Resolutions for 2026
We share thoughts on liquor license reform, what needs to be 86’d on menus and what needs to be added, what’s wrong with entrees today, why restaurant kitchens need to be high on fiber, and what solo diners really want. And more.
A Baker’s Dozen from 2025
Culling 13 favorite dishes from 100 times that number eaten in the year now winding down is one heck of a challenging task. But once accomplished, it allows you to rest assured this selection of top eats is worth the effort to experience yourself.
New West Orange Diner
It looks and acts more like a chef-driven café than any roadside iteration of a Garden State cultural hallmark might. That’s because it is chef-driven and offers a sizable selection of well-crafted Peruvian classics in addition to the breakfast-lunch-dinner staples its moniker implies. It’s a new diner for New Jersey – and it’s terrific now and brimming with potential for a new generation.
Ora
A splashy and frenetic restaurant in Bergen County has become something of a Selfie Central even though it purports to be a model for high-style Italian cookery. In the end, it stumbles too often with both its food and its service.
On New Year’s Eve, ’25
Welcome to TPW’s annual guide to dining out on the last night of the year! It’s for those who love stepping out and reveling the night (and even the early morning) away, and it features restaurants we’ve reviewed in the last 12 months. So take a hop-skip through, then don’t dawdle: Reserve while tables remain available and look forward to 2025’s rollicking farewell party.
Matt’s Red Rooster Grill
A reliable all-American that’s been a staple in Flemington for more than two decades isn’t about drastic change – and loyalists want it to stay that way. But change in the kitchen's processes and execution is warranted to correct problems of overcooking, careless plating and misuse of ingredients.
Bocadillo
The most celebrated tapas trails of Spain are reflected on the menu at this neighbor to – and relative of – stalwart Segovia in this Bergen County town. The love and passion owners Dalida and Anthony Treus have for the ingredients of the mother country are on buoyant display. It’s an edible education fit for holidays and everyday.
Boom Boom Chicken, Meet Fresh and HeyTea
Korean fried chicken and its mates followed by a Taiwanese dessert and a cap-it-off beverage at a place that’s become a worldwide phenomenon: It’s all in an afternoon’s eat-around at Festival Plaza. But nothing’s finer than bumping into a favorite food pro behind a counter once again.
1785 FarmDog
Ho-ho-ho and a basket full of smothered burgers and hotdogs! If you’re in the market for a Hallmark movie-ready scene for shopping and a spot of something all-American, this farm-linked storefront in one of the Garden State’s prettiest villages will suit your mood.
Pierogies House
Guess what’s on parade at this modest and modern storefront owned by its Poland-born chef who channels the dishes her babcia made and serves them forth with pride.
goodbeet
A decade-old plant-based eatery strikes notes of individuality in a bowl rallying around chickpeas, a serious take on a wrap-free burrito, and through orbs of eggplant in a sultry tomato sauce. Though there’s a bit of controversy afoot – read on – there’s reason aplenty on the menu to keep supporting what’s been a community favorite.
All’Assassina
An important dish that flourishes in Italy is defamed at a restaurant in Union County that purports to celebrate it. It’s the fault of improper execution and it’s not the only pasta (or pinsa or antipasto) that’s being mistreated.