Celebrating small business in New Jersey

Forget Cyber Monday, get to a local store or restaurant to enjoy what New Jersey's Main Streets have to offer. The food, the service, the atmosphere. All add up to a great way to start off the holiday season.

One of the best parts about the season is I have fewer events so I can spend a little more time at our small business stops. A few great places I was able to visit over the past week.

Ristorante da Benito in Union is one of my favorite lunch meet places in Jersey.

The Pasta e Fagioli soup is absolutely excellent. The chef also does not hold back with the pancetta. They also had a French lentil soup that is perfect for the cold winter days we're seeing this week. It's not on the regular menu, but ask for it, you never know!

We had another great meal at Vesuvio's Pizza in Millstone.

It's a small bar and restaurant with a great staff and fantastic personal pizza. The day we were there they had a special soup of the day, split pea.

It's my favorite and very few have even come close to the homemade pea soup my wife Jodi makes. This one was comparable, and she had some too, so she would agree.

Here are some of the other small businesses shouted out by our largest in the state listening audience: