Lady and the Shallot
Inside the Trenton Farmers’ Market is a breakfast-lunch spot where healthy gets a heaping helping of fun and the Mary Poppins duo in charge don’t need a spoonful of sugar to make it happen.
Wonton Guy
Hong Kong street foods are at the heart of this modest storefront where much time is taken early in the day to make by hand shrimp wontons, dumplings and a winsome tomato sauce that can arrive at your table soon after you do.
Ay Caramba
A Mexican seafood specialist rouses familiar fishes and combines elements from myriad Latin cuisines in a setting that invites convivial communal dining. It’s the first dine-card must of the new year.
Our Future
It’s that time of year when prognosticators prodded by the media tell us what we’ll be eating and drinking in the 12 months ahead. But instead of letting others tell us what will be on our tables, why don’t we take control of our own dining destiny?
A Baker’s Dozen from 2023
Once again, with feeling and loving justification, the 13 favorite restaurant dishes of the year that is ending, the dishes that never will be forgotten.
The Nonna Factor
A chain of commanding know-how is entering public eateries, bringing with it tradition, culture, legacy and scraps of precious hand-me-downs. And, sometimes, songs as comforting as a lullaby.
White House Sub Shop
What becomes a legend most? In restaurants, legends are made by meticulous attention to every last detail that goes into procuring, preparing and serving food. They endure when a restaurant understands exactly why it’s in the business.
Jaimito’s
An old-school chifa specialist teaches lessons of a cuisine that connects Chinese concepts with Peruvian ingredients. The execution is top of class.
Milagros Mexican Cuisine
A focus on refined plates and building an atmosphere to match makes this swanky spot stand out from its kitschy competition. But does its promise extend to execution? Kiera Mitru weighs in.
Lil Saigon
The spawn of a legend that once reigned in Atlantic City as well as in a shorter-lived stall in a food hall is but a ghost of its predecessors. Only the pho survives, albeit in scaled-back style.
Black Sheep Bar & Provisions
Chef Nick DeRosa is in charge of his own destiny at this newcomer to an emerging downtown and it shows in plates that express voice and show vision that enlightens and inspires.
Covered Bridge Café
A casual café set on the footprint of a legendary butcher shop offers a drop-in daytime alternative to its dressy older sibling one-tenth of a mile down the country road.