These are North Jersey's top 10 new restaurants of 2023
We've all heard the famous claim: 60% of restaurants fail within their first year of business.
And, if they don't go under then? 80%, the legend goes, shutter before the end of their fifth.
Whether or not that statistic is true, we're unsure. But — with over 25,000 restaurants in New Jersey — we're positive about one thing; rookie restaurateurs in the area certainly have the odds (and the competition) against them.
Regardless, each year, ambitious chefs and hospitality wizards head to the Garden State in droves; all hoping to set up shop in one of America's most diverse culinary destinations.
And, though most get destroyed on Yelp within a couple of weeks (generally because the service sucks), some of the fledgling projects thrive in their novel environments.
The latter are what we celebrate today.
In our food writers' perspectives, these are North Jersey's 10 best new restaurants of 2023.
10. F1rst, Hawthorne
Chef Adam Weiss hails from a long lineage of experienced cooks, who, in his words, "inspired him to develop a passion for the culinary arts." As a child, he helped his grandmother prepare holiday meals, before, as a young adult, heading to the Culinary Institute of America. After school, Weiss worked as the Executive Chef in two Bergen County restaurants — receiving three-star reviews from NJ Monthly Magazine for his performance at both.
F1rst is Weiss's (suitably named) first solo restaurant. An eclectic New American dinner spot, it serves fresh, locally-sourced dishes with contemporary flair. Order a Wellington, and you'll find it made with a portobello mushroom, rather than a steak. But, if you want a steak? Enjoy one with thin-cut parmesan truffle fries.
Whatever you select, it'll sing with notes of the chef's fun personality, because the talented jack-of-all-trades makes every dish (including dessert) on the menu.
Go: 112 Lincoln Ave., Hawthorne; 973-830-2119, firstrestaurantnj.com.
9. BON Omakase, Westwood
BON, a Korean and Japanese restaurant in Westwood, silently opened — to nearly perfect reviews — only three months ago. And, in the time since? The spot has become known amongst local foodies as a North Jersey hidden gem.
Still sporting perfect five-star rating on Google, the restaurant serves a 20-course, chef-selected omakase tasting menu to its guests each night. Dishes include sea-to-table sashimi and nigiri, each prepared with interesting seasonings, house-made sauces and smart combinations of high-end fish. A toro nigiri for example, comes topped with a flavorful dollop of caviar and edible gold, while buttery uni is used in many creations as an accoutrement.
At only $150 dollars a head (Masa's Omakase is now running at $750, for reference), the multiple-hour feast is an absolute steal for sushi lovers.
Go: 487 Broadway, Westwood; 201-238-2371, bonwestwood.com. (An à la carte menu is available for guests who'd prefer to order their own selections, as well.)
8. Fanny's, Bloomfield
When we heard that "old school" Italian dishes would be getting a "new school" spin at Fanny's, we already knew we wanted to try the spot. What we didn't expect, however, was to love it as much as we did. How fancy, we thought, could pork chops and chicken parm really get?
Turns out — if you serve them with caper pesto and chicory salad, or the size of an entire plate, respectively — they can get pretty fancy.
At this casual-yet-elegant Bloomfield restaurant, all of your childhood favorites are getting fresh looks. Carbonara comes with handmade gemelli noodles, and lasagna is innovated with a mushroom and walnut bolognese. From the appetizers to the vegetables (such as Baked Clams in chimichurri butter to Harissa Charred Carrots with oregano crème fra?che), every dish on Fanny's menu meets at the crossroads of comfort and sophistication.
Go: 1109 Broad St., Bloomfield, 973-343-5109, fannysitalian.com.
7. Gioia Mia, Montclair
Logan Ramirez and Mary Cumella made big Montclair news this year when they took over beloved Italian restaurant Fascino with their own concept Gioia Mia earlier this year. Local diners need not worry, however, because the new spot is just as good as the old one (albeit different, despite Ramirez being a chef of former owner Ryan DePersio).
At Gioia Mia, which translates to "my joy," farm-to-table fine-dining is the name of the game. The owners explain the restaurant as "globally-inspired," rather than strictly Italian, with a "contemporary, market-driven" menu influenced by "multiple cuisines." When we went, we enjoyed dishes from a juicy, savory pork chop with apple miso glaze to a sweet and umami Braised Duck and Taleggio Triangoli.
With that level of creativity coming from an executive chef only 26 years-old, we're certain this is just the beginning for the humble Essex County restaurant on the rise.
Go: 331 Bloomfield Ave., Montclair; 973-233-0350, gioiamianj.com.
6. Meat Moot, Paterson
The concept of Meat Moot isn't that deep; it's a smoked meat house serving nothing but lamb and beef. But, when that lamb and beef is cooked to order — in front of you — and plated with 14 sauces and 7 different salads? The result is nothing short of stellar.
Based out of Istanbul, Meat Moot is a small, high-end European restaurant chain, with only two locations in the U.S. (this one, Paterson, being the second; the first is in Illinois). At each of the company's spots, guests are presented with a "feast of garnished meats" worthy of "a king's banquet." A massive beef shank is as tender as it could possibly be, and the meat falls from the bones of a spice-rubbed lamb rack of ribs.
Simple concept, chain model, small menu; forget all of that. The distinctly flavorful meat in this place speaks for itself, and easily earns the unassuming restaurant a position on this list.
Go: 1068 Main St., Paterson; 646-804-8818, meatmoot.com.tr/branches/new-jersey-branch.
5. Fat Choy, Englewood
We loved Fat Choy when it used to be in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, so we were super excited when chef Justin Lee announced he'd be moving the restaurant to North Jersey.
Turns out, we weren't the only ones: Earlier this year, the New York Times put the spot on its 2023 Top 50 Restaurants in America list, calling it the one they're "most excited about" in New Jersey. Who couldn't be excited, though, by a millennial-run "Chinese-ish" spot offering sit-down, modern versions of take-out classics?
Conceptualize crunchy, sticky General Lee's Cauliflower and a tempura-battered and fried Fat Burger (featuring a house-made, vegetarian patty), and you're just scratching the surface of what this unique, one-of-a-kind Englewood restaurant is creating.
Go: 52 E Palisade Ave., Englewood; 201-408-4581, fatchoyworld.com.
4. pastaRAMEN, Montclair
Scoring a table at pastaRAMEN is like getting Taylor Swift tickets. According to Resy, the Italian-Japanese fusion spot is one of the eight hardest restaurant reservations to snag in the country — but that doesn't mean you should stop trying. Book your spot, and you'll enter a hidden Montclair oasis where the energy is buzzing, the bathrooms are black-lit and nearly every person on the staff is attractive.
It's great.
Hospitality components aside, however, the food at the spot is equally impressive. The Italian half of the restaurant's influence adds heft and richness to otherwise light dishes (think cacio e pepe over ramen noodles, or porchetta on bao buns), and the talented team of chefs, headed by Robbie Felice, is constantly rolling out new menu items. Some plates we enjoyed this year include Garlic Tuna with White Truffle, Temomi Ramen Shrimp Scampi and an incredibly crispy Pork Chop Scallopini with fried capers.
Go: 6 S Fullerton Ave., Montclair; pastaramen.com.
3. Social Hub, Parsippany
Ever heard of an Indian food sports bar? Probably not, because Social Hub — a fun new Parsippany concept by the Dhaba restaurant group — is the first of its kind. Offering South Asian takes on popular pub grub and bar bites, the lively spot is putting a novel twist on classic global appetizers.
If you haven't been to the restaurant yet, picture sleek wooden tables topped with Truffle Mushroom Naan, Butter Chicken Bao Buns and Dal Makhani Fondue, to name a few. One of our favorite dishes is the Shahi Galouti; melt-in-your-mouth lamb kebab sliders served open-faced on fried saffron paratha triangles. The entrée menu boasts a huge collection of classic Indian curries (saag, korma, etc.) as well, which are just as good, if not better, than the modern, tavern-inspired creations.
Leading the team at Social Hub are chefs Rakesh Kumar and Vivek Rana; a culinary power duo whose friendship stems back to India. Both having only recently left their home country (Rana has been in New Jersey less than a month), the pair is bringing vivid, authentic Delhi flavors to the Garden State through the most exciting, innovative vessels.
Go: 1735 Route 46, Parsippany-Troy Hills; 862-401-2800, socialbydhaba.com.
2. Boschetto, Montclair
If fast-casual makes you think of Chipotle, Panera or Jersey Mikes; think again. Boschetto, a counter-service Italian restaurant in Montclair, has officially redefined the genre.
With a menu designed by Joseph Sergentakis, a former chef at Restaurant Daniel (as well as executive chef at multiple fine dining restaurants in Asia), the no-frills spot is essentially serving Michelin-quality fast food — and it's fantastic.
Rather than grabbing a burger from Wendy's, imagine heading to a white, marble counter to order a Salsiccia Pizza with bechamel, sausage and fennel. Or, instead of another sauceless Chick-fil-A sandwich, how about indulging in a Mortadella and Stracciatella Panuozzo?
From fresh pastas to delicious seafood, this Essex County powerhouse is serving Manhattan-quality fare; free of staggering prices, elitism and any other Montclair entitlement.
Go: 111 Grove St., Montclair, 973-509-1095, boschettonj.com.
1. Kinjo, Newark
To many, Jamie Knott's Saddle River Inn is the best restaurant in New Jersey. It should come as no surprise, then, that his latest project takes the top spot on this list.
A collaboration between the aforementioned culinary vet and rookie restaurant owner Bill Sanders (former chef at 7 Doors Down Ramen), Kinjo is a Japanese-Korean fusion spot turning out elevated, dynamic dishes that you just won't find anywhere else.
Start with a bread service, and you'll be met with steamed bao marinated in miso butter and finished with crispy garlic furikake. Chase that with the okonomiyaki, a Japanese-style pancake topped with kimchi, shiitake, hoisin and citrus aioli. When it comes time for entrées, expect tahini-topped duck breast — sandwiched between courses of hamachi temaki rolls and miso chocolate chip cookies with java gelato.
Somewhere between a passion project, for Sanders, and an international experiment, for Knott, Kinjo has entered the Newark food scene with a vengeance; simultaneously changing the culinary landscape of the city, and proving itself to be North Jersey's must-try new restaurant of the year.
Go: 159 Washington St., Newark; 973-944-2828, kinjonj.com.
Kara VanDooijeweert is a food writer for NorthJersey.com and The Record. If you can't find her in Jersey's best restaurants, she's probably off running a race course in the mountains. Catch her on Instagram: @karanicolev & @northjerseyeats, and sign up for her North Jersey Eats newsletter.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ restaurants: North Jersey top 10 new restaurants of 2023
