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These NJ chefs share what drives and inspires their cooking at their restaurants.
Miguel Fernandez, Kevin R. Wexler, Michael Karas and Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com
These last few years haven’t been easy for restaurants. Pandemic, labor shortages, supply chain issues, rising food prices.
Many were forced to close.
But that certainly hasn’t stopped new restaurants from opening.
Thanks to the courage and optimism of restaurateurs and chefs, food lovers in North Jersey have a generous number of new spots in which to enjoy food and drink — from seemingly all over the world. Whether you love Italian pasta, Japanese ramen, French snails, Haitian conch or Mexican birria, your dining-out choices in North Jersey have gotten that much better this year.
Check out this list of restaurants — and rejoice knowing that even more are coming in 2023.
Verana, Norwood
When a co-executive chef of now shuttered Del Posto, once considered one of New York City’s best restaurants, opens a restaurant in our region, we food lovers take note. We could barely contain our excitement when we learned that Giuseppe Agostino, who co-headed Del Posto’s kitchen for six years, now heads the kitchen at Verana, a contemporary Italian restaurant he co-owns with Tommy Demaras, a Bergen County resident.
The 65-seat dining room and lounge, that used to be home to longtime Italian spot Ragazzi Restaurant & Lounge, now sports crystal chandeliers and pendants, a 10-seat Carrara marble-topped bar, a full-wall-sized hand-painted mural, wallpaper that resembles gray marble and a big white vase sprouting a long tree branch with faux-greenery that wends its way across the dining room. On its walls hang photographs of legendary celebrities including Sophia Loren pouring champagne and Louie Armstrong slurping pasta.
All regions of Italy are represented on the menu, which features the Sicilian dish caponata, here made with baby beets; the Northern classic of pasta Bolognese, the sauce consisting of both veal and pork; the Calabrian dish of lobster and noodles in in a spicy tomato sauce; and the Aosta Valley-inspired Fontina-crusted pork chop.
Dessert offerings include affogato, tiramisu and that classic rich Italian pudding known as budino.
As for drinks? There’s a full bar and cocktails, including three version of that classic Italian aperitif, the Negroni.
Go: 530 Livingston St., Norwood; 201-347-6759, verananorwood.com.
Madame, Jersey City
It may have taken acclaimed chef and owner Jamie Knott (Saddle River Inn, Saddle River Cafe and Cellar 335, in Jersey City) 22 years to open the restaurant he always dreamed of, but as of late last month, Knott can count Madame, a modern bistro, as his fourth spot.
Knott has completely renovated the space that had housed Madame Claude Bis, a popular two-decades-old neighborhood French restaurant, which shares a door with Cellar 335, his tiki bar. At night — after 10:30 p.m. —Madame turns into a speakeasy, dubbed Bar Panache. Knott hopes it will become a hangout for chefs and other restaurant people.
As for food, there are some straightforward classic bistro dishes on the menu such as escargots, Lyonnaise potatoes and profiteroles, but Knott, as he likes to do, has put his own spin on some. His lobster Thermador is drenched in a rich lobster bisque and sports fennel, sunchoke and celery root; his steak au poivre makes use of skirt steak (not the usual filet mignon); and his burger is gilded with seared foie gras.
Dessert options include lavender creme brulee, profiteroles with pistachio gelato and a crepe “Suzette” cake that is flambeed tableside.
And on the cocktails lists, you’ll find that bright red, happy-making French drink Kir and Kir Royale.
Go: 390 4th St, Jersey City; 201-876-8800, @madamejerseycity on Instagram.
Village Hall Restaurant and Beer Garden, South Orange
Leave it to Landmark Hospitality Group, the folks behind Felina in Ridgewood and The Ryland Inn in Whitehouse Station, to take a dilapidated century-plus old building that served as a jail, courthouse, fire station and government offices, and turn it into an expansive, airy, two-story restaurant, elegant event space, extensive bar and a funky beer garden — while preserving its historic charm and character.
Features left intact include rustic red-brick walls, an old village hall counter and its unique gingerbread house-like exterior, made of brick, stucco and decorative wood trim with a striking octagonal clocktower capped by a green copper dome.
Well-known mixologist Christopher James, who was bar director at Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen in Morristown and beverage director at Felina, is the general manager. Philip Campanella, who was the executive chef at Liberty House for eight years, is the executive chef.
The open-kitchen includes an entire wood-fired line of appliances including grills, ovens and a rotisserie. Ergo, on the menu: hearth-grilled steaks, grilled octopus and grilled wild boar sausage. Artisan cocktails and beers on tap also available.
Go: 101 S. Orange Ave., South Orange; 973-996-8969, villagehallnj.com.
Walnut Street Kitchen, Montclair
Beverly Lacsina, chef and owner of cozy Walnut Street Kitchen, describes her cuisine as “Italian-inspired.” That’s because Lacsina, who helped open Felina in Ridgewood and has worked at Stage Left in New Brunswick, manages to sneak in flavors from all over the world into her dishes, especially the Philippines. It is the country her parents hail from.
Her risotto, for example, is accented with braised oxtail as well as Asian eggplants, Chinese long beans and peanuts to pay homage to the popular Filipino stew called kare kare. Another example: her center-cut pork chop which features hot cherry peppers and sweet sausage filling, the two components — heat and sweet — two trademarks of many Filipino dishes.
If nothing else, get Lacsina’s lush cacio e pepe arancini and her out-of-this-world olive oil cake with orange zest and local honey drizzle. You’ll be craving both for the next few weeks.
Go: 98 Walnut St., Montclair; 973-746-0789, walnutstreetkitchennj.com.
7 Doors Down Ramen Co., Bloomfield
It may have ramen in its name, but 7 Doors Down Ramen Co., a funky, small-sized restaurant that is seven doors down from its sister restaura,nt Blue Steel Pizza Co. on Glenwood Ave., but don’t be fooled. It is so much more than a ramen joint, though there’s no denying that the ramen is very good.
And while it dabbles in Nikkei cuisine, the still rather rare (at least in the USA) amalgamation of Japanese and Peruvian culinary techniques and flavors, don’t fret if you don’t know what it is. All you need to know is that the food at 7 Doors Down is idiosyncratic, madcap, bold and divine.
Get the coconut shrimp bao buns, little parcels of steamed buns slathered with spicy mayo and overflowing with panko-coated fried shrimp. Or the refreshing yet spicy garlic soy cucumber with red pepper flake and szechuan peppercorn. And enjoy a luxurious bowl of duck ramen. Or a hefty platter of lomo saltado. And make room for the strawberries and pisco dessert. You won’t give a darn about the calories. You will be sad, however, when it’s all gone.
Go: 271-273 Glenwood Ave., Bloomfield; 856) 543-9480, 7doorsdown.com
Cranky Noodles, Sparta
A cafe in a bike store?
A cafe that only serves ramen and soft serve ice cream?
Indeed.
Andre deWaal, the acclaimed chef of Andre’s Lakeside Dining in Sparta, always wanted to open a restaurant in a an unexpected place. So he did: in a bike shop called Gears ‘n Grinds where he offers soft serve ice cream (“I love ice cream”) and ramen — a dish that COVID-19 taught him people crave. He offered it at Andre’s Lakeside when limited to takeout — and it was a huge hit.
At Cranky Noodles, there are four ramen options including shoyu broth with beef short ribs and a vegetarian broth with tofu. As for the soft serve, the space is so small that deWaal’s ice cream machine can only crank out two flavors. How does vanilla and Vietnamese coffee grab you? You can also get a cup of specialty coffee or tea.
Go: 85 Main St., Sparta; 973-600-348, crankynoodles.com.
More:These North Jersey restaurant closures broke our hearts in 2022
More:Sneak peek: Madame in Jersey City, acclaimed chef Jamie Knott’s new modern French bistro
More:These are our favorite pancakes in North Jersey, any way you top them
In addition
Kirshenbaum Baking Co., Westfield. Award-winning pastry chef Uyen Kirshenbaum opened this French patisserie and cafe after having a popular online cookie company. Classic cookies offered are salted chocolate chip and snickerdoodle. Dairy-free cookies available include double chocolate chip and Rocky Road. Morning pastries include blueberry and chocolate chip muffins; Bostock with pistachio or candied orange; chocolate and plain croissants; orange cruffin; cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting; and donuts. The baked goods can be enjoyed with a cup of fresh-made espresso, macchiato, flat white, cappuccino latte or cold brew. Kirshenbaum Baking Co. is at 62 Elm Street in Westfield; kbcbakery.com.
Aura Restaurant & Bar, Hackensack. Salads, sandwiches and entrees that run the gamut from linguine with clams to coq au vin. Plus cocktails, beer and wine. 159 Main St., Hackensack; 201-342-3444, aura-nj.com
Tsujita Artisan Noodle, Fort Lee. This is the first East Coast location of Tokyo ramen brand Tsujita. Known for its tsukemen ramen, chilled noodles dipped into hot broth, Tsujita, a 40-seat restaurant, will also serve traditional ramen and rice bowls. Tsujita’s broths are simmered for 12 hours and its noodles are made specifically for the company by Sun Noodles, the acclaimed noodle factory based in Carstadt. 2034 Lemoine Ave., Suite 5B, Fort Lee. instagram.com/tsujitanj.
Fogo de Chao, Paramus. This popular Brazilian steakhouse and bar, an international chain, opened in the Westfield Garden State Plaza, its first New Jersey location. The chefs cook in-house dry-aged steaks over open fires. Also available: seafood towers, pan-seared Chilean sea bass, Parmesan-crusted pork medallions, slowly grilled bone-in double-cut pork chop and tres leches cake. Fogo de Chao is at 1 Garden State Plaza Blvd., Paramus; fogodechao.com.
Tacos is Life, Woodland Park. The Martinez de Dios family of Woodland Park opened a birria tacos spot after losing their jobs during the pandemic. Their beef birria taco is made with super-tender beef that has been cooked for eight hours in a host of Mexican spices, the meat’s broth served alongside as a dip.
The fall-off-the bone chicken in the chicken taco too is cooked for a long time too. The al pastor, marinated pork and pineapples, is the bestseller, though the carnitas, fried pork with vegetables and spices, and the marinated shrimp are popular too. 141 Jackson Ave, Woodland Park; 973-807-8315, @tacos_is_life on Instagram.
Chloe’s Restaurant & Tapas, Paterson. This 50-story BYOB is an homage to Chloe Vila, an avid gardener and cook who died after a car accident. Her brother in law, Sgt. Jose Torres, of the Paterson Police Department, opened it with chef Luis Berrios, who owns Chef Luckie’s Kitchen & Meal Prep in Garfield. It is a Spanish BYOB. The menu selections include such tapas as garlic shrimp; and seared scallops in carrot puree. Large-sized plates include a Cuban Frita Burger, a pork and beef blend patty topped with a fried egg and potato shavings and Spanish mussels with a double garlic sauce. 304 Grand St., Paterson: 973-938-5304, no web site.
Czen, Englewood. This Caribbean-Asian fusion restaurant, right next door to the Bergen Performing Arts Center, offers oxtail dumplings as well as oxtail sushi, bao ban stuffed with jerk short ribs and Mongolian mushrooms, and tempura oyster mushrooms in a housemade Mongolian sauce served over a sweet potato and plantain pancake.
The No. 1 bestselling cocktail is a rum punch made with overproof Wray & Nephew rum. 36 N. Van Brunt St., Englewood; 201-431-9199, czenrestaurant.com.
Chino’s Bakery & Cafe, Palisades Park. A cafe that serves fresh-baked muffins, apple turnover, scones, almond croissants and more. Also available: breakfast sandwiches, lunch sandwiches and specialty coffees. 37 Broad Ave., Palisades Park; 201-699-0830, chinosbakerycafe.com.
Ondo, Jersey City. A sister restaurant of DomoDomo restaurant, Ondo, a Modern Korean restaurant and bar has a menu divided by the temperature of the food. old options include beef tartare with pickled mustard seeds and yellowtail crudo with dill and fennel.
Warm offerings include fried chicken with pickled cauliflower and shishito peppers and spicy octopus pasta. Among the hot dishes are grilled branzino with white kimchi and 16-ounce house-dried ribeye with ssam platter (leafy vegetables in which to wrap the strips of beef). 3 Second St. at Harborside, Jersey City; 201-721-6771, ondojc.com
Magpie Bakery, Bloomingdale. The bakery offers a selection of specialty sweet pies as well as savory hand-pies, the latter filled with ingredients used to make chicken pot pie, shepherd’s pies, mac ‘n’ cheese and French onion soup.
As for sweet treats, you’ll find three flavors scones — blueberry lemon, orange cranberry and chocolate chip — plus one special seasonal flavor’ Sweet pie options includes just about everything from apple crumb to peach raspberry to chocolate maple pecan. 2-14 Riverside Square, Bloomingdale; 973-291-6756, magpiebakerytogo.com.
Kchicke’n Roll, Bloomingdale. Kchicke’n roll is a Korean fried chicken restaurant that also serves sushi, sashimi and sushi rolls. Ramen available too. 78 Main St., Bloomingdale; 973-291-4228, kchickenroll.com.
Nami Nori, Montclair. Three alums of Michelin three-star Masa in New York City, head this open-style temaki restaurant. On the menu: crispy calamari with yuzu soy; Asari clam soup with miso, butter and potato; and veggie miso as well as temakis such as tuna poke with crispy shallots; coconut shrimp with green curry; and eggplant with red miso.
But there are also dishes exclusive to Montclair including a heirloom tomato salad with charred scallion vinaigrette and honey-butter corn ribs as well as a cannoli with mascarpone cream and orange compete. 2 South Willow St., Montclair; 973-655-8805, naminori.nyc.
Okinami, Norwood. Takeout omakase? You bet. This cozy spot offers omakase takeout as well as rolls, sushi and sashimi. 460 Livingston St., Norwood; 201-767-1300, okinamisushibar.com.
Lido Restaurant, North Arlington. This is the second location of the beloved old-school Italian joint on Hackensack’s Main Street, famous for its thin crust pizza and traditional sliced steak sandwich.
The new Lido is bigger and offers lunch. Plus there’s parking — something sorely missed in Hackensack. 11-35 River Road, North Arlington; 201-246-8900, thelidorestaurant.com.
Harvey’s Handrolled Bagels, Montclair. This bakery shop is located with Walnut Street Kitchen (see above). It churns out traditional, hand-rolled, kettle-boiled, baked-on-cedar-boards bagels five days a week. It also sells them stuffed with sandwich makings.
The most popular sandwich, called the Jersey City Devil, features homemade hash brown patty, eggs, Taylor ham and a schmear of spicy scallion cream cheese. 98 Walnut St., Montclair; 973-746-0789, harveyshandrolled.com.
Bobby Wong’s, Hawthorne. A franchise that serves Asian-American fusion cuisine including dishes such as shrimp wonton, lots of chicken dishes, fries and steamed broccoli. 198 Diamond Bridge Road, Hawthorne; 201-347-9877, bobbywongstaohouse.com.
Prime 259, River Edge. This American restaurant and bar has replaced Sonny T in River Edge. On the menu: a 32-ounce Portherhouse steak for two ($120), linguini with clam sauce, roasted duck in a cherry port wine sauce and grilled salmon. Closed Sunday. 259 Johnson Ave., River Edge; 201-342-1233, prime259.com.
Dao Madison, Madison. On the menu at this high-end Chinese restaurant: egg drop soup, three-pepper chicken, Mandarin duck and mala dry pot, a Szechuan specialty of meats and vegetables cooked with a 30-spice blend. Closed Tuesday. 258 Main St., Madison; 973-313-8558, daomadison.com.
Mirak, Cliffside Park. Korean and Japanese restaurant that offers dine in, takeout and delivery. On the menu: vegetable tempura, pork gyoza, veggie yaki udon plus sushi and sashimi. 83 Palisade Ave., Cliffside Park; 201-347-6999 mirakcliffsidepark.com,.
Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, Hoboken. Ready for a dumpling automat? BDS offers 32 flavors of dumplings. How does it work? You order online and then scan a barcode to open a temperature-controlled locker to get your meal. Among the flavors: pastrami, Reuben, Philly cheesesteak and apple caramel. 514 Washington St., Hoboken; 917-409-1691, brooklyndumplingshop.com/hoboken-nj-brooklyn-shop.
The Snackeria, Cliffside Park. Bodegon, Alex Piñeiro’s scrumptious homage to the culinary traditions of Galicia, Spain, the region from which his parents hail, morphed into Snackeria, an all-day restaurant and general store.
Piñeiro’s topsellers can be found on Snackeria’s menu including ham croquetas, fried calamari rings, seared housemade chicken chorizo, and patatas bravas, French fries in a spicy tomato sauce. On its shelves, find the restaurant’s salad dressing, its hot sauce, and mini pork chorizo links as well as its cocktails. Highly recommend: the coffee Negroni, an ingenious take on our favorite cocktail. 631 Anderson Ave., Cliffside Park; 856-521-9135, no website.
Stack Creamery, Morristown. The third outpost of this ice cream shop that specialized in ice cream cookie sandwiches.
Everything in the shop is homemade: the ice cream and the cookies. Ice cream flavors offered include sea salt caramel pretzel, candy cake batter, vanilla peanut butter swirl and mint chocolate chips; cookie choices include chocolate chip, death by chocolate, snickerdoodle and sugar cookie. Customers design their own ice-cream sandwich by choosing every component: the top cookie, the bottom cookie, the ice cream flavor and one topping. 48 Washington St., Morristown; 973-343-5670, stackcreamery.com.
Cafe Troís, Tenafly. The third outpost of this French bakery and brunch spot; the others are in Northvale and Fort Lee. It offers salads, omelets, avocado toast, cakes and sandwiches, plus coffee and tea drinks. 20 Washington St., Tenafly; 201-897-1739, facebook.com/cafetrois3.
Sam’s Bar & Grill, Ringwood. An expansive 300-seat restaurant and bar with 24 lines of beer and nine television screens. Eats include steaks, burgers, hot wings, Indian cheesesteak and Indian club sandwich. 15 Greenwood Lake Turnpike, Ringwood; 973-520-SAMS, no website.
Chutzpah Kitchen, Westfield. Find a slew of homemade hummus bowls, falafel and other Mediterranean food including labneh and chicken shawarma. 1138 E. Broad St., Westfield; chutzpahkitchen.com.
Q-Ba Restaurant & Lounge, Passaic. A Cuban bar and restaurant serving white rice and black beans, ropa vieja (shredded beef stew), Cuban sandwiches, lechon asodo (roast pork), cassava fries and flan. Also on the menu: Angus
beef and New York strip steak, shrimp in marinara sauce, Spanish sausage from Seville and corvina filet served with a 119 Main Ave., Passaic; 973-323-9609, q-barestaurantlounge.com.
MrBeast Burgers, East Rutherfod. On the third floor of American Dream mall, a burger joint by YouTube personality MrBeast, aka Jimmy Donaldson. You’ve got two burger options: Beast Style or Chandler Style. The patties are thin, topped with American cheese; the Beast style adds pickled and sliced white onions. 1 American Dream Way, East Rutherford; 833-263-7326, mrbeastburger.com.
Babka Bailout & Boomerang Bites, Jersey City. Babkas and Australian “slice” treats (known on this side of the ocean as cookie bars or sheet cakes are the focus on this shop, owned by two enterprising Hoboken moms. 476 Central Ave, Jersey City; .babkabailout.com.
Jersey Gyro, Lodi. A Greek fast-casual, primarily pickup and delivery restaurant. On the menu: grilled haloumi cheese, gyros made with lamb, chicken, pork and even an all-vegetable gyro; Greek chickpea salad; and baklava.170 Main St., Lodi; 973-777-4976, no web.
Matcha Café Maiko, Fort Lee. Soft-serve ice cream franchise that began life in Hawaii that serves soft-serve matcha-vanilla, -strawberry and -taro ice cream. The cafe also offers matcha teas and lattes. 1630 Lemoine Ave., Fort Lee; 201- 685-5378, matchacafe-maiko.com/eng.
Colombia Kaliente, Englewood. Longtime Gorman Bros. appliance store morphed into this spanking new breakfast-lunch-dinner restaurant and bar. On its extensive menu, offering chicken wings, guacamole with pork cracklings, shrimp ceviche with avocado, New York strip steak with spaghetti, arroz con pollo, grilled salmon salad, pork loin Hawaiian style and the well-known Colombian dish bandeja paisa, a platter of rice, beans, pork belly, sausage, steak avocado, and homemade corncake. Also available are a variety of mojitos, margaritas and sangrias. 30 E.Palisade Ave., Englewood; 201-569-2510, colombiakaliente.com.
Rafaella’s, Bergenfield. Hot dogs, po’ boy sandwiches, grilled chicken pesto sandwiches, smash burgers, grilled chicken Mediterranean salad plus baked goods. 56 S. Washington Ave., 631-507-8818, facebook.com/Rafaellasfood.
Guzzo’s BakeHouse, Haworth. An Italian bakery and breakfast and brunch cafe helmed by baker Ralph Guzzo and his wife, Guiliana. When the couple moved to Old Tappan three years ago, they decided to open a bakery near home. They took over the space that had been home to Terrace Café, “completely gutted it,” says Guiliana, and turned it into an Italian-American bakery and breakfast and brunch cafe.
Baked goods, all made on premises, include specialty breads, croissants, cannoli, lobster tails, fruit pies, scones and apple turnovers.
However if it’s breakfast, brunch or lunch you’re after, the bakehouse offers a variety of sandwiches, omelets, pancakes (including cannolli), French toast and salads. Also available: specialty coffees and tea. 149 Terrace St., Haworth; 201-685-5360, guzzobakehouse.com.
Crazy Tacos, Cliffside Park. Mexican restaurant offering tacos — chicken, beef, birria, brisket, al pastor, shrimp, fish and more. Also on the menu: salad bowls, quesadillas, nachos and burritos. 350 Lawton Ave., Cliffside Park; 201-699-0888, crazy-tacos.com.
Carnegie Diner, Secaucus. Not to be confused with the long-shuttered Carnegie Deli, this diner, owner by New Jersey residents Stathis Antonakopouloss (Jersey City) and Peter Xenopoulos (Englewood Cliffs) is very much alive, in Secaucus. Carnegie serves an organic mixed salad with its omelets, its pastrami is made from Wagyu beef, its buttermilk pancakes use organic eggs and most of the desserts are made in house, including its famous 24-layer chocolate cake. 700 Plaza Drive, Secaucus; 201-267-6111, carnegiediner.com/secaucus-new-jersey.
Antioch, Englewood. Turkish BYOB offering ground lamb and beef pide (Turkish flatbread), grilled branzino with mixed vegetables, labne, tatziki and baklava. 35 W Palisade Ave, Englewood; 201-408-2550, antiochrestaurant.net.
Don Chicken, Fort Lee. A Korean-style chicken franchise that is primarily a delivery and takeout spot. You have a choice of eight variations of fried chicken; among the most popular are the soy garlic and the sweet and spicy.
The chicken is served boneless, whole, wings, drumsticks or a combination of 10 wings and 5 drumsticks that will feed two to three. In addition to chicken, the restaurant offers rice cakes and gimmari (Korean deep-fried seaweed rolls).There are franchises in Ridgewood, River Edge and Palisades Park. 232 Broad Ave., Palisades Park; 201- 482-0852, donchickenus.com.
Lakay Restaurant, West Orange. This Haitian BYOBis open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Its most popular breakfast dish is spaghetti with Haitian spices offered with a choice of chicken, shrimp or vegetables. Also available: grilled conch, fried pork, jerk chicken and lol, a savory spinach stew. 470 Valley Road, West Orange; 973-323-9393, no website.
The Smoking Crab & Seafood Co., Paterson. A southern-style seafood restaurant serving seafood gumbo, lobster and crab mac ‘n’ cheese, seafood rice, seasoned fried and fried catfish. 301 Main St., Paterson; 609-832-5540, facebook.com/TheSmokingCrabPatersonNewJersey.
Whose Coffee, Englewood. Coffee, tea, Balthazar pastries plus sandwiches. 41 Park Place, Englewood; 201-431-9172, whosecoffeenj.com.
Tito’s Burritos, Tenafly. Swing by for burritos, tacos, nachos and more. 35 Washington St., Tenafly; 551-261-3330, titosburritos.com/location/tenafly.
Fig & Tomato, Hillsdale. The folks behind Cork & Crust, Raw Oyster Bar & Italian Kitchen and Cherry On Top Ice Cream Shop, all in Harrington Park, are behind this “Italian European” bistro. On the menu: short rib mac ‘n’ cheese, wedge salad, gnocchi pesto, paella, chicken Amalfi, veal Milanese and a chateaubriand for two. BYOB. 100 Park Place, Hillsdale; 201-722-8880, figandtomatoeatery.com.
bb.q Chicken, Westwood. A Korean fried chicken spot. In addition to a variety of fried chicken, the restaurant offers Korean street food including rice cakes and fried rice. 32 Westwood Ave., Westwood; 201-367-9534, https://bbqchicken.com/westwood.
Bourbon Street Beignet, Westwood. Ever enjoyed that New Orleans wonder known as beignet? Try Bourbon Street’s in Westwood, where you can also enjoy croissant sandwiches, big cookies, flatbreads made with puff pastry and crumb cake croissants. To drink, sip on Southern iced tea or nutty roasted coffee made with chicory root. The coffee is from Community, a popular coffee company in Louisiana. 301 Center Ave., Westwood; 201-497-8429, bourbonstreetbeignet.com.
Kebab & Kurries, Fairfield. Modern Indian BYOB that focuses mostly on kebabs and curries. . Among its most popular dishes are fiery organic chicken kebab and the “very very” hot chicken vindaloo. Also popular are chicken dumplings.244 Route 46, Fairfield; 862-702-8266, kkbydhaba.com.
Cafecito, Paterson. Latin café Cafecito moved from Prospect Park in Paterson into a much larger location on Park Street. Expect your typical café fare — Taylor ham, egg and cheese sandwiches, Nutella pancakes, turkey-avocado sandwiches — with some Latin standards like pork mofongo, fried green plantains and empanadas. Among the hot drinks: peppermint mocha latte, hot chocolate blanco and hibiscus hot tea. 27 Park Ave., Paterson; 973-782-6975, cafecitonj.square.site.
Ai Sakae Asian Cuisine, Morris Plains. Not sure if you’re in the mood for Thai, Japanese or Chinese food? Ai Sakae makes it easy for you: the restaurant offers all three cuisines. Popular dishes include pad Thai, sushi rolls especially the Mountain Roll, (shrimp tempura and avocado with spicy crab on top) and hibachi dinners. 970B Tabor Road, Morris Plains; 973-998-8818, aisakae.com/index.html.
Wish Upon a Pastry, Midland Park. Bakery offering custom cakes, cookies, macarons, seasonal cupcakes, ready-to-bake cinnamon buns and cakesicles. The cakesicles are offered in both dark and milk chocolate with different fillings. 26 Goffle Road, Midland Park; 201-428-9456, wishuponapastry.com.
Steven’s Cafe, Rutherford. Steven Incekara’s eponymous 2,100-square-foot café that serves Italian coffee, specialty teas, authentic French pastries (from Le French Dad Boulangerie in Montclair), fresh juices and smoothies, hand-rolled bagels (from Mr. Bagelsworth in Edgewater) and an assortment of flavored cream cheese. Also available are omelets, sandwiches, avocado toast, Nutella toast and soon French toast. 106 Park Ave., Rutherford; facebook.com/Stevens-Cafe-Rutherford.
The Parkside Social, Verona. A gastropub by Thomas and Dean Maroulakos, the brothers behind The Barrow House in Clifton and Cowan’s Public in Nutley among others. It replaced Ariane Kitchen & Bar. The menu includes wings, burgers, sandwiches and beer. 706 Bloomfield Ave., Verona; 609-248-4596, theparksidesocial.com.
Butter & Jam Cafe, Madison. As the name implies, Butter & Jam offers jams (house-made) and butters (freshly infused). However, it serves much more — pancakes, French toast, omelets, Nicoise salad and croque monsieur sandwich.
In addition to the usual americano, espresso, cortado and latte, there’s fratte, frozen latte, that is, coffee with ice cream and espresso. 30 Cook Plaza, Madison; 973-261-9213, butterandjamcafe.com.
Gregory Coffee, Paramus. This New York City coffee chain has a dive-thru in its Paramus outpost. Housemade pastries available with a variety of coffee drinks. A vegan special of note: Vegan deluxe, a flaky chia seed croissant stuffed with all plant-based eggs, sausage and cheddar. 393 Route 17 S., Paramus; 201-857-7050, gregoryscoffee.com.
Thumbody, Paramus. Half record store and half cafe, Thumbody serves such pastries as almond croissants and scones, as well as African-American treats, such as sweet Navy bean pie, and Filipino eats, including bright purple ube lattes. 80 E. Route 4, Ground Floor Suite GFW, Paramus; 201-267-6554, Search Facebook for its page.
All Roads, Jefferson. Jefferson’s first all-vegan bakery and coffee shop serves coffees and housemade treats including cupcakes, cookies, cake pops, donuts and muffins. 694 Route 15 S., Lake Hopatcong; 973-885-4391, allroadsveganbakery.com.
Liv Breads, Englewood. A grab-and-go operation selling breads and pastries including its popular country sourdough, flaky croissants and delightful babkas. Not sure what to get? Samples are available. 23 Nathaniel Place, Englewood; 201-731-3334; livbreads.com
Seasons 52, Paramus. Seasons 52 located in the Westfield Garden State Plaza specializes in oak-fire grilling and brick-oven roasting, and none of its dishes contain more than 595 calories. How many calories each dish has is included on the menu. Among the dishes on it: pepperoni flatbread (580 calories), avocado toast (390), lobster bisque (520), 8-ounce wood-grilled filet mignon with mashed potatoes (580) and a side of mac ‘n’ cheese (570).The restaurant has a bar offering wine flights, 52 wines by the glass, beer and cocktails. Go: 1 Garden State Plaza, Paramus; 201-518-1074, seasons52.com/home.
XO Tacos & Bar, Dumont. Tacos, tacos and more tacos. Among the tacos options: al pastor, sisig, yardbird and birria. 20 E. Madison Ave., Dumont; 201-385-2689, xotacoandbar.com.
The Franklin, Secaucus. The restaurant is known for its eggs Benedicts, French toast and huevos rancheros at brunch. As for dinner, popular dishes include octopus in a brown butter with smashed garlic; The Franklin Burger with burrata on a brioche bun; and pasta with lamb ragu. 780 5th St., Secaucus; 201-777-1188, thefranklinsc.com.
Tojo’s Restaurant, Ho-Ho-Kus. Japanese restaurant with such entrees as shio ramen made with a pork and chicken broth cooked for 72 hours and housemade shio truffle sauce; shoyu whiskey ramen topped with pork belly, nori and egg; chicken donburi, chicken fried rice with Japanese-style omelet; and beef curry with rice. Appetizers include tofu buns, edamame and pork buns. 5 N. Franklin Turnpike, Ho-Ho-Kus; 551-210-3584, tojokitchen.com.
Hamilton Mercado, Paterson. A global kitchen located on the first floor of the city’s The Art Factory, an event venue in Paterson.
The 30-seat BYOB offers, among other dishes, borek escargots, chicken tagine laced with rose petals, cloves, apricots and figs, salmon tartar and duck rillette. 70 Spruce St., Paterson; 973-710-847, hamiltonmercadokitchen.com.
Sushi Jugemu, Cresskill. Umeya, the longtime Japanese restaurant, has been replaced by Sushi Jugemu. Omakase as well as sake offered. 156 Piermont Road, Cresskill; 201-888-5649; sushijugemu.com.
