14-07-2025
These are North Jersey's top 7 new restaurants of 2025 (so far)
Opening a new restaurant in the summer — the region's notorious culinary "slow season" — would take some serious guts.
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,
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,
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,
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,
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;
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,
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,
Kara VanDooijeweert is a food writer for 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 North Jersey's top 7 new restaurants of 2025 (so far)
