These are North Jersey's top 7 new restaurants of 2025 (so far)
Between June and August each year, New Jersey residents from Wayne to Saddle River pack their SUVs and head for the sandy beaches of the shore. Whether they set up their umbrellas at Lavallette, or unwind in front of the gentle Wildwood waves, there's no debate: they're not here.
Or, at least, 40% of them aren't (and, the ones who stay are probably out enjoying the sun, having a picnic or ordering DoorDash because it's too damn hot to walk to the car).
So, while I would normally be telling you about all the latest and greatest gastronomic hot spots to open on our local food scene, I'm going to take this opportunity to talk about some of the standouts that opened in the winter and spring.
And you, of course, can take advantage of the fact that — for the next few months — you can actually get into them.
From Essex County to Bergen, then, here are the seven best restaurants to have opened in North Jersey in 2025 (so far).
**NOTE: Only restaurants with no pre-existing locations were considered for this story. All openings included are entirely new.
Seasonal produce and locally-sourced ingredients drive the menu at Lula; Conor Browne's "elevated yet approachable" New American restaurant in Ridgewood. Using regional vegetables, meats and more, Browne and chef de cuisine Randall DeFalco have been impressing diners with fresh seasonal dishes since their farm-to-table passion project opened this past winter.
When I first visited the spot in March, I indulged in a vibrantly-colored, crisp-coated pork chop Milanese alongside a fun appetizer of burrata and strawberries. Just a month later, however, the menu featured an entirely new set of dishes — of which the chamomile butter-smothered ricotta gnocchi became my all-time Browne and DeFalco favorite.
Go: 28 Oak St., Ridgewood; 201-301-0301, lulanj.com.
Chef Giuseppe Agostino's Verana is one of Bergen County's most happening restaurants. Positioned just south of the New York border, the bustling Italian destination attracts some of the metro area's most picky palates — and generally pleases them all.
I had high hopes, then, when I heard the Del Posto alum would be launching an upscale Greek restaurant, Mykos, a mile away.
Upon visiting, my lofty expectations were surpassed. Sea bass drizzled with caper butter melted in my mouth, while house-made taramasalata was thick, salty and subtly tangy. From flawless pita to pristine digs, everything about the place was exceptional.
Go: 416 Tappan Road, Northvale; 201-300-4596, mykosnorthvale.com.
Just over a year ago, I named Kinjo (Jamie Knott and Bill Sander's "neighborhood Japanese spot") North Jersey's top new restaurant of 2023. In an unforeseen turn of events, though, weeks of severe power outages caused the trendy ramen hangout to close permanently.
Luckily, the space didn't lie vacant for long, as — only months later — I received word of a Georgian-fusion project, Sihana Bistro, moving into empty storefront. With a team evidently not afraid of the same outcome, the upcoming restaurant would serve Eastern European staples alongside modern Mediterranean fare.
Somewhere between nostalgic and intrigued, I booked a table for two.
At the bistro, I sampled traditional khinkali (Georgian soup dumplings), creamy garlic chicken and crunchy fried mushrooms over seasonal greens, to name a few. The Adjaruli Khachapuri (a boat-shaped cheese bread showcasing two different cheeses and a drippy egg yolk), however, had me convinced that, even if it did experience similar technical difficulties to its predecessor, the one-of-a-kind restaurant could stay afloat.
Go: 159 Washington St., Newark; 973-995-0040, sihanabistro.com.
Hidden on the lower level of a Bloomfield Ave. record store, Seoul Bistro might be the most unassuming star of Montclair's lively main strip. Specializing in classic, homestyle Korean fare and contemporary K-street food, the aptly-named hole-in-the-wall is a true secret gem.
Or, at least, it was — until I raved about it on @northjerseyeats.
On the menu are dishes like buldak (fiery ramen covered in cheese), seafood jeon (scallion pancakes filled with seafood) and various stone bowl rice creations. What ultimately motivated me to send the spot viral, though, was the team's innovative take on rose teokbokki (chewy rice cakes in savory cream sauce) that featured fried chicken, mini sausages, juicy mushrooms and more.
Go: 537 Bloomfield Ave., Montclair; 201-499-5300, seoulbistronj.com.
If you like pop art, mood lighting and, of course, cheese, then Bar Mutz — Robbie Felice's recently-opened mozzarella-themed trattoria — is your 2025 culinary must-try. With a menu that's practically a love letter to New Jersey's favorite dairy product, the chic spot offers a hot set of melty dishes with an even hotter side of #vibes.
Though, right now, customers are most readily purchasing table-side fresh mozzarella (fed directly into their mouths by the restaurant's young staff), the king of Felice's current menu is the Short Rib Trottole; an entrée which showcases house-made pasta spirals drowning in meaty ragu and mozzarella whey.
Go: 90 Center Ave., Westwood; barmutz.com.
Wagyu tataki, uni truffle rolls and mentaiko pasta with fish roe are just three of the chef's specialties that have skyrocketed Minoru to the top of this year's culinary openings list. From the team behind SLA Thai, the March-born restaurant has been full nearly every night since its opening, and positive word of mouth is sure to keep that trend alive.
Now, before you rush to book your reservation at the fashionable Japanese spot (should you be able to snag one), I will warn you; a meal at Minoru is not cheap.
Top-tier ingredients, inventive dishes and a beautiful dining room, nonetheless, justify the tall tab.
Go: 608 Valley Road, Montclair; 908-275-1732, minorunj.com.
And, on the flip side of fine dining, we have Verona's thriving little burger joint.
Because, as great as caviar is, it'll never be a smashburger.
Go: 648 Bloomfield Ave., Verona; 973-433-7256, woosmash.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: North Jersey's top 7 new restaurants of 2025 (so far)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Yahoo
Trump's Secret Service detail to pay $600K for golf carts and port-a-potties to use at his New Jersey club
The Secret Service is allocating more than $600,000 to rent golf carts and portable toilets for use in Bedminster, New Jersey, the home of President Donald Trump's private country club, according to a review of government procurement data by The Independent. On June 3, the agency signed a pair of definitive contracts with Associates Golf Car Service of Poughkeepsie, New York, and Restroom Resources LLC of Wrightstown, New Jersey, federal records show. The agreement with Associates Golf Car Service Inc., for 'Golf Car Rental and Transportation Services,' is worth a potential $550,930 and runs through June 2, 2026. Restroom Resources's work order for 'portable restroom rentals and services' is worth up to $80,385, runs through May 31, 2026, and comes with a three-year renewal option, for a potential total of $333,801. Taxpayers, as is customary, will be footing both bills. Secret Service agents in golf carts normally ride several holes ahead of and behind Trump when he hits the links, in order to ensure his security. And while it is unclear exactly how the portable restrooms will be used, they are for the convenience of agents on the property and not because they are banned from using the facilities inside, as they were rumored to be at the 5,000 square-foot Washington, D.C. spread rented by First Daughter Ivanka Trump and husband Jared Kushner in 2017. In a email on Monday, a Secret Service spokesperson told The Independent, 'The U.S. Secret Service has contracts in place for portable restrooms and golf cart rentals to support protective operations in Bedminster, New Jersey. The golf carts are used by personnel to move around club property. Secret Service personnel have access to restrooms in club facilities; however, additional restrooms are needed to support the number of personnel onsite. These rentals also allow for restroom access in additional locations on club property and when club facilities are closed such as after business hours.' Messages sent to Associates Golf Car Service Inc. and Restroom Resources went unanswered. In 2019, the Secret Service allocated $95,250 to rent golf carts from Associates Golf Car Service, to be used at Bedminster over a six-month period between May 6 and October 31. It is unclear whether the new rate of $550,930 represents a far larger rental fleet this time around, or if prices have more than doubled in the years since. Golf cart rentals at Associates Golf Car Service range from about $1,000 to $1,400 per month. None of the rental fees are shown going directly to Trump, unlike a July 2018 trip he took to his Trump Turnberry Resort in Scotland, during which the property charged the Secret Service $923 for golf cart rentals. (Trump was accused of overcharging the Secret Service by as much as 300 percent to rent hotel rooms at the Washington, D.C. hotel he owned during his first term.) For its part, Restroom Resources, which serves New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland, aims to 'provide the most luxurious portable restroom experience, ensuring comfort, sophistication, and convenience at every event. We believe in enhancing the guest experience with high-end restroom trailers that seamlessly blend style and functionality.' 'At Restroom Resources, we're redefining mobile restroom experiences,' the company's website tells prospective clients. '... We understand that traditional porta potties can be unpleasant – but your guests and team deserve better. That's why we've built our company on exceeding expectations and delivering luxury amenities in every unit.' The initiation fee to join Trump's club in Bedminster sits at about $100,000, according to The Wall Street Journal. Last month, the Somerset County Health Department gave the club's kitchens a food-safety grade of 32 points out of a possible 100, alongside only two other establishments scoring under 40: Hunan Wok in Middlesex Borough and Ponche Suizo in North Plainfield, reported. The club's general manager insisted, without evidence, that the violations were 'politically motivated,' and health inspectors raised the establishment's score to 83 following a return visit in early June. Still, the club was cited for six violations, including two critical ones, such as improperly chilled milk and creamers, weak sanitizer levels, and mops stored in buckets instead of being air-dried. Since his January 20 inauguration, Trump's golf habit has already cost taxpayers more than $53 million, according to tracking site During his first term, Trump's golf habit set back taxpayers a total of $151.5 million, which included security, transportation aboard Air Force 1, meals, and lodging, according to the Government Accountability Office. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tourist Says He Was Denied Entry To U.S. Over A Seemingly Innocent Photo — And It Could Happen To You
Seeing Vice President JD Vance as a bald, shiny orb can make you laugh ― but can it get you denied entry at a U.S. border? According to one tourist, yes. Norwegian tourist Mads Mikkelsen told Nordlys that he was denied entry at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on June 11 after authorities searched his phone and found a Vance meme on his phone camera roll, and then proceeded to question him about right-wing extremism and drug smuggling. Mikkelsen later told Nordlys that he did tell border officials he had tried marijuana in Germany and in New Mexico, but did not think this was relevant because they are both places where it is legal. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin refuted Mikkelsen's allegations about the meme being the reason for his heightened scrutiny. 'Claims that Mads Mikkelsen was denied entry because of a JD Vance meme are FALSE,' she wrote on X. 'Mikkelsen was refused entry into the U.S. for his admitted drug use.' But regardless of Mikkelsen's story, can a political meme on your phone be the reason you get denied entry? Following President Donald Trump's executive order for 'enhanced vetting,' border agents have been using aggressive tactics on legal immigrants and tourists. We were made for this moment. HuffPost will aggressively, fairly and honestly cover the Trump administration. But we need your help. . 'It is absolutely possible that a meme, or an article, or a photograph can be used as the basis for the denial of entry,' said Petra Molnar, lawyer and author of 'The Walls Have Eyes: Surviving Migration in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.' 'Decisions at the border are highly discretionary, made all the more so by the recent push for border enforcement to scrutinize social media for so-called risky behavior,' she continued, citing the State Department's recent plans to screen people applying for visas to the U.S. for perceived 'hostility' toward America, and to ask them to make their social media accounts 'public' for review. 'In this current climate, what may appear as a silly joke can be used as the basis for detention, interrogation, and deportation,' Molnar said. Here's what you need to know when traveling feels riskier than ever. Border agents have wide discretion. U.S. citizens have more protections than tourists and visa holders. Yes, the U.S. government asserts the right to search your electronic devices when you cross U.S. borders, but if you are a U.S. citizen, you cannot be denied entry, no matter what absurd caricatures of Vance you keep on your phone. 'You're an American citizen. They cannot say, 'Oh, you're not coming into your own country.' That's against the law,' explained Sophia Cope, a senior staff attorney at Electronic Frontier Foundation. As a U.S. citizen, you can, however, face interrogations, travel delays or device confiscations for refusing to comply to device searches. 'It might be confiscated for several weeks or months,' Cope said to consider. Meanwhile, visitors and visa-holders have fewer rights than U.S. citizens when they travel to the U.S. and 'are particularly vulnerable to being denied entry, or at the very least may face an unpleasant interrogation with the possibility of having to hand over their devices indefinitely,' Molnar said. Cope said a border agent denying a tourist over a meme is 'ridiculous,' but the Norwegian visitor had no real recourse, because he's a not a U.S. citizen. 'Unfortunately, non-green card holders, non-citizens have almost no leverage to not comply with the request to grant access to their device,' she said. It helps to know what's in your power to refuse. In order to prepare for travel, know your rights about what border agents can and cannot do. Know that they are supposed to put your phone into airplane mode before they start to search it and are not supposed to be looking at cloud-based applications, although there have been reports of people saying their social media accounts were reviewed. 'Disable biometric identification like FaceID, limit automatic cloud access, set up disappearing messages and consider switching to applications like Signal,' Molnar suggested. You can also go one step further and 'consider getting a second phone or not bringing your laptop, or removing materials which could possibly solicit further scrutiny,' she noted. Know that you are not required to share your password to unlock your phone, but visa holders and visitors could be denied entry for their refusal. When asked, neither Customs and Border Protection nor the Department of Homeland Security answered HuffPost questions about Mikkelsen's claim that a border agent told him he would be imprisoned or fined for not sharing his phone passcode. When asked, DHS only redirected HuffPost to McLaughlin's public statement about Mikkelsen being denied entry over drug use. To be clear, Cope explained, there's no legal basis for Customs and Border Protection officials threatening a traveler with jail time and fines for refusing to share a passcode for a device search. 'It's basically, either you're denied entry or your phone gets confiscated,' she said. 'There's no crime there.' There are pros and cons to refusing a device search, and your personal risk is highly contingent on your immigration status. 'People have to balance the privacy invasion of a device search with, do they risk being denied entry? Or do they risk missing a flight or being detained?' Cope said. Ultimately, if you are nervous about what could happen when you travel to the U.S., you are right to feel this way. Consider that 'It seems like this administration is being very touchy about ... people who express opposition to the Trump administration in one way or another,' Cope said. 'And [this JD Vance meme] is the most benign kind of opposition.' 'People are rightly worried about the growing surveillance apparatus in the U.S., which now includes scrutiny over memes and social media content,' Molnar said. She noted that the right to privacy is not just about avoiding scrutiny over wrongdoing but about 'our fundamental right to personal autonomy and freedom from surveillance, rights which are increasingly coming under attack.' The one thing we know for sure: because of this story, Vance memes that make the vice president look childlike or absurd are going to be seen even more, and that's one action this administration does not have the power to control. Related... Does Border Patrol Have The Right To Go Through Your Phone? Here Are The Alarming Facts. The Surprising Reason These Wild JD Vance Memes Keep Spreading Why You Can (And Should) Opt Out Of TSA Facial Recognition Right Now
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tourist Says He Was Denied Entry To U.S. Over A Seemingly Innocent Photo — And It Could Happen To You
Seeing Vice President JD Vance as a bald, shiny orb can make you laugh ― but can it get you denied entry at a U.S. border? According to one tourist, yes. Norwegian tourist Mads Mikkelsen told Nordlys that he was denied entry at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on June 11 after authorities searched his phone and found a Vance meme on his phone camera roll, and then proceeded to question him about right-wing extremism and drug smuggling. Mikkelsen later told Nordlys that he did tell border officials he had tried marijuana in Germany and in New Mexico, but did not think this was relevant because they are both places where it is legal. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin refuted Mikkelsen's allegations about the meme being the reason for his heightened scrutiny. 'Claims that Mads Mikkelsen was denied entry because of a JD Vance meme are FALSE,' she wrote on X. 'Mikkelsen was refused entry into the U.S. for his admitted drug use.' But regardless of Mikkelsen's story, can a political meme on your phone be the reason you get denied entry? Following President Donald Trump's executive order for 'enhanced vetting,' border agents have been using aggressive tactics on legal immigrants and tourists. We were made for this moment. HuffPost will aggressively, fairly and honestly cover the Trump administration. But we need your help. . 'It is absolutely possible that a meme, or an article, or a photograph can be used as the basis for the denial of entry,' said Petra Molnar, lawyer and author of 'The Walls Have Eyes: Surviving Migration in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.' 'Decisions at the border are highly discretionary, made all the more so by the recent push for border enforcement to scrutinize social media for so-called risky behavior,' she continued, citing the State Department's recent plans to screen people applying for visas to the U.S. for perceived 'hostility' toward America, and to ask them to make their social media accounts 'public' for review. 'In this current climate, what may appear as a silly joke can be used as the basis for detention, interrogation, and deportation,' Molnar said. Here's what you need to know when traveling feels riskier than ever. Border agents have wide discretion. U.S. citizens have more protections than tourists and visa holders. Yes, the U.S. government asserts the right to search your electronic devices when you cross U.S. borders, but if you are a U.S. citizen, you cannot be denied entry, no matter what absurd caricatures of Vance you keep on your phone. 'You're an American citizen. They cannot say, 'Oh, you're not coming into your own country.' That's against the law,' explained Sophia Cope, a senior staff attorney at Electronic Frontier Foundation. As a U.S. citizen, you can, however, face interrogations, travel delays or device confiscations for refusing to comply to device searches. 'It might be confiscated for several weeks or months,' Cope said to consider. Meanwhile, visitors and visa-holders have fewer rights than U.S. citizens when they travel to the U.S. and 'are particularly vulnerable to being denied entry, or at the very least may face an unpleasant interrogation with the possibility of having to hand over their devices indefinitely,' Molnar said. Cope said a border agent denying a tourist over a meme is 'ridiculous,' but the Norwegian visitor had no real recourse, because he's a not a U.S. citizen. 'Unfortunately, non-green card holders, non-citizens have almost no leverage to not comply with the request to grant access to their device,' she said. It helps to know what's in your power to refuse. In order to prepare for travel, know your rights about what border agents can and cannot do. Know that they are supposed to put your phone into airplane mode before they start to search it and are not supposed to be looking at cloud-based applications, although there have been reports of people saying their social media accounts were reviewed. 'Disable biometric identification like FaceID, limit automatic cloud access, set up disappearing messages and consider switching to applications like Signal,' Molnar suggested. You can also go one step further and 'consider getting a second phone or not bringing your laptop, or removing materials which could possibly solicit further scrutiny,' she noted. Know that you are not required to share your password to unlock your phone, but visa holders and visitors could be denied entry for their refusal. When asked, neither Customs and Border Protection nor the Department of Homeland Security answered HuffPost questions about Mikkelsen's claim that a border agent told him he would be imprisoned or fined for not sharing his phone passcode. When asked, DHS only redirected HuffPost to McLaughlin's public statement about Mikkelsen being denied entry over drug use. To be clear, Cope explained, there's no legal basis for Customs and Border Protection officials threatening a traveler with jail time and fines for refusing to share a passcode for a device search. 'It's basically, either you're denied entry or your phone gets confiscated,' she said. 'There's no crime there.' There are pros and cons to refusing a device search, and your personal risk is highly contingent on your immigration status. 'People have to balance the privacy invasion of a device search with, do they risk being denied entry? Or do they risk missing a flight or being detained?' Cope said. Ultimately, if you are nervous about what could happen when you travel to the U.S., you are right to feel this way. Consider that 'It seems like this administration is being very touchy about ... people who express opposition to the Trump administration in one way or another,' Cope said. 'And [this JD Vance meme] is the most benign kind of opposition.' 'People are rightly worried about the growing surveillance apparatus in the U.S., which now includes scrutiny over memes and social media content,' Molnar said. She noted that the right to privacy is not just about avoiding scrutiny over wrongdoing but about 'our fundamental right to personal autonomy and freedom from surveillance, rights which are increasingly coming under attack.' The one thing we know for sure: because of this story, Vance memes that make the vice president look childlike or absurd are going to be seen even more, and that's one action this administration does not have the power to control. Related... Does Border Patrol Have The Right To Go Through Your Phone? Here Are The Alarming Facts. The Surprising Reason These Wild JD Vance Memes Keep Spreading Why You Can (And Should) Opt Out Of TSA Facial Recognition Right Now
