Five NJ restaurants named among the nation’s best by Open Table

Open Table, the restaurant reservation site, has ranked the top 100 restaurants in the country.

Culled from over 12 million verified diner reviews and dining metrics including diner ratings, percentage of reservations made in advance, and five-star reviews, the list highlights some of the top spots favored by diners this year. 

Five Garden State eateries made the prestigious list, and four of them are in South Jersey; they are:

⚫ Café Loren in Avalon- their website describes it like this:

For four decades our menu has kept pace with American culinary trends. Over the years our heavy French influence has given way to American cuisine, a happy hybrid of styles, methods, and ingredients from around the globe. Our menu can best be described as ‘American Coastal Cuisine.’

Toasting glasses

⚫ Peter Shields Inn in Cape May- Peter Shields Inn and Restaurant offers

… a la carte dining along with a variety of seasonal tasting menus throughout the year. The magnificent ocean views offer the perfect setting to celebrate a special occasion or simply enjoy a memorable dining experience in beautiful Cape May.

⚫ Stella Restaurant in Ventnor- Stella offers

…chef driven quality ingredients in a relaxed casual atmosphere. The LoBianco family has owned and operated restaurants down the shore for over 15 years and have earned the reputation of personable service ​and excellent food.

Romantic candlelight dinner setting.

⚫ The Saddle River Inn in Saddle River-

Classic French cuisine with a contemporary flair is featured in a romantic, rustic, barn along the banks of the Saddle River.

⚫ The Washington Inn in Cape May-

Often described as romantic, our easy-going elegance will satisfy anyone’s craving for fine dining. Our enticing menu offers the best of American cuisine, but with an inventive, upscale edge.

I’m sure these are all fine restaurants, but it seems like Central and North Jersey should be represented, too. I vote for the Red Horse by David Burke in Rumson.

Two empty wine glasses sitting in a restaurant on a warm sunny afternoon.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Doyle only.

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