New Brunswick's 11 best restaurants, ranked for 2026

Welcome to the NJ.com food and culture team's local dining guide series, offering recommendations for foodie hubs in North, Central and South Jersey and everything in between. These lists are curated to give diners a mix of cuisines and the best restaurant experiences to indulge this summer and beyond. Let's dig in!

New Brunswick might be best known as the home of Rutgers University, but there's far more to the city than college hangouts and late-night study sessions.

Over the years, the Hub City has grown into one of Central Jersey's go-to dining destinations -- a town where family-owned restaurants, upscale steakhouses, casual eats and trendy newcomers coexist all within just a few walkable blocks.

A diverse population and Rutgers' presence have shaped a food scene that reflects flavors from around the world, while its lively downtown continues to draw students, locals and visitors.

As a Rutgers alumna, I've had more meals in New Brunswick than I can count. Returning to revisit old favorites and discover new ones was a reminder of why I fell in love with this city in the first place.

Check out our list below of the 11 best restaurants in New Brunswick, ranked.

11. Stuff Yer Face

Stuff Yer Face is another enduring city staple catering to Rutgers kids with its famous stromboli, which comes in three sizes (baby boli, large and huge). Stuff Yer Face also offers dozens of beers and their huge fish bowls -- 60-ounce behemoths of booze and sugar. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter visited the restaurant to find out about the whole stromboli trend. Fast forward to 2009, Stuff Yer Face was featured on Man v. Food.

Try: the original boli ($12), with mozzarella cheese, onions, peppers, salami, and capicola

10. Tacoria Mexican Street Kitchen

How's this for a New Brunswick success story? Tacoria, the growing Mexican chain, was founded by four Rutgers alumni. And what better place to open their first location than the home of their alma mater? Tacoria offers hand-crafted tacos, nachos, burritos, quesadillas, and desserts. Their vegetarian burrito made our best burritos in the state list and can even be made vegan by omitting a couple of ingredients. I love their beautiful backyard seating area, perfect for a short study break during the warmer months. Since opening their first location in 2016, the restaurant has expanded to 12 other towns including Hoboken, Paramus, Morristown, and Montclair.

Try: the vegetarian burrito ($13.25) consisting of golden avocado, Brussels sprouts, and "beyond tacorizo' (a chorizo substitute)

9. Sahara Restaurant

Come to Sahara for an intimate night of Mediterranean fare. This restaurant sits right on Easton Avenue and has its own parking lot -- a rare find in New Brunswick. All portions are massive, and complimentary hot pita bread is offered with all appetizers, so you'll be sure to fill up quickly. Indulge in their smoky meat kebabs, rich hummus dips, or their savory shrimp sauté.

Try: lamb chops ($39) marinated and char-broiled, served with rice and burgol

8. Casa Ragazzi

Florence, Italy natives Alberto Buglione and Ivan Guarducci opened this Italian restaurant downtown in June 2025. Buglione has worked in numerous Michelin-star establishments in Italy and New York City and co-owns Mangia Toscano in Metuchen. The menu features a modern take on Italian while still keeping traditional touches like gnocchi gorgonzola noci e pere -- potato gnocchi, creamy gorgonzola sauce, toasted walnuts and sweet pear slices. Dishes are a little pricey but worth the fresh, high-quality product you get.

Try: bigoli all'Anatra ($37)

7. Fritz's

Owners Jonathon Guarino and Robin Varga desired to introduce their combo of creative and cozy eats to their hometown of New Brunswick. So in 2015, they took a renovated house from 1882 and opened Fritz's on Easton Avenue -- creating a café-like environment for guests to enjoy sandwiches, soups, salads, bakery goods, and more. You can even dine with your pup on the outside patio. My friends and I always came here as a reward for passing an exam or ending the semester on a good note. Before we left, we would clear out their pastry case of scones, bars, cookies, and muffins.

Try: spinach and artichoke grilled cheese ($9)

6. Destination Dogs

This is very much not your average hot dog joint. No, this is a pinnacle of Jersey's hot dog obsession, slinging outlandish dogs including the "Charles dog Gaulle" with duck sausage, duck confit, shaved foie gras, cornichons, red onions, Dijon mustard, and scallions. Or try "the Waco kid," a beef hot dog with chili, cheese sauce, Fritos, pickled jalapeños, and sour cream. The hot dogs and sausages at Destination Dogs are inspired by domestic and international flavors, and founders Jimmy Cronk and Sean Hosty's travels. The restaurant was featured on Travel Channel's "Food Paradise" in 2018 and was ranked No. 12 on our latest list of the best hot dog joints in New Jersey.

Try: the bun mi ($9.50), the hot dog version of a banh mi with Cantonese sausage, pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber, fresh jalapeños, mayo and cilantro

5. The Frog and The Peach

Husband and wife duo Jim Black and Betsy Alger founded this restaurant in 1983 inside an old building that once housed The Home News newspaper. Chef Bruce Lefebvre then purchased the establishment from the couple in 2012 and has since put his modern touch on American cuisine. Wine and dine in the spacious dining room or in the alluring outdoor garden room. The food offers steady-handed touches to classic American dishes, with experimentation well beyond what's offered throughout much of the city. Keep an eye out for special events (like South American wine dinners) and dig into dishes like the pan-seared red snapper or the crispy vegetable spring rolls while sipping on their signature cocktails.

Try: dayboat New Jersey sea scallops ($40) with saffron aioli, sunflower seed crisp and oyster mushrooms

4. Steakhouse 85 Restaurant

There's a great dichotomy in New Brunswick's culinary scene. There are the restaurants purposely keeping things casual and cheap -- catering to college kids, of course. Then there are those providing some more upscale and chic city experiences. Since 2008, Steakhouse 85 has been one of the best options for the latter. It's also the official steakhouse of Rutgers Athletics -- hey, every eatery needs its claim to fame. The warm atmosphere, dim lights, and occasional live jazz create a romantic setting. The place even offers a date night deal on Mondays and Fridays when guests can enjoy a prix fixe menu for two that includes a bottle of wine. All of their steaks are dry-aged, seared on a 1,200-degree cast iron grill and then broiled to a guest's liking. This restaurant is also the first one I've seen to offer menus that light up -- okay, maybe turn the lamps a little higher, folks!

Try: the cowboy ribeye ($57), cooked to your liking, and can add sauces, seared foie gras, lobster tail, and more for an additional cost

3. Ramen Nagomi

As soon as students can afford to upgrade beyond instant ramen packs, they run to Ramen Nagomi. The small ramen shop located in the basement of a house on Bayard Street crafts the beloved Japanese bowls of noodles from scratch. One of their bowls landed the No. 1 spot for our greatest bowls of ramen in New Jersey list. Aside from ramen, they also offer rice bowls, bao buns, and fried dumplings. The success and popularity of their New Brunswick location allowed them to expand to Freehold and Lawrence Township in the Quaker Bridge Mall.

Try: the truffle butter ramen ($14)

2. Catherine Lombardi and Stage Left Steak

I know what you're thinking: why are there two restaurants? These two are actually sister restaurants located right next to each other. The best part? You can order from either restaurant at both. Though each is special in its own right, and both deserve equal ranking as they're both spectacular. Order the huge house-made burrata with compressed watermelon and strawberries or the goat cheese and mushroom ravioli from Catherine Lombardi's menu. For Stage Left Steak, guests can't go wrong with any of the steak.

Try: the wagyu beef tasting -- a couple of ounces of Australian ribeye, Miyazaki ribeye and Nebraskan flat iron ($99.95)

1. Salt Seafood & Oyster Bar

While living at the Jersey Shore for years with his family, owner Christian Graciano fell in love with the seafood industry and hoped to one day open a restaurant at which customers could chow down on oysters with friends. That day came in 2018 when he opened Salt Seafood & Oyster Bar. The restaurant has an elegant, beach-house feel with an oyster bar at the heart of its space. Don't just limit yourself to their raw bar. The charred octopus, seafood risotto, crab cakes, seared scallops, and grilled branzino are just some of the many mouthwatering dishes that await you. Stop by for their happy hour every day from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. for discounted food items from the raw bar.

Try: the oysters, all of them.

By Lauren Musni | NJ.com