Best takeout in your New Jersey town...

[jhlurie]

While most of us don't usually resort to takeout in a town we don't live in, I think it might serve as kind of a nice long term reference thread for us to list the best takeout food in towns that we are intimately familiar with. It doesn't literally have to be the town you live in, but it does have to be a town you know well enough to state that your selection is the best in that town. The restaurant can also do table service, but if so takeout must be a major part of their operation and not some afterthought handled by some third party delivery service.

I'll start with Cliffside Park (located in the extreme southern part of Bergen County), where I currently live. The two best takeout places are probably Uncle Jo's Fried Chicken and CiA do Sanduiche (a brazilian hamburger joint). Yup, old fashioned hamburgers and chicken lead the pack in this town, at least for takeout.

[Rosie]

Marc & Eric’s Kitchen Pantry and Catering, 381 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair. www.marcanderic.com or call 973-744-6074.

We just got back from there and will have the salmon, lasagna and crabcake tonight.

[Cook456]

Whole Foods.

I just got back from Xmas Eve shopping and brought home a yummy pulled pork sandwich and mac & cheese for later.. ( if it lasts that long !!)

[jhlurie]

Whole Foods.

I just got back from Xmas Eve shopping and brought home a yummy pulled pork sandwich and mac & cheese for later.. ( if it lasts that long !!)

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Which town?

Now I DO have to comment that while I'm actually reasonably appreciative of WFs prepared foods, I'm a bit surprised that there's an area where no smaller local business exceeds them. I'm not saying this is an either/or in terms of where we should shop, because WF has the extra convenience factor of being combinable with your other foods shopping (and may also be the only place around which serves something like pulled pork, for example), but I'm just curious if they DO have that monopoly on convenient take-away excellence in your area?

I mean obviously EVERY town has some portion of lame interchangeable chinese take-outs and a sandwich shop or two, and in those cases something like WF is probably a godsend.

[Anonymouze]

Picnic (Gourmet Catering?) in Emerson NJ on Kinderkamack road across diagonally from Boston Market, Picnic makes the most scrumptious take out and (I hear she caters great events and parties too!) she uses all fresh ingredients they have a site I posted a while back on here. Hanami delivers great chinese stuff, I get their chicken with honey walnuts and their duck wraps or other fun appetizers... they're off of Westwood Ave by the post office in Westwood. YUM!

[Cook456]

Whole Foods.

I just got back from Xmas Eve shopping and brought home a yummy pulled pork sandwich and mac & cheese for later.. ( if it lasts that long !!)

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Which town?

Now I DO have to comment that while I'm actually reasonably appreciative of WFs prepared foods, I'm a bit surprised that there's an area where no smaller local business exceeds them. I'm not saying this is an either/or in terms of where we should shop, because WF has the extra convenience factor of being combinable with your other foods shopping (and may also be the only place around which serves something like pulled pork, for example), but I'm just curious if they DO have that monopoly on convenient take-away excellence in your area?

I mean obviously EVERY town has some portion of lame interchangeable chinese take-outs and a sandwich shop or two, and in those cases something like WF is probably a godsend.

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I live in Clifton near Clifton Commons, and no, there is absolutely no good quality food in this area. Therefore, I shop at the Edgewater WF, where, as you put it I can also pick up some kind of prepared food, while I food shop.

I don't usually buy much in the way of prepared foods, but sometimes it does save me from cooking after a long day at work.

I only wish there was something closer that was comparable.

[ejebud]

I must say that Mardi Gras Caterers, my Verona neighbors, are pumping out some mighty fine foods. I especially like the rolls that they use for their sandwiches, their crabcakes, their pulled pork, and their cookie are outrageous. give 'em a try and stop in and say hi.

Eric

[hitmanoo]

What a great thread idea!

Unfortunately, I don't have much to add, as I live in West Orange, and I usually find myself traveling to surrounding towns for takeout, namely Montclair and Livingston.

I am excited to try Marc & Eric's. Thanks Rosie.

[Josefinajoisey]

I live in Rutherford, and am stuck in Chinese food/Italian food take out hell. Does anyone have any ideas in the area that I haven't explored? (I have a teenager, so unfortunately take out is a must sometimes)

[ghostrider]

I live in Rutherford too & don't have much to add. New York Pizza has pretty good pizza & that's about it.

There are some Italian specialty shops down Ridge Road over in Lyndhurst that I haven't tried, I don't know whether they have any sort of edge in quality.

[glenn]

Is this delivery or takeout? I'm assuming delivery.

For Jersey City, hands down Amiya, an Indian restaurant on the waterfront. Great for sit down service too. Not much else except the usual Italian/Chinese.

[phaelon56]

I'm sad to see that the take-out situation in and near Rutherford hasn't improved in the two year since I left there - yikes. Yes NY Pizza has a good pie and also a few red sauce Italian dishes that are okay. I think there may be a place with some Italian take-out that's less typical over in East Rutherford in the street that runs from Station Square (Rutherford) over to the main drag in East Rutherford. Kind of a bakery/deli type place with antipasti and some other less common stuff.

There's a very good Jamaican place on Bloomfield Ave in Bloomfield right in the middle of town - I think it's Dev's Jamaican Cuisine. Fairly authentic (so say two different Jamaican friends who have eaten there with me) and very nice family that runs it.

[ghostrider]

For the life of me I can't understand why we don't have any Indian or Thai food within an 8-mile radius. Notice I'm not saying "any good" Indian or Thai, I do mean any, period. This is really a dead zone.

(Spring Grill in Rutherford are OK for what they do - Eurofied Thai/pan-Asian - but their somewhat upscale menu puts them out of the price range of what I think of as "regular takeout places.")

[zhelder]

For the life of me I can't understand why we don't have any Indian or Thai food within an 8-mile radius.  Notice I'm not saying "any good" Indian or Thai, I do mean any, period.  This is really a dead zone.

(Spring Grill in Rutherford are OK for what they do - Eurofied Thai/pan-Asian - but their somewhat upscale menu puts them out of the price range of what I think of as "regular takeout places.")

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I'm certainly not a Thai or Indian food expert, and the distance to these places may be a bit out of your range, but Indian Chef in Lodi (in International Food Warehouse next to National Wholesale Liquidators) is great for takeout. Great food, good prices. For Thai takeout, I like Siam Ruby Cafe in Rochelle Park. Not a huge selection of stuff, but good food and great prices. I also like Bangkok Grille in Hackensack, although I haven't been there in a while.

Edited December 25, 2005 by zhelder (log)

[John]

I live in Clifton near Clifton Commons, and no, there is absolutely no good quality food in this  area. 

 

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Hey, Rutt's Hut and the Hot Grill are nothing to sneeze at! Two of the finest hot dog joints in existence.

[Curlz]

For the life of me I can't understand why we don't have any Indian or Thai food within an 8-mile radius.  Notice I'm not saying "any good" Indian or Thai, I do mean any, period.  This is really a dead zone.

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I'm certainly not a Thai or Indian food expert, and the distance to these places may be a bit out of your range, but Indian Chef in Lodi (in International Food Warehouse next to National Wholesale Liquidators) is great for takeout. Great food, good prices.

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EXACTLY what I would have written!!

[pete ganz]

For the life of me I can't understand why we don't have any Indian or Thai food within an 8-mile radius.  Notice I'm not saying "any good" Indian or Thai, I do mean any, period.  This is really a dead zone.

(Spring Grill in Rutherford are OK for what they do - Eurofied Thai/pan-Asian - but their somewhat upscale menu puts them out of the price range of what I think of as "regular takeout places.")

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There's Orchid, which is a Thai place on Washington Ave., right over the Lyndhurst/Nutley bridge. There's also Thai Essence on Franklin Ave. in Nutley, which is very good. Then there's Brookside Thai on Broad St. on Bloomfield...also very good but may be a little far from Rutherford.

[ghostrider]

THanks folks. I'm aware of some of these places though a couple are new to me.

8 miles may have been a bit of an exaggerated approximation but most of these places still seem a bit far for takeout, at least the way I think of it. I may have to work on changing my mental constructs in this regard.

[phaelon56]

THanks folks.  I'm aware  of some of these places though a couple are new to me.

8 miles may have been a bit of an exaggerated approximation but most of these places still seem a bit far for takeout, at least the way I think of it.  I may have to work on changing my mental constructs in this regard.

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8 miles might have been a slight exaggeration but even 4 - 6 miles can be a real trek from Rutherford depending on the time of day. Where I'm living now (small city in central NY with low population density) I can hop in the car at dinner time and drive 4 - 6 miles in perhaps 10 - 12 minutes (or less). In many small NJ boros the trip can easily take 2X that time at peak traffic hours - not conducive to driving too far for take-out.

[Rebecca263]

While there are 2 different decent delivery places here in Englishtown, one place for actually fresh sushi and Chinese,(American style, unless you ask!)named Sultan Wok, and a Kosher pizza place,(Levy's!)really there is only one place of note for take out. My sister's house. In Marlboro. And you have to have the secret password. This area is really dull for regional goodies, I must say. The popular thing here is Chicken Holiday and LaRosa roast chicken. Eh.

[chefreit]

San Veito's in Bayonne, NJ.

Some of the best red sauce house food I have ever tasted!

Harry

[Cook456]

San Veito's in Bayonne, NJ.

Some of the best red sauce house food I have ever tasted!

Harry

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I couldn't agree more.

My cousin's celebrated their Feast of the Seven Fishes, there on Chrtmas Eve..

Another great mom and pop Italian restaurant.

[Anonymouze]

I had to revive this seeing that I need another delivery option for my area when my favorite place runs out of food that look so darn tasty or if they can't deliver, because I can't order like a "normal" person, I eat when I have time! -grin-

I called Picnic in Emerson on Friday around 3PM and they had so many tasty things for delivery on their online menu - but most were gone at that hour (being well after lunch!) so I had to scrounge around in my fridge and wasn't happy with leftovers! Next time I'll call them early and put it aside till I have time to eat it.

That being said if my favorite places aren't available (picnic-emerson or itsy's gourmet -park ridge) for delivery and I don't want just chinese or pizza/italian stuff... could someone kindly recommend another delivery alternative. I'm tired of fallback positions using Domino's(ugh), pomplilio's (which IS good), china pavilion etc...

I mainly need something that is tasty, easy, I won't have to cook and I can pay them by credit card. I work as a corporate level headhunter out of my home and frequently I am too busy to break for lunch and run out the door.

Thanks everyone, I hope there is someone up here who can help me!

[jtphjl]

Ridgewood's restaurant area is compact so it becomes easy to put together a dinner to go, for example we'll :

start with a Bubble tea & Lobster Soup from Ivangie's

and just a few doors down, pick up : a Marsala Dosa from Kalish, with an order of

Shrimp & Basil from the Thai section of the Indian / Thai Menu at Kalish ... or

we'll order kabob's and a Sheppard Salad from Istanbul and have the perfect excuse for a Turkish Custard Dessert !

Jan

[Anonymouze]

Yes I agree Ridgewood has a variety of offerings but I live in River Vale so it would be prohibitive to take a lunch break there if I give myself the standard hour. If anyone knows of any places in/near River Vale, Westwood, Park Ridge or Montvale that delivers to River Vale please PLEASE let me know! Thanks.