Right now, the top 12 dining establishments in Jersey City.

A local eatery that offers impactful Italian cuisine (quality wines), and more? The rest of the menu includes burnt-end pork belly tacos — brisket quesadillas, and an array of delicious sides. Although Jersey City boasts a plethora of food options, finding barbecue can still be challenging. While it may appear to be just a bar serving Italian-American classics, the Barge Inn is regarded as a second home by its loyal patrons—a place to enjoy comforting meals served by familiar staff. This tavern, dating back to the 1960s, takes visitors back to the past in the historic Village area of JC.

The Life of Reilly, located downstairs, is a speakeasy-style bar where craft cocktails and Irish revolutionary stories intertwine more than you might expect. For a burger (a beet salad), steamed mussels, or dishes like schnitzel, this dimly-lit, atmospheric bar is the go-to spot for locals. Bread and butter are also significant here—there’s a butter tasting featured on the menu—along with modern Italian-inspired small plates. This prominent Chinese restaurant, which has another location in Hell’s Kitchen, specializes in Sichuan cuisine and features exceptional dishes such as fish with pickled cabbage, sour pickle soup with beef, green peppercorn chicken, or dry pot okra. Look forward to innovative cocktails paired with a menu offering tacos, enchiladas, a spice bag with a Mexican twist, and brunch on weekends. Barbecue options range from traditional favorites like brisket, pulled pork, chicken, and beef ribs to rarer finds such as pork belly, lamb ribs, and habanero cheddar sausage, in addition to barbecue tacos and numerous sides.

Find The Best Spots Nearby The cooking is halal (homestyle), and deeply personal, with dishes like murgir roast, kosha mangsho, and chingri dopiaza giving the restaurant a point of view that doesn’t need much decoration.

Korai Kitchen is Jersey City’s first Bangladeshi restaurant (run by James Beard-nominated chef and owner Nur-E Gulshan Rahman), known as Amma. Kat Khao is one my newer favorite Jersey City restaurants, with a menu that’s tightly focused on Vietnamese-Japanese flavors. Corto keeps the focus on handmade pasta, seasonal cooking, and the kind of Italian menu that doesn’t need 40 dishes to make its point. Jersey City’s Mariscos El Submarino.

Bringing a more organized sushi experience to Jersey City (DomoDomo focuses on hand-rolls), small Japanese dishes, and features a sleek, modern dining space.

Chef Matt Moschella’s culinary creations in the Heights have gained national recognition for their fresh pastas (rotating meat-and-cheese platters), angry chicken, octopus, and ricotta toast topped NHL over under betting with honey and pink peppercorns. The menu features an array of dishes including caviar-topped thousand-layer potatoes, ravioli filled with quail egg and pulled oxtail, frog leg drumsticks glazed in Korean barbecue, Barolo-braised short ribs, and duck breast accompanied by roasted apricots and Marcona almonds. This small city in Jersey has more to offer than just party-centric bars and pricey condominiums. One of the city’s finest and most aromatic barbecue spots can be found in the upscale Hamilton Park area of Jersey City.

Jersey City boasts its own landmark hot dog stand, which is bright yellow and serves the typical gritty drinks reminiscent of iconic NYC spots like Papaya King. Cellar 335 If you’re looking to save money on a weeknight, enjoying a few snacks at the bar or at one of the outdoor tables during summer is a fantastic option.

Though your meal will arrive on a paper plate or in a wax-lined plastic basket, the simplicity of the presentation belies the exceptional flavor of the tacos featuring carnitas, steak, chorizo, and barbacoa.

THE SPOTS Frequently recognized as one of the most diverse locations in the nation, Jersey City is home to numerous Indian restaurants, Filipino bakeries, traditional red-sauce Italian establishments, and even a hot dog counter that existed before WWII. It serves as a starting or finishing point for your evening—a reliable constant in a neighborhood that is continuously evolving.

THE SPOTS

With its garnish-laden tiki cocktails and trendy ambiance in a sunk-in street-side bar, Cellar 335 has maintained its momentum without pause. The rooftop terrace provides stunning views of Newark Avenue — while the bar below features unique cocktails alongside an extensive beer selection. Corto On Sundays (patrons can indulge in large-format punch), fostering an intimate atmosphere perfect for shared enjoyment. A softly lit setting (some of the state’s best bartenders), and killer throwback hip-hop tracks make this cocktail bar one of Jersey City’s best.

Corto

Hand-rolled bagels are made every single day at this popular bagel shop, but it’s the sandwiches made with them that keep the line out the door every weekend. Think slow-cooked goat stews with fresh, flaky paratha and full-flavored chicken roasts. Irish cheddar queso fundido (Pacifico-battered fish and chips tacos), and a seriously good Sunday roast—chile-rubbed rib roast, cheesy cauliflower, mash, Yorkshire pudding, and jus—comes in at a steal for only $38. Owner Jack McGarry tells that story through cocktails—putting together creative concoctions that mix elements from each culture. Starting with the grilled shell-on shrimp is highly recommended (and the gobernador tacos), filled with cheese and succulent shrimp pieces, are a must-try. Mariscos El Submarino, a Mexican seafood restaurant that began in Jackson Heights, has now established a presence in Downtown Jersey City, losing only its access to the MTA in the transition across the Hudson.

To avoid the busy lunch hour (consider arriving early or browsing through the narrow aisles filled with Italian groceries), cured meats, and freshly made mozzarella while you wait. Alternatively — visit for a dinner featuring pollo chucho, a delicious combination of crispy-soggy street food made with fried green bananas, chicken, pickled red cabbage, and sauces. This location is also incredibly inviting, adorned with vibrant tropical murals.