Off every turnpike exit, there are foodie fairytales and culinary accounts of iconic classics like the pork roll, disco fries and sloppy joes. However, you’ll also find seasonal Garden State harvests cropping up, ethnic specialties stewing, and places to rest your head—after a great meal.
Collingswood has figured out the equation: Antique shops + cute bakeries + coffee shops + women's dress shops x upscale restaurants like Hearthside, Porch & Proper, and Zeppoli = cool.
Strapped for time and need a crash course on the best food New Jersey has to offer? Join a culinary walking tour with Jersey Girls Food Tours. In three hours, you'll eat and drink your way through four or five different Jersey City, Red Bank, Princeton or Somerville restaurants, meeting chefs and industry experts. Or let the “mutz” melt in your mouth on the Mangia Hoboken! Tours, where you’ll feast on Italian bread hot from oven, brick-oven pizza, and goodies from Carlo’s Bake Shop home of the “Cake Boss.”
Asbury Park has developed quite a reputation as a foodie destination. It has graduated from fried Oreos and French fries to chicken shawarma, ricotta meatballs, and crispy General Tso’s chicken served between two steamed rice buns.
If a stay in Cape May doesn’t include breakfast, try Harry’s original oatmeal pancakes at the Mad Batter, grab lunch at Hot Dog Tommy’s followed by a seasonal five-course prix-fixe meal at the Red Store, or broiled oysters and crab fritters at Mayer’s Tavern.
Embrace the ethnically diverse makeup of the Garden State: savor the barbecued bulgogi of Little Korea in Palisades Park; churrasco steak and empanadas in West New York; Indian chaat and dosas in Iselin; Portuguese paella in Newark; and Indo-Chinese pizza in Edison.
Places to Stay for Your Foodie Getaway:
Asbury Hotel, Asbury Park
The Asbury won't disappoint with its Victorian history and rooftop bar. At The Counter, order "The Classic NJ," served with Jersey's pork roll.
Crown Plaza, Cherry Hill
After resting from a day of shopping, go down to the Embers restaurant in the hotel. Try out the roasted corn and lobster chowder or the flame-grilled flat-iron steak.
Ocean Club Hotel, Cape May
At this luxury hotel, rejuvenate by the pool and order appetizers and cocktails from the Tiki Ten35. Savor a meal at the SeaSalt Restaurant specializing in seafood.
The Oyster Point, Red Bank
Put on your party shoes after a day of exploring Red Bank. Dine on waterfront cuisine at the hotel restaurant, Pearl.
Sheraton Lincoln Harbor Hotel, Weehawken
Take in the views of the Hudson River at this waterfront hotel. Jack Austin's Eat and Drink, the hotel's signature restaurant, uses local products for its Texan and Midwestern menu.
