Unearth The Voyage
New Jersey gets a bad rap sometimes, but anyone who has actually eaten their way across this state knows the truth: the food here is flat-out extraordinary. From Ethiopian stews in South Orange to Uzbek plov in River Edge, the Garden State is quietly home to one of the most diverse dining scenes in the entire country.
I grew up thinking New Jersey was just diners and pizza, and then one Tuesday night in Edison changed everything. Buckle up, because these 12 restaurants are about to seriously upgrade your dinner plans.
Walia Ethiopian Restaurant, South Orange (Ethiopian)
Nobody warned me that eating at Walia Ethiopian Restaurant would completely ruin me for ordinary dinners. Located in South Orange, this gem serves traditional Ethiopian cuisine that is bold, aromatic, and deeply satisfying.
The star of the show is injera, a spongy sourdough flatbread that doubles as both plate and utensil.
The menu features slow-cooked stews called wats, made with lentils, chickpeas, and tender meats seasoned with berbere spice. Vegetarians are extremely well catered for here, which is a pleasant surprise.
The combination platter is the move if you want to try a little of everything.
Walia draws a loyal crowd of regulars, and it is easy to see why. The staff are warm and genuinely happy to walk first-timers through the menu.
Eating with your hands from a shared platter feels communal and joyful in a way that no fork-and-knife restaurant can replicate.
Max’s Restaurant, Jersey City (Filipino)
Max’s Restaurant in Jersey City has a cult following, and the crispy fried chicken is the reason. Founded originally in the Philippines in 1945, Max’s built its reputation on one legendary bird, and the Jersey City location carries that legacy with serious pride.
The chicken is golden, crackling, and dangerously addictive.
Beyond the famous chicken, the menu stretches into comforting Filipino classics like kare-kare, a rich peanut-based stew, and sinigang, a tangy tamarind soup that feels like a warm hug on a cold night. Pancit noodles round out the feast perfectly.
The restaurant has a lively, celebratory energy that makes every visit feel like a party. Filipino families gather here for birthdays, graduations, and Sunday lunches.
If you have never tried Filipino food before, Max’s is the friendliest possible starting point. Order the halo-halo dessert and prepare to question every dessert decision you have ever made.
Seabra’s Marisqueira, Newark (Portuguese Seafood)
Newark’s Ironbound neighborhood is basically a portal to Lisbon, and Seabra’s Marisqueira is its crown jewel. This Portuguese seafood restaurant has been feeding Newark for decades, and the menu reads like a love letter to the Atlantic Ocean.
Whole grilled fish, clams in garlic sauce, and bacalhau prepared a dozen different ways fill the pages.
The bacalhau a bras, a scrambled egg and shredded salt cod dish, is a must-order for anyone curious about Portuguese cooking. Portions here are generous to the point of being slightly alarming.
Bring a friend, or three.
Seabra’s feels like a proper old-world seafood house, with attentive service and a wine list that leans heavily on Portuguese bottles. The grilled octopus is tender, smoky, and absolutely worth the trip from anywhere in New Jersey.
First-timers should ask the staff for recommendations because the menu is gloriously long and every option is genuinely excellent.
Casa Nova Grill, Newark (Brazilian Steakhouse)
Casa Nova Grill in Newark operates on a simple philosophy: more meat, always more meat. This Brazilian steakhouse serves up a churrascaria experience that would make any carnivore weep with joy.
Skewers of picanha, linguica, and chicken hearts rotate out of the kitchen in a glorious parade of grilled protein.
The rodizio format means servers keep bringing food to your table until you physically cannot eat anymore. That little card system, green side up for yes and red side up for stop, is the most important decision-making tool you will use all week.
The sides, including farofa, rice, and black beans, are humble but essential.
Casa Nova pulls in a big Brazilian community crowd along with adventurous Newark locals who know a great deal when they see one. The prices are reasonable for the sheer volume of food involved.
Go hungry, wear stretchy pants, and maybe skip breakfast that day.
Moghul, Edison (Indian)
Edison’s Oak Tree Road is often called the most South Asian street in America, and Moghul sits at the top of its restaurant hierarchy. This upscale Indian restaurant has been a landmark for over 30 years, drawing diners from across New Jersey and New York for its refined take on Mughlai cuisine.
The biryani alone is worth a 45-minute drive.
Moghul’s tandoori dishes come out of the clay oven perfectly charred and juicy. The seekh kebabs melt in your mouth, and the dal makhani is so rich and buttery it feels almost illegal.
The bread basket, featuring garlic naan and stuffed paratha, is a meal unto itself.
Weekend nights at Moghul get lively, with live music adding to the festive atmosphere. The lunch buffet is one of the best deals in the state, offering over 20 dishes for a very fair price.
Regulars have strong opinions about their favorite dishes, and they are never shy about sharing them.
Gammeeok, Fort Lee (Korean)
Gammeeok in Fort Lee is not here to impress you with flashy decor. It is here to serve you one of the most quietly transcendent bowls of soup you will ever encounter.
This Korean restaurant specializes in gomtang, a milky, slow-simmered ox bone broth that has been perfected over generations. The broth is clean, deeply savory, and genuinely soothing.
Fort Lee has one of the largest Korean populations on the East Coast, which means the competition for authentic Korean food is fierce. Gammeeok wins that competition effortlessly.
The soup arrives with rice, kimchi, and a small army of banchan side dishes.
A fun fact worth knowing: the original Gammeeok in Seoul has been open since 1945, making this Fort Lee outpost part of a very long and proud tradition. The restaurant is popular for late-night visits after a long week.
Order the ox tail soup if you really want to go deep.
Pho Viet, Cherry Hill (Vietnamese)
South Jersey does not always get the credit it deserves on the food scene front, but Pho Viet in Cherry Hill is quietly changing that reputation one bowl at a time. The pho here is the real deal: a slow-cooked broth with star anise, cinnamon, and cloves that has been simmering for hours before it ever reaches your table.
The depth of flavor is remarkable.
The menu goes well beyond pho, covering banh mi sandwiches, vermicelli bowls, and crispy spring rolls that shatter satisfyingly with every bite. The bun bo hue, a spicier beef noodle soup from central Vietnam, is the order for anyone who wants something with a little more kick.
Pho Viet is a family-run spot, and that care shows in every dish. The portions are generous and the prices are very wallet-friendly.
Cherry Hill locals have been keeping this place a bit of a secret, which honestly feels a little selfish. Now you know.
Old Bukhara, River Edge (Uzbek)
Uzbek food might be the most underrated cuisine in the entire state of New Jersey, and Old Bukhara in River Edge is making a compelling case for why that needs to change immediately. The restaurant is named after the ancient Silk Road city of Bukhara, and the menu carries that history with dishes that feel both ancient and comforting.
The plov, a fragrant rice dish cooked with lamb, carrots, and spices, is the centerpiece of Uzbek cuisine and Old Bukhara’s version is exceptional. Samsa, a flaky baked pastry stuffed with meat and onions, makes a perfect starter.
The shashlik kebabs are grilled over open flame and served simply with flatbread.
Old Bukhara draws a large Central Asian community from across northern New Jersey, which is always a great sign of authenticity. The restaurant has a warm, welcoming atmosphere that feels like eating in someone’s home.
Do not leave without ordering the chak-chak, a honey-drenched fried dough dessert that is absolutely worth every calorie.
Mimino Restaurant, East Brunswick (Georgian)
Georgian cuisine, the country not the state, is having a well-deserved moment, and Mimino Restaurant in East Brunswick arrived right on time. The menu is a masterclass in carbs done right.
Khachapuri, a boat-shaped bread loaded with melted cheese and topped with a runny egg, is the kind of dish that makes you want to rethink your entire life plan.
The khinkali dumplings are another showstopper. These thick-skinned, soup-filled dumplings require a specific technique to eat properly: bite the top, sip the broth, then eat the rest.
The staff at Mimino are happy to demonstrate if you are new to the experience.
Georgia sits at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, and the cuisine reflects that beautifully, blending walnut sauces, pomegranate, and fresh herbs in ways that feel completely unique. Mimino is a genuine find in central New Jersey.
The wine list features Georgian natural wines, which are earthy and fascinating and pair beautifully with the food.
Lima Latin Peruvian Cuisine, Sayreville (Peruvian)
Peru has one of the most celebrated food cultures in the world, and Lima Latin Peruvian Cuisine in Sayreville brings a serious slice of that to Middlesex County. The ceviche here is bright, citrusy, and punchy in the best possible way.
Fresh fish marinated in lime juice with red onion, cilantro, and aji amarillo pepper is simple food done with real skill.
Lomo saltado, a stir-fried beef dish that mixes Peruvian and Chinese culinary traditions, is the kind of fusion that makes total historical sense once you learn about Peru’s large Chinese immigrant community. The dish is served with both rice and fries, because Peru refuses to choose between the two.
Aji de gallina, a creamy walnut and chili chicken stew, is deeply comforting and wildly underrated.
Lima Latin has a relaxed neighborhood vibe that makes it perfect for a casual weeknight meal. The portions are generous and the prices are fair.
Order the chicha morada, a sweet purple corn drink, to complete the full Peruvian experience.
Hakki Baba, Cliffside Park (Turkish)
Cliffside Park has a well-established Turkish community, and Hakki Baba has been its dining room of choice for years. The restaurant does traditional Turkish cuisine with confidence and zero shortcuts.
The mixed kebab platter is a carnivore’s highlight reel, featuring adana, urfa, and chicken shish alongside grilled vegetables and fluffy rice.
Turkish cuisine is more nuanced than most Americans realize. The meze starters alone could fill an entire meal: creamy hummus, smoky eggplant dip, stuffed grape leaves, and fresh cacik yogurt all arrive at the table before the main event even begins.
Pace yourself accordingly.
The pide, a Turkish flatbread topped with ground meat and cheese, is a crowd favorite that deserves more attention on the international food radar. Hakki Baba’s baklava is made in-house and layered with pistachios that are absolutely not messing around.
The tea arrives in small tulip-shaped glasses, which is the correct and only acceptable way to serve Turkish tea. A lovely detail.
The Spot, Blackwood (Jamaican)
The Spot in Blackwood does not need a fancy name to make a statement. It lets the jerk chicken do the talking, and that chicken has a lot to say.
The smoky, spiced flavor that comes from proper jerk seasoning is the kind of thing that makes you close your eyes and just appreciate the moment. South Jersey has a hidden gem on its hands.
The oxtail stew is slow-cooked until the meat falls off the bone in rich, sticky, deeply flavored pieces. Served with rice and peas and fried plantains, it is a plate that demands your full and undivided attention.
The curry goat is another strong contender for best dish on the menu.
Jamaican food is rooted in bold flavors and generous portions, and The Spot delivers on both counts without fail. The restaurant has a casual, welcoming vibe with regulars who treat it like a second home.
The Scotch bonnet pepper level is not a joke, so ask before you commit to the extra hot option.
