The18 Best Restaurants in New Jersey
Great to see Drew’s Bayside Bistro on the list. Reminds me that we’re way past due for a visit. Never heard of the others except for Rutt’s Hut (never been) and Stage Left (one dinner ages ago).
I’m going to start WW3, but I have to say you can skip Rutts Hut. I just can’t understand it. Never will.
No war here…I’ve eaten there twice and still fail to see the attraction,I venture it’s rabid fans are tempered by a certain amount of nostalgia.
As for Baguette delight…I reviewed it on CH and Yelp soon after it opened and at the time it was the only place I could find a decent Bahn Mi in New Jersey because they would transport their baguettes in from a Vietnamese bakery in Philly. But their present fare proves pale compared to the humblest Viet cafe on Philly’s Washington Ave.
He should have titled that list, “18 Places to Eat When Your Wife’s Out of Town.” I mean, I’ve had some tasty bites at a few of 'em, but they’re mostly spots for quick, greasy eats. Restaurants like Nicholas, Elements, Shipwreck Point, etc. actually use metal utensils.
Lol - too funny. I was thinking along the same lines myself. I never really cared for most of his writing but there are some decent greasy triple D kinda joints on the list. My own list would have included only one spot from his list - Drew’s!
I was happy to see 3 of my favorites on the list (Stamna, The Buttered Biscuit, and Villalobos)…The only one I will never understand is The only one I will never understand is Rutts Hut.
@CurlzNJ I finally made it to the Buttered Biscuit a couple of days ago. Had the Maui Meg’s French Toast…wow. So many interesting menu items and a relative bargain price wise. Don’t know what took me so long to get there.
Glad to hear you agree! I was there for lunch on Friday and again today for brunch and in both cases, my guests were raving about their food. I just think they do it (all) right. One friend who I took there a few weeks ago declared that the crab cakes (she had them over a salad) were some of the best she’s ever eaten.
I also found out why their coffee is so good–it’s TM Ward, which I’ve always liked! (Based in Newark)
Mental note to self; {{stoopid stoopid stoopid, next time remember to use utensils}}
Let me ask you a question, and maybe this should be it’s own thread, but does FOH matter to you when calling a restaurant good or “The Best”?
I cannot and will not ever slight Drew for his food, it is excellent and consistent. However with my dozen + times dining there I can say he needs to pay more attention to the front of the house. Drew is an excellent example in my opinion of the difference between a great chef and a restaurateur.
Drew’s food for it’s style is excellent, no doubt, Drew’s as “The Best” or one of in the State, I don’t know about that.
That’s a great question…imho the FOH absolutely plays in to whether or not I’d rate a place as one of the best; its part of the whole package!
Obviously I tend to agree if you are listing it as one of “The Best” as this article is titled. I know you are still somewhat new to the area, but have you had a chance to try Drew’s yet? I do strongly recommend it, I just can’t say it’s one of the overall best around. lol This is the perfect time of year too, his food is very filing, very hearty.
Haven’t been yet, but it certainly on the list! Maybe I’ll wait until the weather is even colder…
