The 40 Best Restaurants in New Jersey

The 40 Best Restaurants in New Jersey

The Garden State's dining scene has it all—from incredible Italian food to amazing Asian fare, French cuisine, and more.

One unifying force in New Jersey, something that all of us can agree on, is that there are countless great restaurants here. Everyone has a favorite neighborhood pub, sushi spot, pizza place—and the list goes on. That’s one reason our annual Best Restaurants list is a must-read for New Jerseyans.

Crafting the list is no simple task. Throughout the year, our editors and critics have checked out hot new restaurant openings, revisited old favorites, and tasted countless dishes and drinks—culminating in a meeting of the minds to whittle down our list.

In recent years, the list featured 30 restaurants, but with so many great places to dine in our state, our editors felt that it was time to increase that number to 40. This new list reflects the growing diversity of New Jersey and its variety of cuisines. Several recent openings made the cut, too, which shows the vibrancy of our food scene as well as its resurgence since the pandemic.

What you’ll find below is a list of the 40 restaurants in New Jersey that our editors and critics feel are worthy of being on this selective, annual list. Each establishment features extraordinary food, service, and ambiance, and will present an unforgettable dining experience for any New Jerseyan who visits.

Enjoy!

The Frog and the Peach

New Brunswick

It’s a Tuesday evening, and nearly every table is full. The dining room is abuzz with conversation as servers swoosh past, handing out warm bread and delivering cocktails. After more than 40 years, F&P runs like a well-oiled machine but manages to stay fresh with interior updates and a host of events, from Friday date-night magicians to wine-pairing dinners. And, of course, its seasonal options that lean on locally sourced meats, seafood, and produce are expertly executed. Balance and excitement are menu fundamentals. The offering of Garden State sea scallops hits all the marks: baby bok choy with a hint of crunch, silky avocado, shishito peppers, and a sprinkling of toasted nori topped with an emulsion of pickled ginger. 

Stage Left Steak

New Brunswick

With its Covid-shuttered townhouse dining room once again seating diners in Roaring Twenties splendor, Stage Left Steak has recaptured its longtime spot on this list. Opened in 1992 by Francis Schott and Mark Pascal, who produced dinners as Rutgers classmates, Stage Left is a cornerstone of New Brunswick’s downtown revival. Diners encounter perfectionism in every sip and bite, whether an Old Fashioned cocktail; an epic, all-Jersey charcuterie board; a luscious, wood fire-cooked, house-aged steak; or a massive lamb chop, emerging triumphant from chef Ricky Stevens’s live-fire kitchen grill.

See the entire list here.