'More Than A Restaurant': Economy Forces Bergen County Eatery To Close

BERGEN COUNTY — Justin's II, an upscale Italian restaurant in Wood-Ridge, plans to close after this weekend, but will keep the original Hawthorne location open, the owner announced.

"You chose Justin's II to be part of so many meaningful moments in your lives," owner Manny Suquinagua wrote in a letter to customers earlier this month. "Justin's II will be closing its doors in Wood-Ridge on July 26, 2026, marking the end of an incredible chapter."

Suquinagua told Patch on Friday that it became too hard to keep both restaurants open.

"Running two restaurants is hard with the economy, with food costs going up every single day," he said. "And it's hard to find help. I decided to keep it to one place."

Suquinagua opened the first Justin's Ristorante, serving up "authentic Italian," in 2005, naming it after his then 1-year-old son, he said.

He followed up with the second location in Wood-Ridge in 2009.

He said that since announcing the closing, Justin's II has been busy, which made him "a little sad." But customers can continue to patronize the first location, which has the same menu and hours, he noted.

The restaurants both offer a party room and catering.

Justin's II will close for good on Sunday at 9 p.m.

On social media, customers said they were sorry to see the second location close.

"Justin's has been so much more than a restaurant to our family," wrote a fan. "We've celebrated birthdays, showers, graduations, and so many other milestones ... You've also been there during the harder times, when all we needed was a comforting meal and the warm, welcoming atmosphere."

Justin's II is located on Hackensack Road.

Several longtime Bergen County restaurants have announced closings in the last few months, for a variety of reasons. Read more here.

(Do you know about a restaurant opening or closing in North Jersey? Let Patch know so we can write about it. Email us here.)