataly Opens Its Doors, The Mall at Short Hills

Finally, after months of anticipation, Eataly opens its doors at the Mall at Short Hills. It is the first Eataly location in New Jersey. I was lucky enough to attend the grand opening. 



Eataly was founded in Europe by Oscar Farinetti and the chain was brought to the US—Manhattan, specifically—in 2010. It was an immediate success, celebrated for its open market concept, which was unlike any other in New York at the time. Today, the brand has locations worldwide.



The focus was (and rema...
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...
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