With the launch of our inaugural office space in New Brunswick, we wanted to share some of our favorite eats within walking distance of our workspace. The range of choices for a bite to eat in New Brunswick is striking. It’s some of the best cuisines you can find throughout Middlesex & Somerset Counties. You have the variety of over a dozen cuisines, and options ranging in complexity from simple bagels and coffee to 5-course tasting menus and curated whiskey flights. Here are our top picks for where to eat near our New Brunswick location.
Breakfast
This isn’t your typical coffee shop. The folks over at Hidden have an incredible passion for coffee. Their beans are ethically sourced and roasted locally in New Brunswick. Earlier in 2020, we had the chance to attend a coffee cupping and see the roasting process first hand, and let’s just say it was impressive. We even use their specialty beans for our office space amenities!
They have strong ties to the community, uniquely integrate their Indian heritage into the shop, and are always improving and curating their menus. That, paired with great people, has made for a wonderfully enjoyable and unique experience every time we’ve sat down for a drink.
Opened by the same creative minds that founded Hidden Grounds, Simply Chai offers a unique alternative to your morning coffee. The shop offers close to a dozen varieties of authentically made chai tea, along with plenty of other tasty Indian inspired sandwiches and baked goods. We highly recommend you try the rose chai and a samosa grilled cheese.
This is the place to go if you’re in the mood for fresh bagels. You can’t go wrong ordering a “Scarlet Cowboy” or any other breakfast meat sandwich. If you’re there for lunch, the “Crazy Sam” is great too!
Lunch
Rated among the 33 best Mexican restaurants in New Jersey according to Yelp, Tacoria does an authentic take on Mexican street food. You can tell all of the ingredients are super fresh and the service is pleasant and incredibly fast. The Nacho platter is massive and a great thing to split amongst colleagues, but we’re also partial to the burrito boxes. Candidly, we spent a lot of time discussing the opening and plans for desk New Brunswick while feasting on their burrito boxes. It’s right across the street!
Delicious Korean fast food down near the train station, KBG is a build-your-own bowl type of place (like chipotle). The food is good and the portions are well worth the price. It’s on our list as a great, fast option if you’re in the mood for Asian cuisine.
Fritz’s is a cozy little lunch spot that serves incredibly delicious sandwiches, but the real reason they’re on our list is because of their desserts. Their menu boasts over 40 different freshly-made desserts and baked goods that you have to try.
Since quarantines have drastically impacted the local student population, Fritz’s has also been innovating on their menu and offering some incredible take-home dinner options that change every week.
Although a chain, Mamoun’s is still family-owned and has a great history. This Mamoun’s is right across the street from Desk and is our go to spot when someone is craving falafel. Go easy on the hot sauce because it is FIRE, and make sure to grab some of the special garlic sauce.
Named after a Japanese character that means comfort, harmony, and “Japan”, Ramen Nagomi is hands down our favorite ramen spot in central Jersey, and certainly in New Brunswick. All it takes is one meal here to quickly realize that they’ve put a lot of thought into selecting their ingredients and creating their dishes, from handmade noodles to intensely flavorful broths.
We highly recommend trying the Burnt Garlic Ramen or the Miso Crab Ramen, as well as any of their Baos (they’re all delicious). Also, you must get the chili paste, it’s good on everything! Plus, they’re donating 100% of their chili paste sales to fund local food banks. That’s a win-win for everyone.
Dinner
Take everything you ever knew about sausage sandwiches and hot dogs and throw it out the window. Destination Dogs invents dozens of unique, gourmet hot dog recipes that are inspired by cuisines all over the world (and named after them too)! It’s not the novelty that makes it a great dinner spot though. It’s a lowkey spot with a great beer menu, killer cocktails, and the hot dogs are really good. Our favorite dogs are the “Charles Dog Gaulle” and the “Guten Dog”, and you have to top it off with a Sticky Toffee Cake for dessert.
Inc offers a comfortable yet stylish ambiance to enjoy a great dinner with a few exceptionally well-made cocktails. If your heart prefers darker spirits, they have an exceptional selection of curated whiskeys and whiskey flights.
Also among the 33 best Mexican restaurants in New Jersey, La Catrina offers a heavier take on authentic Mexican food. We love their enchiladas and the burrito is classic (but be prepared, as it’s the size of a small child). Either way, you’ll probably leave with left-overs that you can’t wait to finish.
While Inc may be known for its whiskey, Clydz is well-known for its martinis and an assortment of dishes that feature exotic meats. It’s an underground restaurant that takes you back to the elegant speakeasies of prohibition times.
Don’t be fooled by the all-vegan menu, because Veganized offers gourmet meals as hearty and satisfying as pretty much any animal-based meal. Their unique cocktail menu features natural, organic ingredients, and they even have an all-organic beer and wine list. Given that and superb service, you can see how Veganized makes for a pleasant deviation from many other fine dining options around Desk.
Rated one of the top 30 restaurants in NJ in 2020, TFTP offers gourmet American Cuisine that pays homage to New Jersey’s agriculture and fisheries. We highly recommend stopping by for happy hour to try some of their delicious starters and cocktails. While on the pricier side, it’s absolutely worth trying one of their seasonal tasting menus.
