Best fine dining towns in New Jersey

[Kim WB]

I don't need a challenge to check out a new restaurant. I've dined at many absolutely wonderful BYO's..I live in Lambertville, for crying out loud. But defining fine dining is subjective..I believe that was my initial premise. For me, a fine dining experience includes food, service, wine selection, and atmosphere...

in that order . If anyof these components are missing, I do not consider it a full fine dining experience. That's me, that's what's important to me. My husband would put wine FIRST. I suspect you could ask 100 people this question, and there would be a variety of responses: "oh, it's right on the water (atmosphere) , its a great restaurant!" or "The waiters wear tuxedos, it's a great restaurant"..or WHATEVER one defines as a qualifying component of fine dining....and that includes a restaurant critic, too. They certainly have a right to give a BYO a 5 star review..but that doesn't mean I'll agree with them.

We have a 550 sq foot 1200+ bottle wine cellar. I very much enjoy bringing a bottle to favorite BYO's, and sometimes when I feel a restaurant's food is great but their wine selection SUCKS, I will ask if I can bring my own..therefore enhancing my meal

You can define fine dining your way, I'll define it mine. And fine dining, for me, ALWAYS includes wine and after dinner drink!

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Edited March 10, 2006 by Kim WB (log)

[Kim WB]

And for what it's worth, I'm the first to admit that my husband is a wine snob, and I'm a food snob. A couple has to have hobbies you know!

gotta go..meeting friends at Brother's Moon, in Hopewell..a lovely little BYO run by a husband wife team, best soups around, perfectly prepared simple entrees, and a warm, friendly upscale neighborhood place. We're bringing Paul Hobbs 2002, and Verite La Joie 2001. I'm even going to put them in the cute little quilted double wine bag holder I bought recently at the Wine Library..it has a little fox hunt scene on it...there, does that make anyone like me better?

[hitmanoo]

While I agree that a good wine list along with a staff knowledgeable about pairing and selection can add to a dining experience, I disagree that a liquor license is "essential" to fine dining.

Perhaps the pairing of wine and food for some is so intricate as to render a BYO inferior--to the point where ordering a bottle of wine based on the selected food is essential to the overall meal.

I suppose that if I have a bottle of wine that I enjoy and I have to bring it to the restaurant with me that I just don't mind so much. But to say that BYO cannot be "fine dining" sets the standard a little high in my mind.

Since there really is no set definition of what constitutes fine dining, I guess that there is no true answer.

[dRock]

So are you saying you would be more inclined to go to Restaurant with a liquor licence than a BYO if the food quality is virtually the same. I know that some like the prospect of a BYO to save $$$$$ and some dont want to be bothered with bring their own wine.

Personally I like a place with a wine list because I am big into wine pairings and in my opinion if the food is fantastic, price of wine is never an issue.

[hitmanoo]

So are you saying you would be more inclined to go to Restaurant with a liquor licence than a BYO if the food quality is virtually the same.  I know that some like the prospect of a BYO to save $$$$$ and some dont want to be bothered with bring their own wine.

Personally I like a place with a wine list because I am big into wine pairings and in my opinion if the food is fantastic, price of wine is never an issue.

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I'm not sure if you were addressing me, but my choice to go to a restaurant is based on the food. Liquor license or BYO doesn't make much difference to me.

[menton1]

If a BYO is great in every way, I have a wine store near me with upwards of 10,000 bottles of wine. I can pick my choice and pay about 75% less than the restaurant would charge for the wine, if it had a license.

BYOs are a luxury, and New Jersey probably has more than any other state, because of the licensing laws.

Yes, I'm not ashamed, I like the significant money savings. Over a year, it can really add up, could be hundreds of dollars!

[Jim Charles]

Does NJ stop somewhere north of New Brunswick??

There's plenty of good to great restaurants in Collingswood, Cape May and Princeton environs.

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Please take note, I mentioned Red Bank, and Lambertville above.

Cape May, though, that's REALLY the end of the world...

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Red Bank and Lambertville? That's not South Jersey. We are talking about the Republic of South Jersey and not the urban conclaves of West NYC. Two distinctly different states with totally different values and lifestyles.

[KatieLoeb]

Cape May, though, that's REALLY the end of the world...

It is, quite literally, Exit ZERO on the Garden State Parkway.

And it's not the end of the world but you can see it from there. On a clear day you can see the shores of Lewes, Delaware from Sunset Beach.

Lewes, DE. Now that really is the end of the world.

[menton1]

Red Bank and Lambertville? That's not South Jersey. We are talking about the Republic of South Jersey and not the urban conclaves of West NYC. Two distinctly different states with totally different values and lifestyles.

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Well, Lambertville is hardly a "conclave" of New York City; I don't think "South Jersey" necessarily means south of the AC expressway. And besides, I can't think of a downtown area in the deep South of NJ that has more than 2-3 restaurants. Perhaps Haddonfield? Moorestown?

[aaronwcpa]

As someone who lives in the area I consider Lamberville, Trenton, Princeton and its enviorns Central Jersey. South Jersey begins somewhere south of Bordentown. It is not possible to pinpoint the exact geographic line but it can be sensed.

[menton1]

As someone who lives in the area I consider Lamberville, Trenton, Princeton and its enviorns Central Jersey. South Jersey begins somewhere south of Bordentown. It is not possible to pinpoint the exact geographic line but it can be sensed.

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OK, so you see NJ as having 3 sections? "Central" NJ is a new wrinkle...

[Kim WB]

Nj has always been divided in 3 sections, N, S and Central. The weather maps divide it in those sections, the political maps are similiarly districted, the Real Estate MLS boards , the newspaper's circulation claims... and the southern and central populations divide it that way. At least its always seemed that way to me.

[rozrapp]

As someone who lives in the area I consider Lamberville, Trenton, Princeton and its enviorns Central Jersey. South Jersey begins somewhere south of Bordentown. It is not possible to pinpoint the exact geographic line but it can be sensed.

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OK, so you see NJ as having 3 sections? "Central" NJ is a new wrinkle...

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The town where I live is in neither North NJ nor South NJ. Ergo, we're in Central NJ. And it's definitely not a "new wrinkle" as we've been describing it that way since moving here 36 years ago.

Here's what Wikipedia has to say on the topic:

New Jersey is broadly divided into three geographic regions: North Jersey, Central Jersey, and South Jersey. North Jersey is within New York City's general sphere of influence, with many of its residents commuting into the city for work. Central Jersey is a largely suburban area. South Jersey is within Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's general sphere of influence. Such geographic definitions are broad, however, and there is often dispute over where one region begins and another ends. Some people do not consider Central Jersey to exist at all, but most believe it is a separate geographic and cultural area from the North and South.

Edited March 13, 2006 by rozrapp (log)

[Kim WB]

and, to concur and to add on to what Roz said, many Central folks further dilineate between the "shore" area, the "river" area and even the "mountain" areas.

[tommy]

it's all relative.

[menton1]

The Geographic Center of New Jersey is in Hamilton Square, in Mercer County.

A/ Any good restaurants in Hamilton Square?

B/ What exactly does "geographic center" actually mean?

[tommy]

B/ What exactly does "geographic center"  actually mean?   

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if you make a cardboard cut-out of the state, you could probably balance it on a pin at that spot.

and that's somewhere in "south jersey".

Edited March 13, 2006 by tommy (log)

[KatieLoeb]

Red Bank and Lambertville? That's not South Jersey. We are talking about the Republic of South Jersey and not the urban conclaves of West NYC. Two distinctly different states with totally different values and lifestyles.

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Well, Lambertville is hardly a "conclave" of New York City; I don't think "South Jersey" necessarily means south of the AC expressway. And besides, I can't think of a downtown area in the deep South of NJ that has more than 2-3 restaurants. Perhaps Haddonfield? Moorestown?

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Collingswood, NJ has quite a hopping restaurant scene of late. Nunzio's, Cork, Tortilla Press, Water Lily and the Pop Shop just to name a few.

Haddonfield and Cherry Hill certainly have way more than 3 restaurants apiece. There's plenty of restaurants in Mount Laurel, Moorestown, Mount Holly and Burlington too. TFuji, the best BYO sushi restaurant known to man resides in Cinnaminson.

You need to get around down here a bit more often. There's plenty of great restaurants in South Jersey.

[menton1]

Collingswood, NJ has quite a hopping restaurant scene of late.  Nunzio's, Cork, Tortilla Press, Water Lily and the Pop Shop just to name a few.

Haddonfield and Cherry Hill certainly have way more than 3 restaurants apiece.  There's plenty of restaurants in Mount Laurel, Moorestown, Mount Holly and Burlington too.  TFuji, the best BYO sushi restaurant known to man resides in Cinnaminson.

You need to get around down here a bit more often.  There's plenty of great restaurants in South Jersey.

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No, I'm sure there are very good restaurants down there. But from a "downtown" point of view, that's where I was having trouble. I did suspect Haddonfield, nice downtown area. Cherry Hill? Mount Laurel? From my limited knowledge, these places are strictly " on the highway" with nothing within their borders resembling a "town". Just malls and strip centers.

And quite honestly, when I drive the 2 hours in that direction, I make sure to go over the bridge into Philly, which I love alot and has really GREAT restaurants!

[Jeff L]

 

A/ Any good restaurants in Hamilton Square?

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Yeah, it's called the Homestead Inn, or better known to those of us who have been patrons for over thirty years, Chick and Nellos, named for its deceased founders. This is the real deal peasant/Southern Italian food. Stuff like meatballs and lima beans, roasted chicken that will keep you up at night longing for more and breast of veal with those perfect oven roasted potatoes. Don't gasp at the meatballs and limas, (my personal favorite) it's truly transcendant food. None better in that neck of the woods that I'm aware of.

There are still a few good ones left in the Burg area of Trenton which is pretty close to Hamilton Square though they are quickly disappearing

[Jeff L]

Cape May, though, that's REALLY the end of the world...

It is, quite literally, Exit ZERO on the Garden State Parkway.

And it's not the end of the world but you can see it from there. On a clear day you can see the shores of Lewes, Delaware from Sunset Beach.

Lewes, DE. Now that really is the end of the world.

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And, I might add here, well worth every minute of the 2 hour trip from our home for the excellent, top notch fine dining restaurants. (Cape May, not Lewes De.)

[Kim WB]

 

A/ Any good restaurants in Hamilton Square?

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Yeah, it's called the Homestead Inn, or better known to those of us who have been patrons for over thirty years, Chick and Nellos,

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and their bracciole, and their rabe, and those hot peppers. Too much smoke in the bar, though that will change in a month or so.

[Jeff L]

 

A/ Any good restaurants in Hamilton Square?

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Yeah, it's called the Homestead Inn, or better known to those of us who have been patrons for over thirty years, Chick and Nellos,

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and their bracciole, and their rabe, and those hot peppers. Too much smoke in the bar, though that will change in a month or so.

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Or the veal chunks in white wine, or the steaks and chops or the wonderful sausage and peppers. They buy the cheapest meats from cut rate vendors and still make everything come out wonderful.

My only problem aside from the smoke you mention and the clubiness/arrogance of the joint is the fact that since Primo, the long standing chef has gone, the marinara sauce is now made by David, one of the owners sons. It is such a total disappointment if you've been fortunate enough to have had Primo's sauce.

Surprisingly though, most of the menu is still faithfully recreated by the wonderful Ecuadorians who were always at Primo's side.