The Top 10 Restaurants in Ridgewood, NJ

Top 10 Restaurants in Ridgewood, NJ

Ridgewood, NJ is a northern historical looking village full of life. With countless shops, activities, and restaurants, it can be hard to choose where to go. Here are Ridgewood, NJ’s top ten restaurants that you must try when visiting the area that offers unforgettable experiences and dazzling dishes.

Raymond’s – $$

This cozy, delicious restaurant first opened in Montclair in 1989, but with its growing popularity, Raymond and partner Joanne Ricci brought another spot to Ridgewood. Breakfast and lunch are served Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4 pm, dinner is served from 4 pm to 9 pm all week, and brunch happens from 8 am to 4 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Breakfast contains classics like eggs and pancakes—but better. “Eggs Norwegian” comes with smoked salmon, hollandaise, an English muffin, and home fries. The classic buttermilk pancakes are served with Berkshire maple syrup and salted butter, but wild Maine blueberry sauce is available to add for extra. Appetizers, salads, sandwiches, entrées, and burgers are also available. For dinner, try the “Baja Fish Tacos,” which are made with blackened mahi-mahi, huitlacoche, cabbage, and cilantro. Their classic hamburger is also a hit, the beefsteak tomato, gem lettuce, red onion, and accompanied french fries making for an incredibly tasty meal. End with their “Warm Ricotta Donuts” with wild berry jam and chocolate sauce or the “Sticky Toffee Cake” with pecans and rum raisin gelato.

White Maple Café – $$

White Maple Café serves classic American food with exceptional flavors and ingredients that are locally sourced. Monday through Friday, breakfast is open from 8 am to 11:15 am and lunch from 11:30 am to 4 pm. Dinner starts at 5 pm and ends at 8:30 pm on Mondays and Sundays, but Tuesdays and Thursdays end at 9 pm, while Fridays and Saturdays go until 10 pm. Brunch is served from 8 am to 3 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. While they do serve wine from the Ventimiglia Vineyard in Wantage, NJ, customers can bring their own! Pair some wine with their “Pan Roasted Half Chicken” or the “Seared Scallops.” The chicken is “Goffle Road Farm chicken, roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, and aji verde, and the scallops are Barnegat Light sea scallops with pumpkin and butternut squash risotto. Not sure what wine to bring? Check out The Best Sweet Red Wines. 

Pearl Restaurant – $$

Pearl Restaurant is not only one of the top restaurants in Ridgewood but one of the top freshest. Chefs do not use microwaves, freezers, or fryers, cooking fresh food daily. The restaurant opens every day at 12 pm, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday closing at 9 pm, Friday and Saturday at 10 pm, and Sunday at 9 pm. However, lunch is only served until 3 pm Monday through Friday, where guests can try the “Pearl Boneless Chicken Breast Francese” or the “Bell & Evans Boneless Chicken Breast Zingarella,” made with cremini mushrooms, roasted red peppers, and marsala wine. Both are served over seasonal vegetables and Yukon gold mashed potatoes. For dinner, the “Florida Gulf Shrimp with Pine Nut Pesto” or “Milk Fed Veal Scaloppini” are excellent choices. The shrimp comes with heirloom cherry tomatoes and Meyer lemon risotto-style orzo, while the veal comes with cremini mushrooms, sage, truffle oil, and marsala wine, again served over those lovely vegetables and mashed potatoes.

Felina – $$$$

Serving delicious Italian meals, Felina offers an array of luxurious food, drinks, seating, and entertainment. This restaurant is not open on Mondays and Tuesdays, but opens at 5 pm and closes at 10 pm Wednesday through Saturday. On Sunday, bask in the beautiful atmosphere from 12 pm to 8 pm with brunch served until 3:30 pm. Try their “Spaghetti al Pomodoro” with tomato and basil with the choice to add local burrata or the “Maple Brined Pork Chop” served with bacon jam, sweet potato puree, and roasted Brussels sprouts. For the whole table, order “Lobster Fra Diavolo,” a 1.5 lb lobster with linguini and fire-roasted long hots. If dining on the rooftop, known as “La Terrazza,” order a “Dolce Pesca,” which is a mojito with rum, peach, mint, lime juice, and simple syrup, or a strawberry watermelon or wild peach sangria “Felina Rosa Frosé.” Both the interior and exterior of this restaurant are stunning—so much so that there is a bridal suite and the opportunity for wedding photos. They even offer classes, the earliest upcoming being a “Mocktail vs. Cocktail Class” hosted on January 25 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

Latour – $$$

For French cuisine, check out Latour on Tuesdays through Saturdays from 5 pm to 9 pm or Sundays from 4 pm to 8 pm. For an appetizer, try the “Escargots a’ la Bourguignonne” with garlic white wine sauce, creamed spinach, and a phyllo pastry shell or the “Fallen French Cheese Soufflé,” served with a red wine reduction, seasonal berry compote, toasted pecans, and truffle honey. For an entrée, order “Filet of Beef Wellington-Napoleon” with a layered puff pastry, wild mushroom duxelles, paté de foie gras, and veal demi glacé, or “Sliced Loin of Venison,” served with potato gratin, vegetable du jour, and cranberry demi glacé. Finish with “Profiteroles” or “Bavarian Apple Strudel.” Can’t choose between options? Check out their four-course tasting menu.

Park West – $$$

Ridgewood’s Park West Tavern is open from 10:30 am until midnight on Sundays and 11:30 am until midnight the rest of the week. Serving American food for lunch, dinner, and brunch with tons of cocktails and craft beers, there is something for everyone here. Try the “Ribeye Spring Rolls” with cremini mushrooms, onions, and mozzarella for brunch and the “10oz Filet Mignon” for dinner, served with garlic spinach, potato fondant, and demi. The handcrafted cocktails are a hit here, with options like “The Antithesis” with nue vodka, Pama liqueur, lychee, and cranberry, or the “Bar Drake Manhattan 1862” with Bulleit bourbon, carpano antica, maple syrup, and Angostura bitters. There is a substantial collection of craft beers ranging from “Sweetwater” IPA to “Forged” Irish Stout. Park West even hosts events known as “Evenings in the Park,” where guests can listen to live music from local bands, taste food and wine, and have a themed invitation-only dinner.

Café 37 – $$

Café 37, named one of Ridgewood NJ’s best restaurants, lives up to its title. Open from 4 pm to 9 pm Tuesday through Thursday, 4 pm to 10 pm Friday and Saturday, and 4 pm to 8 pm on Sundays, this sweet spot offers an A La Carte and dessert menu, as well as a kid’s menu. Start off with the “Braise Short-Ribs Raviolis,” topped with a blend of exotic mushrooms and smoked gouda fondue, or the “Charcuterie Board” filled with imported cheeses and cured meats, along with a homemade smoked eggplant dip and a side of sweet dry fruit jam. Order the “Pan Seared Filet of Salmon” as an entrée, and enjoy the side of roasted root vegetables, grilled asparagus, and tomato coulis. Top the meal off with their “Bananas Foster and Dark Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding & Mascarpone Mousse” for an extra delight.

Village Green Restaurant – $$$

Village Green Restaurant has a fascinating history that increases the atmosphere of the location. Starting off as a Carriage House in the late 1890s, then becoming a parking garage, then being demolished and rebuilt as a pet shop in the 1930s, spending the next few decades being a real estate office, the United Jersey Bank of Ridgewood, a frame store, and a martial arts supply store. It was not until 1989 that it became one of the town’s first restaurants, and today, it stands tall and proud, serving New American food with the ability to bring your own drinks. From Tuesday to Thursday, it is open from 5 pm to 9 pm, but on Fridays and Saturdays, it closes at 10 pm. Village Green offers a four-course tasting menu that includes dishes like “Duck Empanada,” “Lemon Sole Veronique,” and a “Salted Caramel Tart.” These fares can be found on the regular menu as well, aside from options like the “Seared Tuna Tataki,” which includes sweet potato, sesame, wakame, spicy cucumber, and garlic aioli, and the “Dijon & Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin,” served with smashed red bliss potato, haricot vert, and sauce vierge.

Shumi Japanese Cuisine – $$

Shumi Japanese Cuisine has only five items on its menu, but they are all made by “New York Times” featured chef David Seo. He has been cooking Japanese food for over 20 years, and his partnering chef, Kunihiko Aikasa, has been doing it for over 45. Aikasa is the founder of Shumi, and since its opening in 1986, it has been named the #1 Japanese restaurant in NJ. The first item on the menu is the “Shumi Omakase.” It is seasonal and made fresh daily. Next is the “Bluefin Tuna Poke Tartare,” which includes avocado, vegetables, sushi rice, ikura, and masago and is topped with their special sauce. The “Shumi Temaki” is hand-rolled with sweet miso, topped with caramelized A5 Miyazaki Wagyu along with a yuzu scallion ponzu sauce. The interesting “Otoro Sashimi Pizza” is, of course, shaped like a pizza, but made with BlueFin Fatty Tuna and Ponzu sauce. The final dish is the “Shumi Chirashi,” which is a daily fresh fish chosen by the chef over sushi rice. They are open every day from 11:30 am to 9:30 pm.

Craving Tapas – $$

This Spanish cuisine bistro is open all week from 11 am to 10 pm. Their menu features spreads with naan, charcuterie board options, sides, empanadas, land and sea, zesty flavors, and even vegan options. Options like the “Grilled Black Angus Skirt Steak” and “Bronzino Mediterraneo” are served with excellent sides, the streak including creamed spinach, parmesan truffle fries, and pico de gallo, and the fish with Gaeta olives, capers, caramelized onions, and garlic. The vegan options consist of a roasted brussel sprout salad, charred artichokes, jersey corn, and a three-mushroom risotto. This beautiful bistro even does catering and private events!

 

Ridgewood is full of exquisite restaurants and tastes with options for every flavor palette. For other restaurants not in this bustling town, check out The 9 Best Restaurants in South Jersey and Organic Restaurants in NJ: Top 5 to Look Out For.