Butter & Jam
New and needed, this downtown day café has solid ideas, but too many instances of flawed execution. Its namesakes, as well as its baked and cooked specialties, beg examination. And editing.
Sofra
Combine casual style with artful décor, thoughtful hospitality with spot-on interpretations of classics and you’ll come up with this Turkish haven that no doubt will be your cup of tea.
Chocolate Takeover
Proposition: Eat as much chocolate as you’d like in the next week and tell guilt to take a holiday. Start by popping into a chocolate shop or checking out one of our true-loves – and then indulge.
Four Green Cats Café
Danish and doughnuts – of course. We’re visiting an outpost of the Cezch Republic, after all. But don’t miss the chlebicky, the star of the savory show at a very relaxed day café.
Fortune Cookies
Not your grandma or grandpa’s local Chinese joint, this Hunan specialist is proudly authentic. There are dishes that hit the heights, and dishes that fall short, but there’s nothing that sidesteps sincerity.
Amayar Kitchen
Experience harmonic convergence of the culinary kind at this Burmese storefront where a chef’s command of his homeland’s iconic foods is on display in dishes both simple and complex.
Gub Khao Thai
Simplicity and complexity converge at a newcomer in a food-centric city that showcases the talents of a chef who cooks for diners much like he cooks for himself at home.
Sweet Melissa Patisserie
With its wide range of fine-tuned pastries, detailed to thrill upon first sight, this French-accented bakery plays at a high level, for sure. But don't ignore its savory fare, which sits at the intersection of classic and creative and brings uncommon culinary muscle to its part of the menu.
Ed Schoenfeld
When the ground-breaking envoy for Chinese cuisine died last week at age 72, the Garden State lost a friend, a fan, a force of nature who foraged for everything edible, and an inspiring guide to creating cutting-edge restaurants.
Berg’s Smoked Meat & Poutine
Chef Kevin Berg, hyper-focused and determined to play Pied Piper into the world of Montreal smoked meat, scores a hat trick with sandwiches, a trio of gravy-, cheese- and brisket-topped fries, and sides that just might surprise.
Marcel Bakery & Kitchen
It’s hard to stop ordering at this Middle Eastern/Mediterranean storefront that has taken in its older sibling (MishMish) and now holds double the pleasure for diners both eat-in and takeout.
Esposito’s
If sesame-seed crust pies are on your go-to map for pizza, put this spot (or its sibling in Matawan) on your dine card. Tip on a hit: the vodka sauce pie.