New Orleans is known for its Cajun and Creole influence, and these restaurants in New Jersey bring the flavor of Bourbon Street to Main Street. Here’s where to find gumbo, jambalaya, po’ boys and king cakes ahead of Mardi Gras, or anytime of year.
Boiling Boys Seafood & Bar
15 Grand Ave., Palisades Park
Start with chicken tenders, nachos, shrimp cocktails, fried veggie dumplings, funnel fries or fried pickles. Choose a burger made with beef, chicken, fish or lobster. Save room for a seafood boil – served with corn and potato – with lobster, crab, shrimp, crawfish, clams or mussels as the star of the show. You can also cater a family-style seafood boil, or order grilled seafood on the side. Tapas include spicy crab ramen, chicken over rice, pork katsu and fried rice.
Broad Street Dough Co.
177 Elton Adelphia Rd., Freehold
2005 Rte. 35, Oakhurst
1861 Rte. 35, Unit 103, Wall Twp.
There are 40 different flavors of donuts offered, plus beignets and croissants as a sometime-weekend special.
Brunchaholics
1200 Haddonfield Rd., Cherry Hill
This brunch spot focuses on Soul Food, but also has a kicking Seafood Gumbo & Grits that has two huge pieces of fried, seasoned fish on top of spicy gumbo gravy and the cheesiest grits you’ve ever had, with extra shrimp and lump crab on the side.
Cap’t Loui
201 Main St., Fort Lee
10 Park St., Montclair
25 Rte. 22, Springfield
For The Boiler, you “fill your bag” with your choice of crab, crawfish, clams, mussels, shrimp and calamari; pick the Cap’t Loui or lemon pepper sauce; and then choose your level of spice. Other menu items include soups, sandwiches and fried fish. There are seafood boilers, fried baskets and po’ boys on the lunch menu.
Clementine’s Restaurant
306 Main St., Avon-By-The-Sea
The Jersey Shore meets Louisiana through Creole and Cajun cuisine. The regular menu is packed with options like dauphine potatoes, shrimp remoulade, crab cakes, seafood jambalaya and cajun rib eye. The special Taste of New Orleans menu is a three-course meal of starters (BBQ shrimp and magnolia salad), entrees (fried catfish and shrimp etoufee) and Grandma’s bread pudding for dessert.
Crab Island Cajun Seafood & Bar
1016 Main Ave., Clifton
Be prepared to get your fingers dirty as you nosh on a selection of seafood flavors like crab legs, mussels and fish bowls.
CrawDaddy’s Cajun
13 Tomlinson Mill Rd., Medford
The soul of Crescent City comes to South Jersey. Order gumbo, jambalaya or seasoned crawfish from the restaurant, or track the location of the food truck.
Cuzin’s Seafood & Clam Bar
130 Rte. 79, Marlboro
78 Albany St., New Brunswick
This Italian seafood restaurant has a killer flounder po’ boy on its lunch menu, made with Old Bay remoulade, romaine hearts, tomatoes and crispy pickle chips on top of toasted ciabatta bread.
Drew’s Bayshore Bistro
44 E. Front St., Keyport
Chef Andrew Araneo opened the restaurant in 2005 just blocks away from his childhood home. New American dishes here have a Cajun twist, since he’s learned recipes from the Gulf Coast and the Low Country. Dishes include voodoo shrimp, muffaletta with burrata, southern fried calamari, Mardi Gras pasta and City Jambalaya. Drew posts the daily specials on his Facebook page.
Hook & Reel
Multiple Locations
Hook & Reel has make-your-own seafood boils brought to your table steaming hot; or oder pasta, from the raw bar, baskets of fried fish, po’ boys and rolls.
Krewe of McGinley Square
673 Bergen Ave., Jersey City
You can get po’ boys, gumbo, jambalaya, grit fries, muffuletta, crawfish and good ol’ fashioned cornbread in this neighborhood restaurant. There are vegan dishes available.
Nauti Cajun Crab
7 New St., Metuchen
Their signature dishes include a Cajun seafood boil, oysters from both the West and East coasts, seafood fried rice, and other seafood dishes.
Ragin’ Cajun
1102 River Rd., Belmar
Experience the Bayou along the Jersey Shore. Customer faves include alligator sausage, blackened tuna, Swamp Daddy Pasta and seafood jambalaya. There are vegan options, and a kids menu.
Saveur Creole
131 Grove St., Montclair
Serving modern Creole as well as Caribbean dishes, the menu features Haitian caviar, Lambi Bouki (ceviche), jerk tilapia salad, Trini chicken, Creole goat, Bayou shrimp, and black mushroom jasmine rice.
Simona’s Bakery
2201 Rte. 35, Sea Girt
This is your spot for King Cake, which come in three sizes; as well as Mardi Gras-decorated cupcakes.
Tim’s Po-Boys and Wings
409 Lafayette Ave., Hawthorne
Known for Louisiana sandwiches, chicken wings and Cajun cuisines, selections include gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, meat and vegetarian po’ boys, and wings in a variety of sauces and dry rubs.
Special Menus
Harpoon Willy’s
2360 Rte. 33, Robbinsville
2655 River Rd., Manasquan
A Mardi Gras celebration takes place at the New American restaurants from February 27 to March 4. Dishes include spicy jambalaya, shrimp Étouffée and chicken Creole. Desserts are Crepe Suzette and Bananas Foster. Complement dinner with a Voodoo Daquiri, Sazerac, French 75 or the Pimm’s Cup.
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