3 NJ Eateries Among 2026 Restaurants Of The Year, National Publication Says

Three New Jersey restaurants have been honored as among the best in the country by USA Today.

In all, food writers in the USA Today network found 40 restaurants in 25 states worthy of mention in its 2026 Restaurants of the Year list.

“This is not your usual best-of list, where food writers fly in for a whirlwind weekend of eating and drinking, often relying on the institutional knowledge of the locals who know the scene best,” USA Today said of its methodology for the list.

“This list, instead, comes from our own locals. Food writers who know their beats best. They live there. They work there. They eat there. That's what makes our list stand out.”

In New Jersey, the restaurants that made the list include:

The Pasta Shop
Located in Denville, this “neighborhood Italian eatery” is worth the (sometimes) three-hour wait, according to a USA Today food writer.

Known for their hand-rolled pasta and wood-fired entrées, the restaurant offers a variety of dishes ranging from rigatoni alla vodka to “porchetta style” pork shoulder, chicken parmigiana, homemade mozzarella sticks and more.

According to their website, the Pasta Shop works with purveyors and farmers who supply them with "incredible quality ingredients that we prepare simply and cook with love."

“A three-hour wait rarely deters customers from lining up for a seat at The Pasta Shop, a ‘neighborhood Italian eatery’ in Denville, New Jersey,” Kara VanDooijeweert of NorthJersey.com writes. “On a nightly basis - and also Saturdays for lunch – Tommy Pollio’s suburban gem turns out hand-rolled pasta and wood-fired entrées smothered in à la minute sauces, high-end cheeses and more.”

Ram & Rooster
Located in Metuchen, Ram & Rooster is the only Chinese prix fixe restaurant in New Jersey, USA Today writes.

With dishes ranging from Mackerel Crudo to Smoked Duck, Snow Crab Rillette, Hokkaido Scallop and more, the restaurant aims to blend New American cuisine with traditional Chinese ingredients and techniques, according to their website.

“Sean Yan opened Ram & Rooster − the only Chinese prix fixe restaurant in New Jersey − in 2025 as a love letter to his Chinese heritage,” Jenna Intersimone of MyCentralJersey.com writes. “But through Yan's Western takes on Chinese flavors, he has created a haute destination named after his parents' zodiac signs.”

Anjelica’s Restaurant
Located in Sea Bright, this family-owned and operated restaurant has been delivering Italian and Italian-American cuisine to the Garden State since 1996.

With dishes ranging from Linguine Aglio E Olio to Braciola Di Maiale, Cannellini, Fritto Misto and more, the menu draws inspiration from “the deep culinary traditions of family heritage” while also giving “appreciative nods to beloved Italian American cuisine,” their website reads.

“The late Ray Lena opened Anjelica's with his family nearly three decades ago,” Sarah Griesemer of the Asbury Park Press writes. “Today, his daughter – its namesake – heads a restaurant whose reservations fill up more than a month in advance.”

Alongside these NJ restaurants, the 2026 Restaurants of the Year list also includes eateries in: Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington.