3 restaurants in NJ made USA Today’s top restaurants of 2026

Let’s get this out of the way first. We are spoiled brats in New Jersey when it comes to food.

We have some of the most amazing restaurants you could imagine, and if you doubt that, just think about what folks who move away say they miss the most. It’s often the food.

So when three restaurants from our little state make USA Today’s list of top restaurants for 2026, it’s really saying something.

I mean, only 39 were named out of all 50 states, and for nearly 10% of them to be from the Garden State? Do the math. Just sayin’.

What’s really wild is that two of the three haven’t been around all that long.

What New Jersey restaurants made USA Today’s top restaurants?

Ram & Rooster

The newest of the three is this gem opened in 2024 in Metuchen by Sean Yan.

It’s unique in that it’s our state’s only fine dining Chinese restaurant with a prix fixe menu.

Their dishes look too artistic to eat. But boy would I! Like this delicious braised beef cheek.

Or their Hokkaido scallops.

Ram & Rooster is at 83 Central Ave., Metuchen.

The Pasta Shop

Opened in Denville in 2019, before the pandemic hit that brought down so many, even well-established restaurants, Tommy Pollio and Sergio Sciancalepore have done a masterful job.

Delicious wood-fired entrees and hand-rolled pasta have kept crowds coming.

They’ll tell you the wait is worth it to eat here. They don’t take reservations. With food so in demand, they don’t need to.

You’ll find The Pasta Shop at 13 First Ave., Denville.

Anjelica’s

This amazing Italian restaurant has been around the longest of the three and opened in 1996 in Sea Bright. Good luck getting a reservation here.

USA Today describes dining at Anjelica’s as,

Picture sitting down to Sunday dinner, only with white tablecloths and stellar service. This is Anjelica’s, a warm, inviting restaurant serving traditional Italian and Italian-American dishes.

Homemade ricotta? Check.

Mouthwatering desserts? Check.

You won’t go wrong at Anjelica’s, located at 1070 Ocean Ave., Sea Bright.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5's Kylie Moore. Any opinions expressed are Kylie's own. You can follow Kylie on Instagram.

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