New Jersey Revolutionary Road Trip: Darley Newman's Guide to Where to Eat & Drink

Written By Cynthia Irons

I'm Darley Newman, and one thing I've learned crisscrossing New Jersey for my Revolutionary Road Trip book: this state doesn't just preserve its Revolutionary history in museums and battlefields. A lot of it is still standing in the form of taverns, delis, and diners — some operating out of buildings older than the country itself. Every regional guide in this Revolutionary Road Trip series has its own food and culture stops, but I wanted to pull the best of them together in one place for the American Revolution traveler planning a New Jersey road trip. Here's where to eat and drink your way through New Jersey's Revolutionary history, region by region.

Taverns & Restaurants With Revolutionary-Era Roots

These are the stops where the history isn't just nearby — it's in the walls.

  1. Stage House Tavern — Scotch Plains, NJ (Union County): Serving travelers since 1737, Stage House Tavern once welcomed Revolutionary figures including the Marquis de Lafayette. It's still a working restaurant today, part of the Union County Revolutionary Road Trip.

  2. Yankee Doodle Tap Room — Princeton, NJ: Inside the historic Nassau Inn, the Yankee Doodle Tap Room takes its name from the Norman Rockwell painting behind the bar and its long list of famous regulars, including Albert Einstein. Part of the Princeton, Washington Crossing & Trenton guide.

  3. The Peacock Inn — Princeton, NJ: Once owned by a member of the Continental Congress, the Peacock Inn still serves upscale American fare — and a place to stay the night — steps from Princeton's Revolutionary sites.

  4. The Grain House Restaurant — Morristown, NJ: Washington stored grain for his troops here at Jockey Hollow during the winter of 1778. The building is over 250 years old, and the specialty drink is the Coppertoptini. Part of the Morristown guide.

  5. Black Horse Pub & Tavern — Mendham, NJ: Reputed to be the oldest continuously running restaurant in New Jersey, with roots dating to 1742 — a short drive from Morristown's Revolutionary sites.

  6. Bottagra Restaurant & Bar — Hawthorne, NJ (Passaic County): The oldest building in Hawthorne, this circa-1760 home housed General Lafayette's infantry during Washington's 1780 encampment. Don't miss the signature Spaghetti Bottagra. Part of the Passaic County guide.

  7. Galloping Hill Inn — Union, NJ: A New Jersey road trip isn't complete without a proper New Jersey hot dog, and Galloping Hill Inn delivers it along routes traveled during the Revolutionary era. Part of the Union County guide.

Modern Flavors Along the Trail

New Jersey's Revolutionary road trip isn't only about colonial-era food — it's also a window into the state's remarkable diversity today.

  1. First Republic — Elizabeth, NJ (Union County): An introduction to Haitian cuisine alongside local art, in one of New Jersey's most diverse cities. Part of the Union County guide.

  2. Valença Restaurant — Elizabeth, NJ (Union County): Elizabeth has one of the largest Portuguese-American communities on the East Coast, and Valença is where that heritage comes to the table.

  3. Glenbrook Brewery — Morristown, NJ: An entire "Revolutionary Beer" lineup named after Morristown's historic parks and figures, popular with local reenactors.

  4. The Barrow House — Clifton, NJ (Passaic County): A colonial-era farmhouse turned cocktail bar, with rooms designed around different eras of colonial life.

  5. Corinne's Place — Camden, NJ (South Jersey): Award-winning soul food since 1989, run by owner Corinne Bradley Powers — good enough to earn a James Beard Award nomination.

  6. Mexico Restaurant — Passaic, NJ: A family-run, authentic Mexican restaurant where owner Hector Ponce and his family have been serving the community for years. Try the torta sandwich or a quesadilla done in the oven. As Passaic's Mayor Hector Lora puts it, "Visiting Passaic is like traveling around the world in just a few blocks" — Peruvian, Dominican, Colombian, and Mexican restaurants all within walking distance of each other.

  7. Leña y Carbón — Paterson, NJ (Little Peru): Paterson is home to the largest Peruvian population in New Jersey, a community that traces back to the 1920s, when many came to work in the city's silk mills. The city dedicated Peru Square here in 2016. At Leña y Carbón, order El Barco ("The Boat") — a shareable platter of fried seafood, ceviche, yuca, chicken, and tostones that's a true showcase of Peruvian cuisine.

New Jersey Diners & Quick Bites

If you know anything about New Jersey, you know this state takes its diners seriously.

  1. Lakeside Diner — Ringwood, NJ (Passaic County): A classic New Jersey diner known for its cheesecake and its sizzling Mediterranean Skillet — a good stop after visiting nearby Ringwood Manor.

  2. Westside Grille Diner — Paterson, NJ: Order the Nutella bacon French toast, and don't skip the coffee — the barista here is known for custom latte art, right down to putting your photo in the foam.

  3. My Sister's Deli — Woodland Park, NJ (Passaic County): A family-run Italian deli operated by two sisters for over 22 years. Try The Tattletailer: char-grilled chicken, fresh mozzarella, and basil pesto on focaccia.

  4. The Vreeland Store — West Milford, NJ (Passaic County): A good lunch stop between Ringwood Manor and Long Pond Ironworks, two of the Revolutionary-era ironworks sites covered in the Passaic County guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What are the best historic restaurants to visit on a New Jersey Revolutionary road trip? Some of the best historic restaurants along New Jersey's Revolutionary trail include Stage House Tavern in Scotch Plains (1737), the Yankee Doodle Tap Room in Princeton, Bottagra Restaurant & Bar in Hawthorne (a circa-1760 building used by Lafayette's infantry), and the Black Horse Pub & Tavern in Mendham (1742).

  2. Where can you get a classic New Jersey diner experience on this road trip? Passaic County alone offers several classic diner stops, including Lakeside Diner in Ringwood and Westside Grille Diner in Paterson, both easy additions to a New Jersey Revolutionary Road Trip itinerary.

  3. Is food a big part of a New Jersey Revolutionary War road trip? Yes. Many of New Jersey's Revolutionary War sites are within walking distance of historic taverns, family-run restaurants, and classic diners, making food and drink stops a natural, and often historic, part of exploring the American Revolution in New Jersey.

Keep Exploring with Travels with Darley

Looking for more Revolutionary Road Trip inspiration through New Jersey? Check out these related stories:

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Cynthia Irons
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South Jersey, NJ Revolutionary Road Trip: Darley Newman's Guide to Taverns & Untold Stories