Central NJ List

Last updated 2021
Recommended list (mostly in the Princeton area); ❤️ means my favorites.

Bakeries/Pastries/Desserts

The Bent Spoon: creative, artsy, seasonally-changing ice cream
The Gingered Peach: American-style bakery with nice cinnamon buns and sticky buns
La Frontera Bakery: good pan de bono. Colombian (mostly) and Venezuelan bakery in New Brunswick.
LiLLiPiES Bakery: sourdough focaccia, scones. I’m not a fan of their viennoiseries or cakes though.
Curiosity Doughnuts: excellent donuts that pop up at the Princeton Whole Foods on weekend mornings ❤️
Lost Bread Co: Homadama, buckwheat coffee cake, pretzel shortbread. Also love their freshly milled flours ❤️
The Pastry Room: dark chocolate mousse cake, tiramisu cake (full size), Napoleon cake. Woman-owned small business that opened during the pandemic ❤️

The Blue Bears Special Meals: non-profit helping IDD young adults. Serves good breakfast and lunch
Blue Point Grill: no-frills preparations of quality seafood
Chef Tan: great Hunan food, available on Chowbus
Hot on D Spot: rotis
Kusina Ni Inang: Filipino food, really good sisig and flan
Liu Yi Shou Hotpot: Chongqing style hotpot on U.S. 1
Mistral: hit-or-miss internationally and seasonally-inspired small plates (edit: recently more misses than hits…)
The Perch at Peacock Inn: restaurant in the Peacock Inn, part of the Genesis Hospitality group
Olsson’s Fine Foods: cheese shop
Spice 24: dry hot pot in Edison 🌶️
Terakawa Ramen: solid ramen at Princeton Junction
Whole Earth Center: cheap vegan/vegetarian deli
Schouse: Szechuan restaurant that opened at the start of the pandemic, serving the best Chinese food in the area. Really friendly servers ❤️