These are the best restaurants for wine in Central Jersey, says Wine Spectator
Central New Jersey wine connoisseurs, there's no need to go to Tuscany or Napa Valley to find quality vintages alongside five-star meals, Wine Spectator says. All you have to do is drive down the road.
Wine Spectator has released the winners of the 2024 Restaurant Awards, which honor outstanding eateries with extraordinary wine lists. This year, the program recognized nearly 3,800 restaurants from around the globe, including 11 from Middlesex, Union, Hunterdon and Somerset counties.
Of these, The Pluckemin Inn in Bedminster was one of 96 restaurants to earn the Grand Award, the top prize.
To see the full list of the 85 New Jersey restaurants recognized, visit bit.ly/2OvH7Vw.
Grand Award
This group, according to a news release, comprises "the world's best wine programs which deliver serious breadth of top producers, outstanding depth in mature vintages, excellent harmony with the menu and superior presentation."
The Pluckemin Inn in Bedminster is an American restaurant housed in a restored Revolutionary War-era farmhouse that features locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients from nearby farms and purveyors. pluckemininn.com.
Best Award of Excellence
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Best of Award of Excellence recipients "offer extensive wine selections with significant vintage depth and excellent breadth across multiple regions," the release said.
Catherine Lombardi in New Brunswick, modeled after the co-owner's Italian-American grandmother's living room, is a high-end Italian-American eatery known for its comfort cuisine and curated wine list featuring estate-bottled wines from small producers. catherinelombardi.com
Cree Wine Company in Union Township is a wine bar and event space at the historic Perryville Inn. Owned by the state's only Master of Wine, Cree offers wine tastings, classes and dinners — as well as a collection ranging from small family domains to top wine estates from around the world paired with a menu of small plates. creewine.com
La Griglia Seafood Grill & Wine Bar in Kenilworth is a high-end seafood-centric Italian eatery featuring a collection of hundreds of fine Italian wines, most of which are from small producers. lagriglia.com.
More: After seven years of vacancy, the 200-year-old Stockton Inn is reopening
Stage Left Steak in New Brunswick is a nearly three-decade-old city staple known for its fine steaks and wine list, which it shares with sister restaurant and upstairs neighbor, Catherine Lombardi. stageleft.com.
The Frog and the Peach in New Brunswick is known for its creative, upscale and seasonal American large and small plates, as well as its extensive and approachable selection of wines. frogandpeach.com.
Uproot in Warren is a bright, modern and creative American restaurant that was purchased by a new French cuisine-trained chef and owner in 2022. uprootrestaurant.com.
Water & Wine Ristorante-Taverna in Watchung is an upscale Italian-American restaurant on Lake Watchung that offers an extensive collection of Italian wines. visitwaterandwine.com.
Award of Excellence
More: Celebrity chef David Burke's speakeasy and wine bar is open at the former Bernards Inn
The Award of Excellence recognizes restaurants "whose wine lists feature a well-chosen assortment of quality producers," according to the release.
Red Horse by David Burke is a celebrity-chef owned New American restaurant in Bernardsville with a downstairs wine bar at the home of the historic Bernards Inn. redhorsebydb.com/restaurant-bernards.
Seasons 52, with award-winning locations in Edison and Bridgewater, is an American grill and wine bar chain known for its casually sophisticated atmosphere, seasonal menu and dishes utilizing fresh ingredients. seasons52.com.
Stone House at Stirling Ridge in Warren is an upscale New American restaurant and event space situated on 10 acres in the Watchung Mountains. stonehouseatstirlingridge.com.
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Jenna Intersimone has been a staff member at the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey since 2014, although she's a lifetime Jersey girl who considers herself an expert in everything from the Jersey Shore to the Garden State's buzzing downtowns. To get unlimited access to her stories about food, drink and fun, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. You can also follow her on Instagram at @seejennaeat and on Twitter at @JIntersimone.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Wine Spectator names best Central Jersey restaurants for wine
