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New Jersey Digest •

How to Throw a Dinner Party: Roast Chicken, Rice Pilaf and Salad (Plus, Recipes)

I think dinner parties are going to become my new thing. Or, at least, the act of cooking coursed dinners at home. Whether it’s having 5-10 people over for several bottles of wine along with some large format roast, or cooking an intricate meal for an at-home date night—I consider anything that looks to emulate a restaurant meal in your home or apartment as a form of a dinner party. 



The thing with dinner parties is that they’re not nearly as hard as they might seem. We all know the over-th...
New Jersey Digest •

Oldest Mayor in US, NJ Mayor Dies at 100

Mayor Vito Perillo of Tinton Falls died Sunday at 100-years-old while serving his second term. Perillo was the oldest mayor in the nation.



Perillo was first elected mayor at 93 in 2017, and reelected at 97 in 2021. He celebrated his 100th birthday this past September.



Born in 1924, Perillo served in World War II. During his first campaign in 2017, Perillo made headlines as a WW2 veteran running for mayor. He was convinced to run after a series of lawsuits involving the local police dep...
New Jersey Digest •

NJ Burger Joint Revamps the Smash Burger

One of my favorite parts about the ever-evolving world of food is the sheer abundance of burgers it has brought us—different styles, flavors, and interpretations of what I consider to be one of the great American foods. 



The thing with burger styles is that they often follow certain trends. For decades, it was the thick, tavern-style pub burgers that made up the “best of” lists, and before highlighting burgers in print was even a thought, it was the griddled onion burgers that were popular...
New Jersey Digest •

100-Year-Old Seafood Restaurant Named Best in NJ

New Jersey, and specifically the Jersey Shore, has no shortage of great seafood restaurants. Everything from fried fish shacks on the water, to gaudy white tablecloth dining rooms where steamed lobsters flow in excess.



Food media site Love Food recently put together a list declaring the best seafood restaurants in each US state.



The Love Food Editors deemed the legendary Dock’s Oyster House in Atlantic City as New Jersey’s best seafood restaurant. Dock’s has been dishing out shucked o...
New Jersey Digest •

NJ Restaurant Goes Viral For ICE Raid That Never Happened

A West New York restaurant is having trouble keeping business afloat after a viral TikTok claimed to show an ICE raid that the owner says never occurred.



La Pupusa Loca has been serving the West New York community authentic Salvadoran food since 1989. Additionally, La Pupusa Loca has opened a handful of sister locations over the years, including one in neighboring Union City and another in Yonkers. Owner Elio Barrera says he has witnessed a sharp decline in business this week to a tune of...
New Jersey Digest •

NJ Attorney General Joins Suit to Battle Trump Funding Freeze in Court

UPDATE: The White House has since rescinded these claims and has yet to further comment on the matter.



President Trump placed halted payments for federal grants and programs earlier this week. The move was criticized for bypassing congress to stop approved funds as unconstitutional. It faced its first challenge Tuesday when a federal court put a temporary freeze on the measure.



This isn’t the first legal battle the Trump Whitehouse has found itself in since taking office less than two...
New Jersey Digest •

Forget NYC, Hudson County Restaurant Week Has Everything You Need Right Here in NJ

Looking to avoid congestion pricing, but still want to experience an incredible restaurant week? Hudson County Restaurant Week is the logical solution to your problem.



Celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year, Hudson County Restaurant Week has a lot to look forward to, including nearly 50 participating restaurants—each one offering discounted prix fixe menus to celebrate the occasion. The event will run from January 27 to February 7.



At its peak, Hudson County Restaurant Week attract...
New Jersey Digest •

Short Ribs and Truffled Scallops Shine at Jersey City's 87 Sussex

It’s a frigid night in the dead of winter—the streets of Jersey City are unusually empty. What better way to warm up than a good meal? Not just any meal will do, though. I want big flavors. I want dishes that leave an impression. I want to forget about the cold outside and melt into the dinner as the courses pass me by, aided by hefty pours of wine along the way. 



I seek refuge inside of 87 Sussex, a new-to-me restaurant that’s putting out a menu rife with flavors from across the globe—cent...
New Jersey Digest •

The 20 Best Things I Ate in 2024, in New Jersey

With 2025 swiftly approaching, I find myself reminiscing on some of the best bites I’ve had in New Jersey this year. With NJ’s food scene constantly evolving, it feels as if the list of best bites gets better each year. I truly believe food to be a universal language—one that I, as a Restaurant Editor, love to share with the world. From perfect pizza pies to stuffed pork gyros, nothing is off-limits. Without further ado, these are the best bites I’ve had—in New Jersey—in 2024. 



In no partic...
New Jersey Digest •

New Jersey's 30 Best Restaurants of 2024

New Jersey excels at more things than we can count. One of our top achievements? Food. Each year, we set out to define the best restaurants that the Garden State has to offer. In this year’s list, you’ll find it all: Chinese-inspired tasting menus, reimagined red sauce joints, Wafu-Italian noodles, authentic paella and more. These are the 30 best restaurants in NJ. No paid partnerships. No geographic appeasement. Just excellent food, drink and service.



5119 Asbury Ave, Tinton Falls



Man...
New Jersey Digest •

Osteria LK Has a Secret Weapon: Delicious Food, No Fluff

For Chef James De Sisto, cooking is clearly a labor of love. This is evident in the way he crafts menus. Seasonings are used to accentuate and not mask. Food is meant to simply be delicious. He dials back the clock in that way, returning to the idea of cooking because you want to serve something that’s delectable—not something that requires a PhD in gastronomy to understand. Food is supposed to be a universal language, after all. 



De Sisto has displayed this idea at his Montclair restaurant...
New Jersey Digest •

Top NJ Restaurant to Host Friends of James Beard Benefit Dinner Complete With Wine Pairing, 5 Courses and More

On December 12, Lita—an Iberian restaurant in Aberdeen Twp—will host a Friends of James Beard Benefit Dinner with the goal of raising money to celebrate the people who run America’s vibrant food culture. The dinner is part of the Friends of James Beard Benefit series, featuring events hosted by individuals, businesses, and organizations outside of JBF that provide vital funding for its programs. 



The event is made possible by Pat La Frieda and Marques de Caceres  Vineyard.



Lita was nam...
New Jersey Digest •

Alma Izakaya Is Popping up at a Popular Montclair Burger Joint

Alma Izakaya is Chef Bill Sanders’ take on an Izakaya, AKA the late night food and drink spots that stud the streets of Tokyo. For Sanders, who was formerly the chef at Newark’s Kinjo, rich ramen broths, chewy noodles, plump gyoza and fluffy bao buns are just where he feels the most comfortable. Alma pops up at various different locations.



His most recent pop-up was held at Gioia Mia in Montclair. The dinner followed a tasting menu format with several a la carte items available to add on....
New Jersey Digest •

Frank Sinatra’s Longtime Hairdresser, Joseph Paris, Discusses Forthcoming Memoir: ‘Hairman of the Board’

There was a lot that went into making Frank Sinatra the star that he was. It went beyond the silky smooth voice and profound lyricism. Sinatra was known for his style—the masterfully tailored suits which often accentuated his adept performance skills, and the way he carried himself. Of course, as an Italian from New Jersey, his hair was anything but an afterthought. The man behind it, Joseph Paris, was instrumental to Sinatra’s image—without him, it wouldn’t be the Sinatra that we idolize today....
New Jersey Digest •

NJ’s Best-Kept Dining Secret: A Tasting Menu You Can’t Miss

One of my favorite parts about what I do is seeing how different chefs choose to tackle the eclectic seasonal changes that the Garden State is known for. Even now, as the shift from summer to fall, fall to winter, looks vastly different than it may have a decade ago, I still can’t help but marvel at the continued strive by chefs to always mold themselves into whatever the seasons might call for. I find this especially impressive in a tasting menu environment—where the menu is not just allowed to...
New Jersey Digest •

NJ Eataly Opens Its Doors, The Mall at Short Hills

Finally, after months of anticipation, Eataly opens its doors at the Mall at Short Hills. It is the first Eataly location in New Jersey. I was lucky enough to attend the grand opening. 



Eataly was founded in Europe by Oscar Farinetti and the chain was brought to the US—Manhattan, specifically—in 2010. It was an immediate success, celebrated for its open market concept, which was unlike any other in New York at the time. Today, the brand has locations worldwide.



The focus was (and rema...
New Jersey Digest •

Mexico City Speakeasy Named Best Bar in the World

Every year, the best bars across the globe are ranked by The World’s 50 Best Bars. This year’s list highlights 50 varied bars across the planet contributing to the current cocktail renaissance we find ourselves in. The list travels New York to Toronto, Bangkok to LA, but it’s the top spot that is making waves. 



A Mexico City bar was named the best bar in the entire world. 




View this post on Instagram A post shared by HANDSHAKE SPEAKEASY (@handshake_bar)



Mexico C...
New Jersey Digest •

Did Social Media Kill Traditional Food Writing?

It is impossible to ignore how much social media has changed the landscape of food media. At the risk of sounding like a grumpy old man, I can’t help but sometimes yearn for the days when written media was what drove the conversation around restaurants. This isn’t to say that social media has ruined the industry—in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Now, more than ever, there is an abundance of creative and well-researched food content on the internet—and I, as a food obsessive for my entire life—th...
New Jersey Digest •

Chef Sean Gray Revitalizes 300-Year-Old NJ Tavern

I am a total sucker for a restaurant atmosphere—the design choices and how they contribute to a meal’s success. After all, the first thing you judge when walking into a new restaurant is how it looks. It’s the first thing you form an opinion on, no matter how hard you fight it. When a restaurant employs an atmosphere that transfers you to another world, that’s what makes for memorable dining experiences. 



My absolute favorite style of restaurant you ask? That’s easy. The ones that shameless...
New Jersey Digest •

New York Chefs Are Reviving The Classic Diner, Could New Jersey Be Next?

Just recently, the legendary Kellogg’s Diner in Williamsburg, Brooklyn—which has been closed since 2023—reopened with a new concept and a team of talented chefs at the helm. The restaurant now still operates as a diner, albeit with a litany of items you might not expect to find.

Chef Jackie Carnesi—who left her job as the Executive Chef at Brooklyn’s Nura to take over the diner—brings a cuisine near to her heart, and perhaps unexpected for Kellogg’s: Tex-Mex. In a Food 52 article published sho...
New Jersey Digest •

NJ Diner Makes List of Nation’s Best: 5 More NJ Diners Worthy of the Same Praise

A recent article from Time Out Magazine ranked the top 10 diners across the nation and New Jersey owns a spot on the list. Is anyone surprised? We are the diner capital of the world, after all.

This Keyport diner is no stranger to accolades. Broad Street Diner was even rated the second-best diner in NJ back in 2022—which is no small feat when it comes to New Jersey. The local favorite sports 50s-style digs with it’s art-deco exterior, shiny red booths and checker-rimmed plates just a few block...
New Jersey Digest •

NJ Chef Appears on Season 23 of FOX’s Hell’s Kitchen

Chef Gordon Ramsay’s hit show Hell’s Kitchen debuts with its 23rd season tonight and you might notice a familiar face from the NJ dining scene as one of this season’s contestants. 

Joe Tartamella, the Executive Chef of Felina Restaurants (Ridgewood, Summit and Jersey City), makes his TV debut as a contestant on Hell’s Kitchen. The shooting took place over the course of three weeks earlier this year. 

Tartamella, who has been professionally cooking for almost two decades, describes the experi...
New Jersey Digest •

Famed NYC Chef Missy Robbins is Doing a Pop-Up in Hoboken, Here’s How to Order - New Jersey Digest

NJ locals will be able to taste Michelin Star-rated and James Beard Award-Winning Chef Missy Robbins’ food for one day only this Saturday, September 21. The take-out event will take place in Hoboken at the W Hotel and will focus on jarred goods, pantry staples and more. 
Chef Missy Robbins is the visionary behind the wildly successful Lilia and its sister restaurant Misi—both which operate out of Brooklyn, NY. Each restaurant has been highly touted for Robbins’ calculated approach to Italian coo...
New Jersey Digest •

I Tried Every Surfside Flavor So You Don’t Have To, Here’s the Top 5 - New Jersey Digest

With summer now at its practical end, it’s a better time than ever to reflect on what was undoubtedly the drink of the 2024 season: Surfside canned cocktails. It’s the fastest-growing canned cocktail on the market, and is increasingly popular amongst the Jersey Shore bars.
I did the hard work. I tasted every single Surfside flavor—from classic Iced Tea Vodka to the new Strawberry Lemonade—and I have narrowed the list down to my favorites. These are the top five Surfside flavors, according to me....
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