Unearth The Voyage
New Jersey has some of the best delis in America, and many of them have been around for decades. These aren’t trendy spots with fancy menus that change every season. Instead, they’re family-run places where the same recipes have been used for generations, creating sandwiches and soups that taste just like they did fifty or even a hundred years ago. Walking into one of these delis feels like stepping back in time, and that’s exactly what makes them special.
Hobby’s Delicatessen & Restaurant (Newark, NJ)
Since 1962, the Brummer family has kept this Newark landmark alive with recipes that haven’t budged an inch. Walk through the doors and you’ll find pastrami piled high, corned beef sliced thick, and potato pancakes fried to golden perfection. Everything here screams authenticity.
What makes Hobby’s truly special is their commitment to doing things the hard way. They pickle their own corned beef in massive 50-gallon vats, a process most modern delis skip. The result? Meat that’s tender, flavorful, and worth every bite.
Regulars swear by the matzo ball soup and the overstuffed sandwiches that require two hands. This place doesn’t follow trends or update for Instagram. It just keeps serving the same incredible food that made it famous over sixty years ago, and that’s why people keep coming back.
Town Hall Deli (South Orange, NJ)
Open since 1927, Town Hall Deli holds a special place in New Jersey food history. This is where the New Jersey-style sloppy joe was born—not the messy ground beef kind, but a triple-decker masterpiece on rye bread stuffed with deli meats, Swiss cheese, coleslaw, and tangy Russian dressing. It’s completely different from what most Americans call a sloppy joe.
Nearly a century later, they’re still making sandwiches the exact same way. The bread is always fresh, the meats are sliced to order, and the coleslaw has that perfect crunch. Generations of families have grown up eating here.
You can taste the history in every bite. Town Hall doesn’t need to reinvent itself because the original recipes are still unbeatable, proving that sometimes the old ways really are the best ways.
Fred & Murry’s Kosher Delicatessen (Freehold, NJ)
Stepping into Fred & Murry’s feels like traveling through a time machine to 1965. The no-frills atmosphere, the simple menu, and the towering sandwiches all transport you to a different era. This isn’t a place trying to recreate nostalgia—it’s the real deal, preserved perfectly over the decades.
Their matzo ball soup is legendary, with fluffy dumplings floating in rich, golden broth. The pastrami and corned beef sandwiches are stacked so high you’ll wonder how anyone fits them in their mouth. But somehow, you manage, because the flavors are too good to resist.
What hasn’t changed is their dedication to quality and tradition. Every sandwich is hand-crafted with care, using recipes passed down through generations. Fred & Murry’s proves that sticking to what works never goes out of style.
Fiore’s House of Quality (Hoboken, NJ)
Operating since 1913, Fiore’s has witnessed over a century of change in Hoboken, yet inside these walls, time stands still. This Italian deli rotates daily specials based on tradition, not trends. Monday might bring braciole, Tuesday could feature eggplant parm, and every day delivers authentic flavors that taste like someone’s nonna made them.
The sandwiches here are simple but incredibly satisfying. Fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, roasted peppers, and crusty bread come together in perfect harmony. No fancy sauces or complicated ingredients—just quality food prepared the way it’s been done for generations.
Locals know to arrive early because popular items sell out fast. Fiore’s doesn’t mass-produce anything or cut corners. They make what they can with care, and when it’s gone, it’s gone until tomorrow.
Chick’s Deli (Cherry Hill, NJ)
Founded in 1957 and still operating from the same spot, Chick’s has become a South Jersey institution. Word-of-mouth recommendations have kept this place packed for decades, with customers raving about hoagies stuffed with quality meats and cheesesteaks that rival anything you’d find in Philadelphia.
The secret lies in consistency. Chick’s doesn’t experiment with wild new flavors or trendy ingredients. They stick to what they know best: fresh rolls, perfectly seasoned meat, and toppings that complement rather than overpower. Every sandwich tastes exactly like you remember from your last visit.
Regulars have their usual orders, and the staff often knows what customers want before they even ask. That kind of familiarity only comes from years of serving the same great food to the same loyal community, generation after generation.
Benanti’s Italian Delicatessen (Bayonne, NJ)
There’s no menu at Benanti’s. You walk up to Charlie Benanti, tell him what you’re craving, and he makes it happen. This unique approach has worked for decades because Charlie knows his craft inside and out. He’s been assembling sandwiches the same way for so long that it’s become an art form.
The beauty of this system is the personal touch. Charlie remembers regulars and their preferences, creating custom sandwiches tailored to each person’s taste. Fresh ingredients, quality meats, and bread that’s always crispy make every creation memorable.
This old-school method builds relationships that go beyond simple transactions. People come here not just for sandwiches but for the experience of being taken care of by someone who genuinely cares about the food he serves and the customers he feeds daily.
Harold’s New York Deli (Edison, NJ)
Harold’s brings authentic New York deli culture to central New Jersey, and they do it the right way—by making pretty much everything fresh in-house. While many delis rely on pre-made items or shortcuts, Harold’s insists on preparing food from scratch daily. That commitment to quality shines through in every dish.
Their sandwiches are enormous, piled high with hand-sliced meats and accompanied by pickles that snap when you bite them. The soups are simmered for hours, developing deep flavors you can’t get from a can. Even the desserts are baked fresh.
By resisting the temptation to modernize or cut costs, Harold’s maintains the standards that made old-school delis legendary. Customers appreciate knowing their food is prepared with care, using methods that have proven themselves over generations of satisfied diners.
Nostalgia Kosher (Lakewood, NJ)
With a name like Nostalgia, you know this place takes its old-school mission seriously. Their recipes trace back to 19th-century Jewish culinary traditions, featuring dishes that many modern delis have abandoned. Knishes, tongue, stewed gizzards, and pickled herring share menu space with the more familiar pastrami and corned beef.
What’s remarkable is their refusal to simplify or modernize the menu to appeal to broader tastes. They preserve recipes that require time, skill, and ingredients that aren’t always easy to source. This dedication keeps culinary history alive for future generations.
First-timers might feel overwhelmed by unfamiliar options, but the staff happily explains each dish’s origins and flavors. Eating here becomes an education in Jewish food culture, proving that some traditions are too valuable to let fade away, no matter how much the world changes around them.
