If you’re a foodie, New Jersey is always a dream destination—and these recently opened restaurants deserve a spot on your family’s dinner bucket list.
Restaurants Opening in 2026
Rare Bird
105 Lakeside Dr., Ramsey
This elevated Italian steakhouse will have sushi flair, opening January 13 on the grounds of the Ramsey Country Club. Club members, and members of the public, can come by for lunch or dinner, with live music every Thursday. The menu items include Surf & Turf Roll, Baked Littleneck Clams, Lemon Garlic Shrimp, Burrata, Malfada Pasta Bolognese, Casaracce Pesto, Rare Bird Burger, Perfectly Grilled Ribeye, Delicate Crudo, hand-crafted Italian pastas, and expertly prepared Nigiri. There are also 10 rotating craft beers on tap, plus bottled and canned beer, curated cocktails, and an international wine list.
Restaurants That Opened in 2025
Alessio’s Café
1525 Harbor Blvd., Weehawken
Weehawken resident Luca Infantino, who emigrated from Bari, Italy, opened his third location in a 2,200-square-foot cafe along the Hudson River waterfront. The menu, inspired by Italy’s Puglia region, features breakfast sandwiches, pastries, paninis, pizzas, salads, pastas and coffee, with select items tied to rotating charitable initiatives through Alessio’s “sandwich for a cause” program. All items are made with premium ingredients sourced directly from Italy.
Angelo’s Pizzeria South Philly
Haddon Twp.
Known for being cash only and takeout only, this beloved Philly pizzeria posts daily sandwich specials and updates via its Instagram page, in addition to the Sixth Man pie with pepperoni and sweet sausage; Scoochamenz with roasted long hots, hot sausage, red onions and Mike’s Hot Honey; Trenton pie with whole milk mozzarella, EVOO, pecorino romano and freshly ground tomatoes; and the fungi spinachi mushroom/spinach pie. There’s a long list of steak sandwiches, hoagies and specialty sandwiches, too.
El Asadero Mexican Grill
875 State Rd. 3 E., Secaucus
Founded by the Delgado Brothers, the family-owned brand has grown from a neighborhood favorite in Passaic (2012) to a culinary force with locations in Rochelle Park (2019), Fort Lee (2023) and a new flagship in Secaucus. Signature dishes from the grill include La Tampiqueña (skirt steak with enchilada sauce, beans, rice and tortillas), Asadero Molcajete (steak, ribs, shrimp and chorizo, sizzling in house chorizo sauce), a 16-ounce Cowboy Steak served with mashed potatoes and broccoli, Surf & Turf lobster tail and skirt steak, and Birria Tacos (shredded beef in chili-rich consommé with fresh cilantro, onion and lime).
Aubrey’s Corner
527 Morris Ave., Summit
This family-run spot with New American and French comfort foods also has an extensive collection of wines and cocktails. Chef Michael Feinberg brings dishes like Broiled Oysters with béchamel and truffle; Bone Marrow topped with short rib, with a side of crisp radish and grilled sourdough; French Onion Soup topped with gruyère; a Salumi Board with caciocavallo and a baguette; Braised Short Rib with mushrooms, leeks and a red wine glaze; Prime NY Strip with au poivre; Cauliflower Steak topped with chimichurri; the Smash Burger with aged cheddar and Calabrian aioli; and The Wedge, a serving of iceberg lettuce, marinated sun dried tomatoes, bacon, bleu cheese crumbles and topped with ranch dressing.
Bar Mutz
90 Center Ave., Westwood
Bar Mutz is run by James Beard Award-nominated Chef Robbie Felice, who also runs popular spots Viaggio, Pasta Ramen and Osteria Crescendo. Bar Mutz is a playful bar that draws from Italian inspo but also feels like a Brooklyn tattoo parlor. There are small plates, shareable bites and American classics – like mozzarella sticks with tomato hot honey, housemade focaccia, curated salumi and formaggi boards, Spicy Rig with stracciatella and Sicilian oregano, and Trottole with short rib ragu. Sip on the Mutz Martini, the house dirty martini made with gin or vodka and spiced with pepperoncini; or the Limonata Rossa, with vodka, Aperol, apricot and lemon. The new summer Tomato & Mutz Menu includes Di Stefano Burrata (slow roasted cherry tomato, basil pesto, pine nuts, basil, black pepper),
Caprese Insalata (sliced heirloom tomato, bufala mozzarella, basil, aceto balsamico), Tomato Focaccia (stracciatella, cherry tomato, basil, parmesan, olio verde), Sungold & Peach Pinsa Romana (sungold tomato, charred peach, whipped ricotta, hot honey, saba) and Spaghetti (blistered umami bomb tomato, charred red onion, belper knolle, garlic breadcrumb).
Caffe Cacio e Pepe
144 Haddon Ave., Haddon Twp.
A flagship concept of Albertino’s Italian, this restaurant will open later this summer as an extension of the family business. It will be a quick-service café with limited dine-in availability, offering take‑out and fast-casual service.
Corner Slice
419 Boyden Ave., Maplewood
Very popular in NY for its square pies, the pizzeria closed in 2023 but rehomed in Essex County, where the pizza is currently available by the slice only. Among the nine options available are the upside-down, buffalo chicken and Margherita pies.
Eataly Short Hills
The Mall at Short Hills, Millburn
The Italian mega-market is packed with foods and products imported from Italy – everything from olive oil to Italian snacks to housewares to cookbooks. There’s a ristorante inside, where you can order pizza and pasta, and try one of more than 100 wines. Eataly offers cooking classes and private events. The current winter pop-up experience, Alpina, transports you to a day in The Alps through food and decor: There’s a polenta bar, Swiss fondue, bread and speck gnocchi and hot toddies.
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers
2418 Rte. 1, North Brunswick
“Fredheads” will want to visit the fifth NJ location, which offers made-to-order steakburgers like Original Bacon & Cheese, Jalapeño Pepper Jack Double, Grilled Cheese, California-Style Double, and the new Prime Rib. Sides include shoestring fries, cheese curds, tater tots, onion rings and chili cheese fries. New to the menu are Lemon Cream and Orange Cream Frosts, the Cold Brew Caramel Crunch, Peanut Butter Bananza, OREO® Double Trouble, Strawberry Dreamcake, Reese’s Royale, and Chocolate Brownie Delight. Kids go for the Dirt n’Worms (vanilla custard, Oreo cookies and gummy worms).
Harpoon Willy’s
Robbinsville Town Center, 2360 Rte. 33, Robbinsville
Jersey Shore Restaurant Group already has a Willy’s in Manasquan that’s been open since 1792. The newest location in Mercer County takes off on the public house vibe, with indoor and outdoor seating for 300 people; 70 seats at the bar; and a menu of salads, seafood, burgers and steaks. The chef’s most popular items include truffled tater tots, edamame dumplings, rustic short ribs, the R’Ville Burger and honey bacon shrimp. The Steakhouse Experience comes with a prime cut of the week with classic steakhouse sides like creamed spinach, potato au Gratin and housemade steak sauce.
Madison Modern Social
3801 Rte. 9, Old Bridge
This day & night restaurant and cocktail bar offers elegant seafood, sushi, steak and pasta dishes from restauranteur Frank Brusco and the Rexinis Brothers, who are also partners at Over Easy Kitchen, Gabriella’s Italian Steakhouse and Patricia’s of Holmdel. Top menu items include the fried rice arancini, Gold Bar mozzarella sticks, tempura-battered chicken nuggets, spicy lumache pasta, ribeye spinalis, Lobster Surf & Turf sushi roll, and The Sphere Oreo cake dessert.
Masseria Italian Steakhouse
28 Headquarters Plaza Mall, Morristown
Part of Trinity Hospitality Group, Masseria’s is the vision of Morristown resident Joseph Cetrulo, who took his 40 years of experience in the restaurant industry to create a new fine dining experience with old-world Italian charm and an upscale steakhouse vibe. You can’t miss the iconic Chianina Tuscan bull head that’s the centerpiece of the dining room. The menu includes a selection of signature dishes, premium cuts of meat, crudo, fresh oysters, charcuterie and based on Tuscan recipes.
Mezcal
292 Rte. 516, Old Bridge
If you’re a fan of 618 Restaurant in Freehold, you’ll want to try its sister restaurant, a new Mexican steakhouse that has a “flaming bar,” a variety of Mexican and American classics, and the best stuffed churros you’ll ever have. There’s also an extensive tequila selection to complement the sugar skulls and Mexican decor throughout (including in the restrooms).
Millburn Deli
Bridgewater Commons, 400 Commons Way
Super popular because of its Millburn, Montclair, Morristown and Westfield locations, the new deli will have the same classic chicken, beef, turkey and “vegetarian-ish” sandwiches and salads once it opens this spring at the mall complex. Seasonal sandwiches include The Italian Crunch, The Chickaroni and The Miss Piggy, packing sandwich meats high atop crunchy bread.
Molte Pizza (with Wayback Burgers)
175 Kinderkamack Rd., Emerson
Emerson Native Rob Obernauer of Hubspoke Brands opened their first-ever co-branded location, which expands the existing Wayback Burgers and also debuts Molte Pizze, a new fast casual concept that sells tavern-, New York- and Detroit-style pizzas. That means you can get burgers, hand-dipped shakes, and artisan pizza under one roof.
Northridge Restaurant
6 Woolverton Rd., Stockton
Located inside the Woolverton Inn is a beautifully restored 1830s barn with cathedral-height ceilings surrounded by 300 acres of farmland. Executive Chef Lance Knowling uses local Delaware River Valley ingredients for his dinner service from 5-8 pm Wednesday through Saturday, and Sunday Suppers from 4-7 pm. The current menu includes spiced winter vegetables, pan-seared Bronzino, tender braised beef short ribs, eggplant stuffed pepper with herbed rice, warm apple crisp and chocolate mousse.
Po Boy Riche
89 Monitor Street, Jersey City
The casual dining destination is now open in the Bergen-Lafayette neighborhood. The menu has classics from New Orleans, all made to order and batched from scratch, including po boy sandwiches (made with oysters, catfish and even roast beef), jambalaya, shrimp & grits, red beans & rice, and more. Bayou Brunch offers three specials: a Breakfast Po Boy (Soft Scramble, Merguez, Louisiana Fries, Creole Aioli); Hummingbird French Toast (Caramelized Pineapple Compote, Banana Cream Cheese, Spiced Pecans); and the Fleur De Lis Breakfast (Eggs, Crispy Shrimp, Brabant Potatoes, Herbs, Rouille). Chicory coffee from NOLA’s legendary Café du Monde is also served.
Revell Hall
219 High St., Burlington
There’s an assortment of bar snacks, hot and cold appetizers, land and sea entrees, premium shared plates, sides, and desserts at this new riverfront restaurant that opened across the Delaware River from Philadelphia. Signature dishes include Korean BBQ Pork Belly Skewers, Chicken Roulade, Diver Scallop & Oyster Ceviche, Galician Octopus, Black Garlic–Miso Baked Oysters and Squid Ink Pasta with Lobster.
Sam’s Table
377 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
Chef Sam Stymest created a neighborly experience in his family’s backyard during the lockdown of 2020, and the pop-ups served as inspiration for his new restaurant – an intimate 26-seat space perfect for date night. With a vegetable-forward modern American menu, dinner is served a la carte on Thusdays and Sundays, and a tasting menu is served on Fridays and Saturdays. It’s a family affair, as Chef Sam’s mother Deborah is the general manager, and his father Brian is a professional artist whose paintings adorn the walls. The restaurant will be a BYO establishment, but there will be arrangements for you to obtain wine if you don’t bring yours. Sam’s Table opens on September 4, but reservations are now open via the Tock app.
Sihana Bistro
159 Washington St., Newark
Sihana Bistro is part of Urby, a residential community with communal spaces across from the Rutgers U. campus. The café is open daily for brunch, lunch and dinner that blends Mediterranean and Georgian-inspired food such as khinkali (a dumpling made of twisted knobs of dough and stuffed with meat or vegetables and spices), steak frites with Bearnaise sauce, chkmeruli (creamy garlic chicken), French donuts and chocolate souffle. The drinks are made with spirits from Newark’s All Points West Distillery. Sihana will also offer cooking classes.
Sitar
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City
Named after the instrument, Sitar is a bold, upscale Indian restaurant located near the Sound Waves venue, and will feature live music with boardwalk views. Sitar is scheduled to open late summer.
Tacoria Mexican Street Kitchen
812 Bergen Town Center, Space E-2B, Paramus
The restaurant’s 12th NJ location has a menu that features fresh, made-from-scratch street food with house-made salsas and vegetarian and vegan options. Signature items include the Golden Avocado Taco, handcrafted tacos, burrito boxes, Mexican street corn, Viva La Nachos, Nutella Nachos, and rotating agua frescas in flavors such as hibiscus and pineapple mint, plus daily horchata.
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