The Best Restaurants in New Jersey:
This Year's Top Performers
The Best New Jersey Restaurants: New Jersey Leisure Guide's
2024 Awards for the Top Performers in 2023
These are restaurants that stand above and apart from the pack of 20,000 + New Jersey restaurants.
Our criteria for evaluating a restaurant to determine whether an establishment stands out in the culinary world include;
Food Quality:
- Quality of Ingredients, The use of fresh, locally sourced, and high-quality ingredients.
- The Chef’s culinary techniques and mastery.
- Flavor Harmony, ensures that flavors harmonize seamlessly.
- Chef’s creativity
- Consistency. Diners should experience the same level of quality every time they return.
Ambiance/Décor:
- Color Scheme. Different colors evoke specific emotions.
- Furniture and Layout: The arrangement of tables, chairs, and booths affects comfort and flow.
- Lighting: Proper lighting enhances the dining experience.
- Decor Elements: Artwork, wall hangings, plants, and decorative items contribute to the overall feel.
- Background music
- Noise level
- Comfort and seating
- Space between tables
Service
- Staff Interaction, friendliness, and welcoming Attitude
- Knowledge and professionalism
- Pace and efficiency of Service
- Attention to details
- Table maintenance
- Menu knowledge
- Knowledge of wine and beverage pairings adds value.
- Problem resolution
- Empathy
- Efficient Billing
Having said all of that, if you are looking for that exceptional dining experience, be prepared to pay more for a top restaurant. The best restaurants incur higher costs to achieve this distinction and need to pass them on in the form of higher prices.
The Best New Jersey
Chef-Inspired Fine Dining Restaurants
Capriccio
Atlantic City, NJ
Website
Capriccio Restaurant is an Atlantic City favorite for "Old World" fine dining. It features Italian elegance, creatively prepared food, and a fabulous Sunday Champagne Brunch. It is the longest running casino restaurant in Atlantic City, opening at the same time Resorts became the first Atlantic City casino to open in 1978. Capriccio is spread over four areas; Cirlo, a contemporary wine bar and lounge area, the main dining room with a high, vaulted ceiling and murals, the sunlit room with high arched windows with scenic views overlooking the boardwalk and ocean, and the outdoor patio also with scenic views overlooking the boardwalk and ocean.
Restaurant Review
Atlantic City, NJ
Website
Capriccio Restaurant is an Atlantic City favorite for "Old World" fine dining. It features Italian elegance, creatively prepared food, and a fabulous Sunday Champagne Brunch. It is the longest running casino restaurant in Atlantic City, opening at the same time Resorts became the first Atlantic City casino to open in 1978. Capriccio is spread over four areas; Cirlo, a contemporary wine bar and lounge area, the main dining room with a high, vaulted ceiling and murals, the sunlit room with high arched windows with scenic views overlooking the boardwalk and ocean, and the outdoor patio also with scenic views overlooking the boardwalk and ocean.
Restaurant Review
Chez Catherine
Westfield, NJ
Website
Chez Catherine, as close as you can find to a taste of France in New Jersey, is a popular "Chef - Inspired Fine Dining" destination for a special occasion and for diners who enjoy high end French cuisine. Chez Catherine is a small 12 table dining room with an elegant, formal, cozy, romantic ambiance. The attractive decor is done up walls adorned in peach tones and beautiful floral arrangements to set the stage for a formal yet cozy and intimate dining experience. A great place to enjoy a special occasion or a romantic dinner for two.
Restaurant Review
Westfield, NJ
Website
Chez Catherine, as close as you can find to a taste of France in New Jersey, is a popular "Chef - Inspired Fine Dining" destination for a special occasion and for diners who enjoy high end French cuisine. Chez Catherine is a small 12 table dining room with an elegant, formal, cozy, romantic ambiance. The attractive decor is done up walls adorned in peach tones and beautiful floral arrangements to set the stage for a formal yet cozy and intimate dining experience. A great place to enjoy a special occasion or a romantic dinner for two.
Restaurant Review
Restaurant Latour
Hamburg, NJ
Website
Located in the Crystal Springs Resort, a 4,000 acre high end Alpine themed hotel resort, it's popular with diners who enjoy high end, upscale fine dining with creatively prepared food, excellent service, and without the "Old Word" stuffy atmosphere found in other fine dining restaurants. Diners get to enjoy the scenic view looking through the floor-to-ceiling windows out over the golf course to the Kittatinny Mountains. In the summer there is outside dining on the patio that gets you close to nature with an un-filtered view of the Kittatinny Mountains. Restaurant Latour is especially popular with wine aficionados. It contains an impressive wine collection and in 2018 was inducted into Wine Enthusiast's America's Best Wine Restaurant Hall of Fame. Restaurant Latour is the only restaurant from New Jersey included in the newly created Best Wine Restaurant Hall of Fame.
Restaurant Review
Hamburg, NJ
Website
Located in the Crystal Springs Resort, a 4,000 acre high end Alpine themed hotel resort, it's popular with diners who enjoy high end, upscale fine dining with creatively prepared food, excellent service, and without the "Old Word" stuffy atmosphere found in other fine dining restaurants. Diners get to enjoy the scenic view looking through the floor-to-ceiling windows out over the golf course to the Kittatinny Mountains. In the summer there is outside dining on the patio that gets you close to nature with an un-filtered view of the Kittatinny Mountains. Restaurant Latour is especially popular with wine aficionados. It contains an impressive wine collection and in 2018 was inducted into Wine Enthusiast's America's Best Wine Restaurant Hall of Fame. Restaurant Latour is the only restaurant from New Jersey included in the newly created Best Wine Restaurant Hall of Fame.
Restaurant Review
Ristorante LUCCA
Bordentown, NJ
Website
Ristorante Lucca is a luxurious romantic fine dining restaurant offering an exquisite experience that combines exceptional ambiance, delectable food, and impeccable service.
The ambiance sets the stage for a romantic evening, with soft lighting, elegant decor, and intimate seating arrangements. The restaurant exudes an air of sophistication and charm, creating a perfect atmosphere for couples to enjoy a special occasion or a romantic date night.
Restaurant Review
Bordentown, NJ
Website
Ristorante Lucca is a luxurious romantic fine dining restaurant offering an exquisite experience that combines exceptional ambiance, delectable food, and impeccable service.
The ambiance sets the stage for a romantic evening, with soft lighting, elegant decor, and intimate seating arrangements. The restaurant exudes an air of sophistication and charm, creating a perfect atmosphere for couples to enjoy a special occasion or a romantic date night.
Restaurant Review
Verana Cucina Italiana
Norwood, NJ
Website
Verana Cucina Italiana is one of the best Italian restaurants in Northern New Jersey. This is a popular restaurant for diners who enjoy a well-executed, scratch menu prepared with quality ingredients and creatively presented. The upscale, elegant ambiance has a NYC vibe and excellent hospitality that adds to the experience of a taste of Italy.
Read Review
Norwood, NJ
Website
Verana Cucina Italiana is one of the best Italian restaurants in Northern New Jersey. This is a popular restaurant for diners who enjoy a well-executed, scratch menu prepared with quality ingredients and creatively presented. The upscale, elegant ambiance has a NYC vibe and excellent hospitality that adds to the experience of a taste of Italy.
Read Review
The Best New Jersey
Chef-Inspired Casual Dining Restaurants
Canal House Station
Milford, NJ
Website
On the site of a converted 1870 historic train station, The Canal House Station is one of New Jersey's hidden gems. This upscale, Chef-Inspired, casual Dining restaurant is set in a beautifully renovated historic train station with high ceilings, wood beams, and with details that were blended into keeping the feeling of an old train station.
Restaurant review
Milford, NJ
Website
On the site of a converted 1870 historic train station, The Canal House Station is one of New Jersey's hidden gems. This upscale, Chef-Inspired, casual Dining restaurant is set in a beautifully renovated historic train station with high ceilings, wood beams, and with details that were blended into keeping the feeling of an old train station.
Restaurant review
Common Lot
Millburn, NJ
Website
Common Lot is an exceptional restaurant with many forward-thinking twists that are not to be found in other New Jersey restaurants. Diners come to enjoy an inventive eclectic menu, prepared with fresh farm to table ingredients, in an attractive industrial chic setting. The food is inventive and well executed using farm fresh locally sourced ingredients The menu is offered in three sizes "Smalls to Share", appetizer sized portions, " Big" for traditional size entrees, and "Shared Mains for Two", usually meats, served in huge portions meant to be shared.
Restaurant Review
Millburn, NJ
Website
Common Lot is an exceptional restaurant with many forward-thinking twists that are not to be found in other New Jersey restaurants. Diners come to enjoy an inventive eclectic menu, prepared with fresh farm to table ingredients, in an attractive industrial chic setting. The food is inventive and well executed using farm fresh locally sourced ingredients The menu is offered in three sizes "Smalls to Share", appetizer sized portions, " Big" for traditional size entrees, and "Shared Mains for Two", usually meats, served in huge portions meant to be shared.
Restaurant Review
Elements
Princeton, NJ
Website
This high end, upscale restaurant pushes the envelope with extraordinary food preparation and a non-traditional service model. Acclaimed chef Scot Anderson serves up a New American menu with Japanese/Asian influences that changes daily to feature the freshest ingredients sourced from local farms and producers. These ingredients are prepared using progressive, modern techniques to draw out the purest flavors. Popular with diners who are open to a new non-traditional dining experience with a creative, inspired menu using fresh farm to table ingredients in an upscale, trendy setting.
Restaurant Review
Princeton, NJ
Website
This high end, upscale restaurant pushes the envelope with extraordinary food preparation and a non-traditional service model. Acclaimed chef Scot Anderson serves up a New American menu with Japanese/Asian influences that changes daily to feature the freshest ingredients sourced from local farms and producers. These ingredients are prepared using progressive, modern techniques to draw out the purest flavors. Popular with diners who are open to a new non-traditional dining experience with a creative, inspired menu using fresh farm to table ingredients in an upscale, trendy setting.
Restaurant Review
Hearthside
Collingswood, NJ
Website
Hearthside is an extraordinary Collingswood BYOB restaurant with rustic, elegant ambiance. They serve a contemporary American, inventive wood-fired, well executed menu. They are committed to preparing their dishes with high quality, fresh local and seasonal products.
Restaurant Review
Collingswood, NJ
Website
Hearthside is an extraordinary Collingswood BYOB restaurant with rustic, elegant ambiance. They serve a contemporary American, inventive wood-fired, well executed menu. They are committed to preparing their dishes with high quality, fresh local and seasonal products.
Restaurant Review
The Hill
Closter, NJ
Website
Owned and operated by 1-star Executive Chef Ben Pollinger. The Hill is st in an upscale, attractive, rustic farmhouseآwith a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace, The food is creative, well executed, specializing in blending seafood with high quality ingredients, sourced from local, fresh farm-to-table purveyors. The preparation is globally influenced, lighter, and not too rich.
Read Review
Closter, NJ
Website
Owned and operated by 1-star Executive Chef Ben Pollinger. The Hill is st in an upscale, attractive, rustic farmhouseآwith a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace, The food is creative, well executed, specializing in blending seafood with high quality ingredients, sourced from local, fresh farm-to-table purveyors. The preparation is globally influenced, lighter, and not too rich.
Read Review
Lita
Aberdeen Township, NJ
Website
The Lita Iberian Restaurant is one of the best restaurants in the central Jersey area. it is an extraordinary culinary experience!
Created by acclaimed Chef David Viana, he has creatively introduced flavors from the Iberian Peninsula into his dishes, combining them it with NJ fresh ingredients, and modern techniques, to produce a well-executed, creatively prepared, modern Iberian menu.
Read Review
Aberdeen Township, NJ
Website
The Lita Iberian Restaurant is one of the best restaurants in the central Jersey area. it is an extraordinary culinary experience!
Created by acclaimed Chef David Viana, he has creatively introduced flavors from the Iberian Peninsula into his dishes, combining them it with NJ fresh ingredients, and modern techniques, to produce a well-executed, creatively prepared, modern Iberian menu.
Read Review
Saddle River Inn
Saddle River, NJ
Website
The Saddle River Inn located along the banks of the Saddle River is set in a 19th century restored barn.
Diners have come to experience the "best in class food and service" in a rustic romantic, casual, yet elegant ambiance.
This upscale Chef-Inspired Casual Dining restaurant has many of the amenities of a fine dining restaurant without the formal, "Old World" stuffy atmosphere found in typical fine dining restaurants.
Restaurant Review
Saddle River, NJ
Website
The Saddle River Inn located along the banks of the Saddle River is set in a 19th century restored barn.
Diners have come to experience the "best in class food and service" in a rustic romantic, casual, yet elegant ambiance.
This upscale Chef-Inspired Casual Dining restaurant has many of the amenities of a fine dining restaurant without the formal, "Old World" stuffy atmosphere found in typical fine dining restaurants.
Restaurant Review
