New Jersey Foods – A Local Foodie’s Guide

The Garden State is home to a plethora of delicious and interesting dishes. Of course, we can’t generalize, though, as some New Jersey foods are more popular in some regions of the state than others.

As your resident New Jersey foodie, I’ve been eating the quintessential New Jersey foods my entire life and know exactly where to find them. In this article, I’m going to spruce up your New Jersey activity list by introducing you to some of our best and most popular dishes. I hope you’ve eaten!

16 Best New Jersey Food & Dishes to Try

Italian Hot Dog

Hot dog loaded with peppers and potatoes.

🍽️ Where to Find Italian Hot Dogs: Jimmy Buff’s Italian Hot Dogs (Kenilworth)

If you like hot dogs, then you don’t wanna miss out on a good ole Jersey Italian hot dog! Starting off with your classic hot dog, it’s then loaded up with peppers, onions, and potatoes. Finish it off with a drizzle of ketchup, and you’re ready to savor this dolled-up hot dog.

You can find Italian Hot Dogs in a variety of places. Some of the best are at Jimmy Buff’s in Kenilworth, as well as many small corner-store sandwich shops in urban areas like Newark and Trenton.

Taylor Ham, Egg, and Cheese

Popular breakfast sandwich with Taylor Ham, Fried Egg & American cheese.

🍽️ Where to Find a Taylor Ham, Egg & Cheese: Top’s Diner (East Newark), Skolniks (Union)

The Taylor Ham, Egg & Cheese is the most popular dish in New Jersey and a staple breakfast food. You can find it at almost any place that serves breakfast.

Taylor Ham is often confused with Spam, but these are two very separate things. Spam is thick and usually square shaped, while Taylor Ham is round and has a smoother texture.

Some people modify their Taylor Ham, Egg & Cheese by taking out the egg – but trust me, it’s much better with. For a little extra razzle-dazzle, when I’m at Skolniks, I like to add some hash browns to my sandwich. Bon appétit!

👉 Pro Tip: While we call it Taylor Ham in North Jersey, it’s often referred to as Pork Roll in Central to Southern New Jersey. Whatever you decide to call it, it’s delicious everywhere.

Pizza

Classic cheesy pizza.

🍽️ Where to Find Pizza: Village Trattoria (South Orange, Maplewood, Summit), Zoni’s Brooklyn Brick Coal Oven Pizzeria  (Middletown)

When people think of pizza, the most common American locales they think of are New York and Chicago. Many forget that New Jersey also has amazing specialty pizza.

I don’t need to tell you what pizza is; everyone knows it’s awesome! But there’s just something special about Jersey pizza. The crust is a wonderful balance of thick and thin. You can request a thin crust if you like, or sink your teeth into a thick slice of Sicilian(a personal favorite!). 

For the best pizza, avoid big chains like Papa John’s and pop into one of the corner pizza shops. You won’t regret it!

👉 Pro Tip: If you’re into a little kick, make sure to try Buffalo pizza at the Village Trattoria. The mix of bleu cheese, chicken, and a touch of hot sauce is beyond delicious.

Tomato Pie

Inside-out pizza with tomato sauce over the cheese.

🍽️ Where to Find Tomato Pies: Tomato Pies Italian Kitchen (Monroe), Papa’s Tomato Pies (Robbinsville)

This is essentially a reverse (or inside-out) pizza. It’s more of a Central and Southern New Jersey delicacy, as it originated in Trenton, NJ. Because of this, you’ll find some of the best tomato pies closer to Trenton. This thin-crust pizza has cheese melted onto the dough first, then the tomato sauce is nicely spread on top. 

The saucy layer on top adds a new dimension of flavor, especially for tomato sauce lovers.

Salt Water Taffy

Soft, chewy candy.

🍽️ Where to Find Salt Water Taffy: Fralinger’s Original Salt Water Taffy (Atlantic City), Shriver’s Salt Water Taffy & Fudge (Ocean City)

Salt water taffy has its origins in Atlantic City. Despite its moniker, there’s no actual salt water used in making Salt Water Taffy. It honestly tastes very similar to regular taffy, but it’s delicious nonetheless.

The name salt water taffy comes from an old story in the 1800’s where a local candy shop got flooded with ocean water. A young girl came in to purchase taffy and the store owner jokingly said they had ‘saltwater taffy’. Hence, the name was born. There are some great things to do in Atlantic City, and tacking on the task of finding the best salt water taffy is a great side project.

Disco Fries

French fries drizzled with melted cheese and gravy.

🍽️ Where to Find Disco Fries: Prestige Diner (New Providence), New Monmouth Diner (Middletown)

Just as its name indicates, Disco Fries are like a party in your mouth – they’re deliciousness at its best! French fries covered in melted cheese and drizzled with delicious brown gravy. This is one of my top favorite dishes, and a go-to whenever I visit a diner.

Disco Fries are a staple at many diners. Since New Jersey has the largest concentration of diners in the United States, you’ll be able to find Disco Fries almost anywhere.

👉 Pro Tip: Disco fries are often confused with the Canadian dish, Poutine. These two dishes aren’t the same, however. Disco fries feature melted cheese. Poutine, on the other hand, features cheese curds that don’t fully melt and give the dish more texture.

Cuban Sandwich

Roast pork sandwich with cheese and pickles.

🍽️ Where to Find a Cuban Sandwich: Rumba Cubana (Clifton, Rochelle Park, North Bergen, Guttenberg, Jersey City), Dos Amigos (West New York)

So this isn’t strictly a New Jersey food, hence the name. However, it’s extremely popular in the West New York/North Bergen area of New Jersey, where you’ll find a large Cuban population. Being born of a Cuban mother, this was popular in our home growing up.

The Cuban sandwich is also known as a Cubano. It’s filled with roasted pork, savory ham, pickles, and mustard, then topped off with melted Swiss cheese. It’s typically served on Cuban bread then put on a griddle until it’s toasted to perfection. I’ve also seen it served on a toasted sub roll in some places. Either way, es sabroso (delicious)!

👉 Pro Tip: The West New York/North Bergen area is a great place to grab a bite. With a large Hispanic population, be sure to enjoy some other Latin flavors while you’re there.

Italian Cheeseburger

Savory beef patty on sub bread with peppers and potatoes or fries.

🍽️ Where to Find Italian Cheeseburgers: Sandwiches Unlimited (Orange, East Orange), Guys Restaurant and Pizzeria (West Orange), Giovanni’s Italian Deli (Secaucus)

Every time I hear Italian Cheeseburger, it conjures up great memories. My friends and I would grab one of these bad boys from the corner store after a long week. 

The peppers, onions, and potatoes (or in some cases, french fries) mix together perfectly. They’re then slathered with ketchup and mayonnaise and served up on sub bread. Most places let you modify them (i.e. I ask for no mayo), but they’re perfect as is.

It’s to be noted, that this is most popular in North Jersey (the region in NJ I’m from), so it’s not as common to find in South Jersey. Not impossible though. It’s common to find these savory sandwiches in Newark, especially in small Italian restaurants Downtown. Grab one if you happen to be staying in Newark.

Italian Sandwich

Fresh cold cuts piled high and topped with provolone cheese.

🍽️ Where to Find Italian Sandwiches: Contantino’s Italian Market (Union), Chick’s Deli (Cherry Hill)

This isn’t to be confused with an Italian Cheeseburger. An Italian Sandwich is another delicacy all on its own. Its highlights are fresh, cold deli meats stacked high. They’re then topped with smooth provolone cheese and served on Ciabatta bread.

You can also have it served on another bread of your choosing. Because it’s so common, you can get an Italian at most delis and sandwich shops throughout the Garden State.

Hoagies

Sandwich on a soft hoagie roll.

🍽️ Where to Find Hoagies: Palmisano’s Sandwich Shop (Sewell), Hoagie Hut (Bridgewater)

At the outset, hoagies look like regular subs. In a lot of ways, they are, but the difference is in the bread. Hoagie rolls are a bit shorter than your foot-long subs. And there’s just that special something about the softness of the bread that gets you every time.

Now, hoagie is a term used in Central and South Jersey. In North Jersey, we usually just call them subs, but the term can be used interchangeably. Plus, there are so many ways you can customize your hoagie to make it especially delicious for you.

Chicken Savoy

Chicken seasoned with garlic, spices, and cheese then topped with balsamic vinaigrette.

🍽️ Where to Find Chicken Savoy: Belmont Tavern (Belleville), Buona Sera (Red Bank)

One thing I love about New Jersey is that we have a large Italian population. As a result, you’ll find many Italian dishes – one of my favorite cuisines.

Chicken Savoy is next up on the list of the Garden State’s delicious Italian cuisine. It involves first taking chicken – whether it’s cut-up pieces of a whole chicken or chicken breasts – and seasoning it to perfection with garlic, olive oil, and a variety of Italian spices. 

It’s then sprinkled with a dash of cheese. Then, it’s finished off with a healthy drizzle of Balsamic Vinaigrette. Bon appetit!

Jersey Sloppy Joe

Hefty sandwich with deli meat and cole slaw on rye.

🍽️ Where to Find a Jersey Sloppy Joe: Town Hall Deli (South Orange), Paulie G’s (Whippany)

Not to be confused with the traditional sloppy joe most people are familiar with. The New Jersey version of the sloppy joe is a little less messy – but no less delicious.

The Jersey Sloppy Joe is a thick, hefty sandwich. It features cold deli meat, cheese, coleslaw, and Russian dressing, all served up on rye bread. You can customize the meats and cheeses to your preference. Every deli has its own spin – and they’re all delicious.

👉 Pro Tip: The Jersey Sloppy Joe can sometimes be mistaken for a Reuben. But a Reuben involves corned beef. Both are amazing!

Fat Sandwich

All your favorite foods in one sandwich.

🍽️ Where to Find a Fat Sandwich: RU Hungry? (Newark, New Brunswick)

This one isn’t for the faint of heart – literally! The name is fitting as this sandwich is loaded with all sorts of fatty, but yummy, goodness.

A fat sandwich starts off with sub bread, which is then loaded with chicken strips, mozzarella sticks, and fries. Other add-ons you might find are chicken cutlets, gyro meat, and cheesesteak meat. It pretty much contains all the best foods in one place.

These sandwiches are popular fare of the grease trucks at Rutgers University. In fact, it’s a college student who invented this fatty mix. It’s not something you want to eat all the time. But it’s definitely worth enjoying while you’re paying a visit to New Jersey.

Campbell’s Soup

Classic, delicious soups.

🍽️ Where to Find Campbell’s Soup: Any supermarket, Target, Walmart

So while Campbell’s Soup may not be one of the top dishes in New Jersey, it has a special place here. Campbell’s soup actually originated originated in the Garden State.

The Campbell’s Soup Company began in 1869 in Camden, NJ. In fact, to this day, the Headquarters is still in Camden, NJ – over 150 years later. And who doesn’t love some nice hot chicken noodle soup on a cold night?

Since it’s a common grocery item, you can find Campbell’s soup in any supermarket. You can even find it in stores like Target and Walmart.

Blueberries

A refreshing mix of sweet and tart.

🍽️ Where to Find Blueberries: Morristown Farmer’s Market (Morristown), New Brunswick Farmer’s Market (New Brunswick)

Blueberries are just one of New Jersey’s many farm-fresh produce.

You can find Blueberries in many supermarkets from mid-June through early August. But the best place to get the most delicious blueberries is at local farmers’ markets. The farmer’s markets are also open during these months, so you’ll find a plethora of delicious produce.

Jersey Tomatoes

A perfect blend of sweet, yet tangy goodness.

🍽️ Where to Find Jersey Tomatoes: Summit Farmer’s Market (Summit), as well as any supermarket

There’s just something special about a Jersey tomato. Personally, I’m not a big fan of tomatoes. However, even I have to admit there’s a special deliciousness to a Jersey tomato. There’s nothing like a beefsteak tomato sliced thick, and on warm ciabatta bread with an equally thick slice of fresh mozzarella, with just a light spread of pesto. Divine!

The secret is in the soil. Jersey soil is said to be perfect for growing different tomato varieties, such as beefsteak, cherry tomatoes, and the more popular Rutgers and Ramapo varieties. So if you love tomatoes, don’t pass up on a Jersey tomato!

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With so many great food options to choose from, they’re just another reason to visit the great state of New Jersey. Looking for more to do in New Jersey? Check out the best places to visit in New Jersey for some awesome ideas, including restaurants to try.

Have fun scoping out some of New Jersey’s tastiest foods!