Warm up with a bowl of soup at these top NJ spots

🍲Warm up with a bowl of hot soup this winter in New Jersey

🍲Here are some of the top "soup" spots in the Garden State

Grandma’s chicken noodle. Aunt Tessie’s pasta fagioli. Your split pea with ham. No matter whose recipe it is, homemade soups hit the spot on a cold winter evening in New Jersey. It’s nature’s medicine and a comfort food, to say the least.

But if your cooking skills are not up to par and you still crave a hot bowl of delicious soup, where do you go?

We threw the question out to the social media gods and here are the top responses as to where you can get the best bowl of soup in New Jersey.

Do you agree?

Lobster House

906 Schellengers Landing Rd, Cape May

Soups served: Fisherman’s Wharf Clam Chowder (New England style served in a crock), Snapper Soup (a rich turtle soup served in a crock), Lobster Bisque, and Baked Onion Soup Gratinee (a fan favorite).

Frankie’s Bar and Grill

414 Richmond Ave, Point Pleasant Beach

Soups served: Crock of Onion (a fan favorite), Loaded Baked Potato (potatoes, cheddar, and bacon), and New England Clam Chowder (cream, chopped clams, potatoes).

Gabriela’s European & Polish Deli

1825A Hooper Ave, Toms River

While this is a specialty food store that offers a variety of imported European foods and products, listeners rave about the chicken noodle soup at Gabriela’s. It’s not an everyday offering but something special if you can get it.

Claremont Tavern

121 Claremont Rd, Bernardsville

The tomato bisque soup is a must-try and so is the Rustic Chicken and Sausage soup made with cheese tortellini and roasted vegetables.

The Gateway Restaurant

227 W 8th St, Ship Bottom

Anyone who’s anyone and hangs out on LBI will tell you that The Gateway is famous for its award-winning New England Clam Chowder served in a bread bowl. It’s a must-try if you get down the shore this winter. They also serve an excellent homemade creamy mushroom soup, too.

El Familiar

1246 NJ-166, Toms River

Soups served include its famous Oxtail and Beef Soup with rice. Patrons describe it as a Columbian-stye beef stew that is said to be, out-of-this-world. Other hearty soups served include Seafood soup, Black Bean soup, Mexican Tortilla soup, and Chicken Vegetable.

Country Kettle Chowda

830 N Bay Ave, Beach Haven

It has “chowda” in the name, so you can only imagine that the restaurant is known for its New England Clam Chowder, made with chunks of seafood, in a creamy, rich sauce, served in a bread bowl. The lobster bisque is also a must-try.

Madfish Company

1001 SW Central Ave, Seaside Park

Besides serving fresh-as-it-gets seafood platters, the lobster bisque is the soup of choice among diners looking to warm up on a chilly New Jersey evening.

Princeton Soup and Sandwich Company

30 Palmer Sq E, Princeton

“Soup” is in the name. The restaurant offers 50 different varieties of soups with a large selection of gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, low-fat, and dairy-free options. A fan favorite is the lobster bisque made with fresh chunks of lobster meat.

Other specialty soups include Italian Wedding, Chicken Vegetable, Classic Black Bean, Butternut Squash, and Tomato Basil with Rice.

Veggie Heaven

631 Valley Rd, Montclair

For people looking for plant-based soup options, the mixed vegetable soup at Veggie Heaven is a favorite, made with tomato, celery, carrot, and white radish. Also try the Bean curd and Corn soup, and the Shark fin Soup, made with cellophane noodles, shredded snow peas, ham, and shitake mushrooms.

Doyle’s Pour House

210 W Main St, Tuckerton

The French Onion soup is their signature soup. It’s a crock of homemade French Onion soup, smothered with not one, not two, but three cheeses.

La Piazza

11 Church St, Allentown

Patrons rave about the Pasta Fagioli soup here. Give it a try. A small bowl is only $5 and a large is $9.50.

Binh Duong II

1134 Liberty Ave, Hillside

If you’re looking for that “favorite sick-time soup” diners suggest trying the Pho soup. It is a Vietnamese soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat.

Soup Maison

11-08 Saddle River Rd, Fair Lawn

When you click on the website, the first thing you see is “We Have Soup for You.” There are at least 11 soups on the menu including Chicken Noodle, Rice and Vegetables (authentic Mexican soup with chicken), New England Clam Chowder (a fan favorite), Matzah Ball, Tortellini en Brodo with Spinach and Tomato, Broccoli Rabe and Veggies, Italian Wedding, Manhattan Clam Chowder, Lobster Bisque, Tomato Bisque, and Vegan Minestrone.

Kelly’s Tavern

43 NJ-35, Neptune City

This famous Irish tavern at the Jersey Shore has a great Irish Potato Soup on the menu. If that’s not your jam, try the Manhattan Clam Chowder and French Onion with parmesan crouton and melted Swiss.

Hobby’s Delicatessen and Restaurant

32 Branford Pl #2723, Newark

This old-school option since 1962 is known for its classic Jewish daytime eats before Devils and Nets games. So, it’s no surprise that their Matzah Ball Soup is a fan favorite.

The Soup Factory

467-469 W Market St, Newark

The Soup Factory boasts more than 10 different varieties of soups daily. They include Navy Bean, Navy Bean with Smoked Turkey, Lasagna with Turkey Sausage, Chicken Tortilla, Shrimp and Corn Chowder, Clam Chowder, Chili Mac, Chicken Noodle, Crab Chowder, Cream of Chicken, and Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese.

The Soup Bar

307 W Broad St, Palmyra

There are 8 soups available at The Soup Bar. Try the Crab Bisque, Cream of Wild Mushroom, Tomato Bisque, Chicken with Pasta, Stuffed Cabbage (a fan fave), Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken Tortellini, and Chicken Orzo soups.

Soup Shoppe

Riverwalk Village Center, 665 Martinsville Rd, Basking Ridge

Their famous Chicken Noodle Soup is “often imitated never duplicated.” One pint is served with fresh baked bread. The Beef Mushroom Barley is loaded with Black Angus beef and heart-healthy barley. The Pasta e Fagioli is made with white beans, pasta, and fresh herbs. Also try the New England Clam Chowder made with lobster, crab, shrimp, and clams, with fresh vegetables in a rich clam broth loaded with fresh cut veggies, and a touch of cream.

You So Souped

626 W St Georges Ave, Linden

The cool thing about this place is that each day they focus on a select three soups to bring something different each day.

Monday: Chicken Noodle, Turkey Chili, and Beef Stew soups
Tuesday: Cream of Turkey, Split Pea, 11 Vegetable
Wednesday: Chicken Noodle, 11 Vegetable, Loaded Baked Potato
Thursday: Chicken Noodle, Cream of Broccoli, French Onion
Friday: Crab and Corn Chowder, Lobster Bisque, New England Chowder
Saturday: Beef Stew, Matzo Ball, Chicken Orzo
Sunday: Closed

Spike’s Fish Market and Restaurant

415 Broadway, Point Pleasant Beach

Be sure to check out the Manhattan Clam Chowder at this classic shack known for its classic seafood favorites like lobster rolls. Bonus: It’s also a fish market.

Iorio Deli and Coffee Shop

301 W Clay Ave, Roselle Park

Owner and chef, Gilda Delorio has been in business for more than 40 years, and is often referred to as “The Boss.” Does Bruce Springsteen know this? Lol. She immigrated from Arpino, Italy, and brings her Italian style of homemade cooking to Iorio’s. Patrons swear by her homemade chicken noodle soup, and if you can, throw in a meatball as a side dish for good measure.

Ragazzi

44 Rte 70 W, Marlton

If you go to Ragazzi, it is recommended that you order the Chicken Pastina soup. There is also a gluten-free vegetarian vegetable soup that’s worth a try, too.

The Oldwick Soup Company

This one is a little different. It’s owned by a local family who used to live in Basking Ridge. Their brand is called “Love the Soup.” Delivery is available (a 3-soup minimum) within a five-mile radius of its New Jersey markets.

All orders placed by Wednesday 5 pm will receive Thursday delivery. All soups are sold frozen in 32 oz quart containers.

Some of their famous soups include Thai Coconut Curried Carrot Soup (the company’s most popular soup since it first went into business in 2017), Lemon Chicken Orzo (rich lemon flavor with locally sourced chicken and vegetables), Split Pea Soup with Spanish Chorizo Sausage, Moroccan Vegetable, French Lentils with Tomatoes and Riesling Wine, Hot Honey Tomato Soup with Pesto, and Butternut Squash Apple Pear Bisque, to name a few.

Souped!

1580 Irving St, Rahway

There are about 14 soups on the menu. Patrons rave about the Kale, Yeah soup which contains pork, Italian sausage, kale, cannellini beans, and potatoes, plus bacon and parmesan. Others love the Little Chickie Orzo soup which contains baby spinach, soup veggies, and protein-packed beans, topped with fresh basil and parmesan, and served with warm bread for dipping.

Also try the Sopa de Chicharos, a Cuban-inspired split pea with smoked ham hock. The carrot soup is also a favorite.

Soups n' Such

22 Sherman St, Wayne

The soups at Soups n' Such change weekly. There are three different soups each week. Can't decide? You can get the soup sampler trio and try them all.

Simply Soups & A Little More

301 E Atlantic Ave, Audubon

Simply Soups has a variety of soups on their menu. Fan favorites include the Baked Potato Chicken Noodle, Beef Barley, Chicken Corn Chowder, Italian Sausage and Zucchini, and Ham and Bean.

The Soup Spot

500 Boardwalk, Atlantic City (Inside Ocean Casino Resort)

If you're taking a trip to Atlantic City or even just coming for the day, be sure to visit The Soup Spot inside the Ocean Casino Resort, and warm up with a bowl of soup. While people have good things to say about all the soups on the menu, the favorites seem to be the Chicken Pot Pie, Crab and Corn, and Seafood Bisque soups.

Wherever you decide to grab a bowl of comfort on a chilly evening this winter, be sure it’s homemade, and made with nourishing, healthy ingredients.

Bon Appetit!

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