Best of NJ

1 week ago | bestofnj.com | Stacey Feintuch

What makes a bagel shop great? Paul Kim, owner of The Bagel Club in Lodi, has visited nearly every bagel shop in New York. He has loved bagels and sandwiches since he was a kid. So when he opened his own bagel shop, he wanted it to be different. A place where anyone could come and have a genuinely pleasant experience. “I always felt that most places were rushed, especially during the busy morning and lunchtime hours,” Paul says. He noticed music and atmosphere were always an afterthought.

1 week ago | bestofnj.com | Stacey Feintuch

During the summer, many people alter their diet to replace heavier pasta and meat dishes with lighter, healthier fare. That’s why All’ Assassina, The “Killer Pasta Project” in Union, is introducing a summer menu focusing on lighter, affordable lunch specials. Customers can enjoy a curated selection of paninis, signature salads, and pasta dishes for under $20. “They’re based on substance and quality,” says Marinos Stratigakis, owner of All’ Assassina and the nearby Souvlaqueria.

2 weeks ago | bestofnj.com | Lindsay Podolak

The 2025 Edition of The Best Italian Restaurants in New Jersey is written by Vinny Parisi. If there were four pillars of New Jersey Dining, they’d be represented by Bagel Shops, Diners, Pizzerias, and Italian restaurants. But with so many options for Italian food in NJ, it’s tough to find the best ones. That’s why Best of New Jersey happily curates an annual list of The Best Italian Restaurants in New Jersey.

2 weeks ago | bestofnj.com | Stacey Feintuch

As a college student, Adrienne Brizzi was an English writing major. But after realizing working in an office didn’t suit her, she moved to NYC to work in the restaurant industry. Today, she owns The Little Kitchen in Ramsey, a restaurant with a focus on seasonal home cooking. It all started around 2017. One day, she answered a Facebook post in a Bergen County moms group asking for an in-home personal chef. “That’s when I realized that cooking is what I am meant to do,” Adrienne says.

2 weeks ago | bestofnj.com | Stacey Feintuch

Why visit just one restaurant in a day when New Jersey has so many culinary gems to explore? That’s the inspiration behind the New Jersey Food Tour Trail, a collaboration between the state’s most popular food tour organizers. For those thinking food tours are some sort of tourist activity, consider this: Each tour allows guests to explore a town’s most interesting eateries, while meeting the men and women who own these local establishments.