Passover begins the evening of Wednesday, April 5. If you’re looking for a place to cater your dinner for your seder, or if you’re just in the mood for some corned beef on rye, order from one of these NJ area delis.
The Borscht Belt
2124 S. Eagle Rd., Newton, PA
267-297-2600
Chef Nick Liberato is at the helm of this New York-style Jewish deli offering a taste of the past with a contemporary and gourmet twist. Order your Passover platters for the holiday or stop in for a sandwich named for the hotels in the Catskills from a bygone era (“The Concord” features baked salmon Salad and sliced Nova, horseradish cream cheese, tomatoes, red onions, capers and a splash lemon juice on a toasted bialy).
Deli King of Clark
30 Clarkton Dr., Clark
732-574-2040
Start your day with an omelet or bagel, move toward lunch with burgers and franks, or go for the lighter side with a salad or specialty sandwich. The turkey cran-deli has turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and gravy on rye. Or try the turkey sloppy joe which has Russian dressing and cole slaw.
Eppes Essen of Livingston: A True Jewish Delicatessen
105 E. Mt. Pleasant Ave., Livingston
973-994-1120
There are four pages of breakfast, lunch and dinner options. Try a Sweet Jane wrap with turkey, coleslaw, swiss and Russian dressing; a Pistol Sloppy with pastrami and swiss; the Eppy’s specialty sandwich with turkey, pastrami, coleslaw and dressing; blintzes; or cabbage stuffed with turkey, rice and vegetables.
Foster Village Kosher Delicatessen
469 S. Washington Ave., Bergenfield
201-384-7100
Foster Village claims to have the best pastrami in all of Bergen County. Some of the more unique deli items include hard salami, mushroom barley or lentil soup, spinach knish, three bean salad, Russian potato salad, quinoa salad, pasta pesto with sundried tomatoes, herring in wine sauce, smoked sable, matjess herring, meatballs marinara, egg barley with mushrooms and onions, Israeli pot roast, and orzo with mushrooms and onions.
Fred & Murray’s Gourmet Kosher Delicatessen & Caterers
4345 Rte. 9, Freehold
732-462-3343
Established in 1960 on Ralph Avenue in Brooklyn, New York, Fred & Murry’s has had a great reputation for more than half a century. The brisket, derma and kugel here are top-notch. They’ll set up your entire seder and dinner for Passover with charosis, potato pudding, chickpea and edamame salad, mixed grilled vegetables, beef cabbage and stuffed chicken breast.
Goodman’s Deli Restaurant & Deli
400 Springfield Ave., Berkeley Heights
908-898-0900
Goodman’s is best known for its homemade meats, including freshly cured pastrami, corned beef and brisket – they are steamed so much they melt in your mouth. In addition to the wide deli selection, there are homemade favorites including matzo ball soup, chopped liver, potato pancakes and rice pudding made from family recipes. Goodman’s best soups are the chicken orzo and split pea. There’s also gefilte fish, kreplach and kishke that diners love. But keep in mind, it’s not kosher here.
Grossman’s Deli and Grill
2005 Rte. 35, Oakhurst
732-531-4709
If you’re heading here in the morning, the Jersey Devil Breakfast Sandwich is filled with pork roll, bacon, ham, sausage, an overeasy egg, hash browns, sauteed onions and cheese on a fresh baked roll. Try a cheesesteak with a Philly or Italian twist, or get some cold shrimp or tuna salad. Get your reuben either open faced or closed, packed with lean corned beef on rye toast with Russian dressing, topped with sauerkraut and melted swiss cheese. The Black Forest Sandwich is turkey breast with swiss on top of pumpernickel bread, topped with cole slaw and dressing.
Harold’s NY Deli
1173 King Georges Post Rd., Edison
732-661-9100
The sandwiches served here are larger than life. The corned beef, pastrami, turkey and roast beef are piled inches high on a massive sandwich designed to be shared with your table. There are also giant portions of cole slaw, macaroni salad and pickles. Don’t forget to try the noodle pudding, layered chocolate cake or eclair, if you still have room left in your stomach!
Hobby’s Deli
32 Branford Pl., Newark
973-623-0410
In an area teeming with Portuguese and soul food, Jewish selections may not seem top of the list, but Hobby’s is an institution. Their homemade mushroom barley soup, potato pancakes and chopped liver have customers coming back again and again. People are known to grab the PATH train from NYC to come to Newark.
Irv and Karen’s Hot Pastrami Deli and Restaurant
2114 Rte. 88, Brick Twp.
732-899-6990
The soups here are a big draw: chicken noodle, matzoh ball, split pea, navy bean, and pinto bean with ham. So are the chef’s specialties: franks with baked beans, fried flounder, roast turkey with stuffing, meatloaf and potato pancakes.
IZ Events & Catering
Marlboro Jewish Center, 103 School Rd. W., Marlboro
732-334-8606
Join a community seder on the second night of Passover. The meal on April 6 will include chicken three ways, cabernet braised brisket, crispy skin trout and chocolate mousse tart.
The Kibitz Room
The Shoppes at Holly Ravine, 100 Springdale Rd., Cherry Hill
856-428-7878
The Passover menu features mouthwatering options like cranberry turkey, apricot chicken, stuffed chicken breast with spinach and mushrooms, stuffed chicken with matzo stuffing, stuffed cabbage, tzimmes (prune, carrot, sweet potato, matzo kugel with fruit and potato pancakes. From the bakery, order the honey cake, 7-inch chocolate macaroon pound cake, 7-inch linzer torte or apple strudel.
King of Delancey
234 Main Ave., Passaic
973-471-5635
This is not a typical deli at all, but this kosher food is known all over the Passaic and Clifton area. Sandwiches, soups, wraps – even sushi. If you’re in the mood for Jewish fusion food, opt for the pastrami egg roll, a pastrami burger, a schnitzel wrap, the New Bochur Sandwich (extra long cornflake chicken with pastrami, fried onions and sauces) or pulled brisket. Other menu items include cornflake chicken fingers and loaded chili poppers, puffed beef gnocchi, avocado chicken wrap, shawarma pita and grilled chicken.
The (Famous) Kosher Nosh
894 Prospect St., Glen Rock
201-445-1186
People come to the dining room to have the “real” chicken soup (called Jewish penicillin) with plump matzoh balls. Or you can take it home with the perfect kreplach. There are overloaded cold cut platters, overstuffed sandwich platters, wraps from the deli, meatless sandwiches in tortilla wraps or a 3-6-foot Italian hero. They’re also known for their Smokey Joe’s, a four decker sandwich with salmon salad, Nova Scotia salmon, egg salad, Greek olives, tomatoes and cucumber. And the brisket knish is a fan fave.
Lox, Stock & Deli
228 Ryders Ln., Milltown
732-214-8900
There’s a kosher restaurant, gourmet takeout, parve and dairy catering, butcher, bakery and appetizing on premise. Their special 2023 Passover menu includes lots of fresh brisket, chicken, turkey, salmon teriyaki, matzoh meal fried chicken, matzoh lasagna, souffles and gefilte fish.
Noah’s Ark
493 Cedar Ln., Teaneck
800-772-NOAH
Aside from a half-dozen types of knishes and various double, triple and overstuffed sandwiches, you can order chicken samosa, quinoa kale salad, spaghetti and meatballs, smoked BBQ ribs, veal chop Milanese, fire roasted chicken, a chili dog deluxe or a brisket burger.
Orchid Glatt Kosher Restaurant
455 Main St., Metuchen
732-321-9829
There’s a Mediterranean flair here, with appetizer options such as hummus spread, baba ghanoush, Spanish eggplant, Moroccan cigars (deep fried seasonal potatoes) and falafel. Entrees include bistro steak, chicken skewers, Moroccan lamb tagine, salmon filet, cauliflower chickpea stew and the orchid burger.
The Pickled Herring Appetizing + Delicatessen
96 Rte. 9 North, Englishtown
732-972-1122
The Reitner and Levine families have the restaurant business in their blood, so they collaborated to create a Jewish-style restaurant with dishes made from traditional family recipes but mixed with modern flavors. Their top items are homemade knishes, pot pies, corned beef, pastrami, brisket and their salads.
Richard’s
155 Brighton Ave., West End
732-870-9133
There are lots of menu items such as panini, eggs benedict, pancakes, French toast and skillets, but from the deli portion you can order hot corned beef, roasted turkey, hot pastrami, shrimp salad, dry rub BBQ beef brisket, tuna salad, roast beef or chicken salad on your choice of bread.
Rye Deli Takeout & Catering
779 Mountain Ave., Springfield
973-564-8144
This Glatt Kosher deli is under strict supervision, but you can still get options like a BBQ chicken wrap, falafel, shawarma, kibbeh, malawach (flaky Yemenite bread), pasta with mixed vegetables, tilapia scampi or herbed salmon, chicken schnitzel, a pastrami burger or a variety of sandwiches.
The SouthSide Smokehouse
315 Cedar Bridge Ave., Lakewood
732-961-6126
Lakewood is well-known for its Jewish culture, and this restaurant serves it up foodwise with selections like schnitzel pastrami, corned beef and pastrami sandwiches, reubens, smoked sandwiches and smoked meats. You can also try a pastrami burger or liver crostini.
Tenafly Kosher Deli
22 Washington Ave., Tenafly
201-567-3033
The menu here is filled with appetizers, burgers, franks, sandwiches, two-meat combos, triple deckers, wraps, hot open sandwiches, cold salad platters, deli platters, bagels, eggs and omelets. If you want to “Think Thin,” order a chef salad, grilled chicken, mixed greens with tuna or chicken salad or a large bowl of mixed greens. Their Smokey Joe is a whitefish salad with Nova lox, lettuce, tomato and Russian dressing.
Town Hall Delicatessen
74 First St., South Orange
973-762-4900
Claiming they are the birthplace of the Sloppy Joe since 1927, how could you not try one of the dozen different Sloppy Joes on the menu? The Favorite has roast beef, turkey and swiss. The Original has ham, tongue and swiss. The Smokin’ combines egg salad with cream cheese, Nova lox and swiss. Or, make a Custom Joe with two meats and a cheese of your choosing. The kids menu includes chicken fingers, PB&J, mac n’ cheese, grilled cheese and bologna.
Read More:
5 Ways to Make Passover Dinner Kid-Friendly
Matzoh Ball Soup
9 Great Passover Crafts
