5 N.J. restaurants that are worth a road trip

While North Jersey has no shortage of standout restaurants, sometimes it's nice to get away to experience something new, and something special. 

Whether you're looking for a superlative dinner out as part of a weekend getaway, or whether the meal itself the destination, we have rounded up some of our favorite dining experiences that are worth a road trip — all of which are within a two-hour drive.

Elements

Princeton

It doesn't get much better than Elements. This small (28 seats) modern American restaurant in Princeton with an award-winning chef that has won praises from just about every major publication and has been named one of the 100 Best Restaurants in America by the website Opinionated About Dining. Chef Scott Anderson, a thin bearded cook who can be seen working in the state-of-the-art open kitchen (and at your table delivering the amuse-bouche course) uses the freshest ingredients from local farmers, performing culinary magic on earthenware bowls and plates produced by local artists. The small space allows for great intimacy — with your dining partner (the nine tables are well spaced) and with members of the kitchen staff, who come to your table bearing a plate and reciting drool-worthy explanations of what will wow your palate next.

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Why it's worth the drive: No matter what you choose — à la carte, a four-course prix-fixe meal ($79; add $45 for beverage pairing) or an indulgent nine-course tasting extravaganza ($125 per person; add $65 for wine pairing) — you will go home dreaming of returning to what may have been one of your best dining experiences ever. Yes, it's that good.

What to order: On the night we dined, Anderson brought over the amuse-bouche: an oversize faux bird's nest holding two teeny smoked quail eggs. My dining companion and I popped one each into our mouths, closed our eyes, and moaned. We knew we were in for a great meal. The restaurant says that its menu changes daily, so by the time you read this what knocked our socks off may no longer be available. But just to get you salivating, among our favorite items were an uber-refreshing arugula and fennel salad in a mustard vinaigrette; a silky bluefin tuna with burnt lemon and turnip; a magnificent peekytoe crab appetizer in a rich buttermilk custard; baby-skin-tender ribeye with mushrooms; and heavenly honey pie with the subtlest, creamiest sorrel ice cream. At the end of the meal, our main waiter brought over a parting petits fours: an intense chocolate mint infused with bourbon and sea salt. "We like to start and end with a bang," he said. Mission accomplished.

While you're there: Make time to explore the verdant Princeton University campus and Nassau Street, which is lined with trees and high-end stores as well as affordable ethnic restaurants and coffee shops. Make your way to Palmer Square, where you'll find store after store after store but perhaps best of all the wildest and most delicious ice cream shop, The Bent Spoon (35 Palmer Sq.  609-924-2368 thebentspoon.net). The flavors change frequently — when I visited basil (too subtle for my taste) and avocado (intense and creamy) were among the nontraditional flavors available. A few doors down, you'll find the Carter & Cavero Old World Olive Oil Co. (27 Palmer Sq. West; 609-356-0215 carterandcavero.com). You can kill a lot of time tasting its numerous olive oils: meyer lemon and blood orange, among them. There are vinegars to taste, too. Before you leave, stop in at the Princeton Record Exchange, one of the country's top record stores (20 S. Tulane St.;  609-921-0881.prex.com). And if you have time, drive to Grounds for Sculpture in nearby Hamilton, a 42-acre oasis of sculptures, art exhibits and magnificent strolling opportunities (80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, 609-586-0616; groundsforsculpture.org).

Insider tip: Mistral, Elements' less-haute sister restaurant, is located right underneath Elements. Scott Anderson is its chef as well. So if you don't have the time or the inclination for a long, leisurely meal, by all means consider Mistral. If weather permits, eat on the lovely outdoor patio.

Go: 66 Witherspoon St., Princeton; 609-688-8808; elementsprinceton.com.

—Esther Davidowitz

Ninety Acres

Peapack

It may once have been the carriage house of a three-story brick mansion last owned by the Prince of Morocco, but today Ninety Acres in Peapack-Gladstone is a stunning, richly wooded and cleanly modern farm-to-table restaurant, with an emphasis on farm. The James Beard-nominated restaurant — part of the new Natirar resort complex, it is located at the end of a long, winding driveway in a lush Somerset County Park — runs a 14-acre farm growing herbs and vegetables and raising chicken, lambs and other animals. As a result you can be sure that that Natirar fried egg on the menu is super-fresh. And while there’s no denying that this is haute dining, there’s a casual, pretense-free air to the place. Take the dress code. All that management asks of men is that they wear a shirt with a collar (ties and jackets not required) and, if jeans are preferred, black is the color of choice.

Why it’s worth the drive: Lots of restaurants boast farm-to-table menus, but this is the real deal. The 14-acre farm is right there; you can actually take a tour of it if you schedule one beforehand. It may be even more worth a drive soon, when plans to turn the mansion into a luxury boutique hotel and spa are completed. Until then you can get into that “Om” zone with a specialty cocktail and a seat in the charming outdoor “lounge.”

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What to order: You have three choices: à la carte, prix-fixe or a tasting menu. On the à la carte menu you’ll find such familiar dishes as wood-fired pizza ($14 to $16), fish and chips ($25) and a burger with fries ($22; $24 with egg). There are many choices on the three-course prix-fixe menu ($75 per person). Highly recommended: out-of-this-world Hudson Valley foie gras with diced honey-sweet roasted pineapple and crunchy pistachio as an appetizer; perfectly caramelized Barnegat Lighthouse scallops and pork belly, an interesting surf and turf combo, with lovely curried cauliflower as a second course; and for entrée, you can’t go wrong with either the poached Giggstown chicken in a foie gras truffle sauce or the nicely-spiced ancho-rubbed Long Island duck with morel mushrooms. Got room for dessert? One of our four servers recommended the coconut zeppole laced with passion fruit caramel. Great recommendation. If you prefer the tasting menu, served right by the open kitchen, be prepared to pay from $105 (for food alone) to $165 (with wine pairing).

While you’re there: You don’t come to this part of New Jersey for theater and rockin’ nightlife. This is gorgeous country, so put on a pair of comfortable shoes and explore some of the 500 parkland acres that surround Ninety Acres. There is however one indoor activity you can take part in: cooking. Natirar has a cooking school. Check the schedule for classes at natirar.com/nj_cooking_school.

Insider tip: Ninety Acres is difficult to find; heck it’s in the middle of a huge park. And signage is poor. Trust your GPS.

Go:  2 Main St., Peapack-Gladstone; 908-901-9500; ninetyacres.com

—Esther Davidowitz

The Frog and The Peach

New Brunswick

The Frog and the Peach, one of New Jersey's best-rated, and best-known, restaurants, is no new kid on the block; it has been serving local farm and fishery fare in a formerly industrial building in New Brunswick since 1983. Whether you find yourself hankering for a high-end meal while in Central Jersey, or whether you make the Frog and the Peach your destination, you can relax in the softly lit, plush dining room, the classic cocktail bar or the serene garden patio and enjoy the restaurant's upscale, but fuss-free, fare.

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Why it’s worth the drive: What's remarkable, after all this time, is not that the Frog and the Peach is still around, but rather that it has managed to stay contemporary and, well, really good. (Earliest this year, it received the inaugural Garden State Culinary Arts Award for the state's best restaurant.) The New Brunswick dining scene finally seems to be catching to it, with new gastropubs, coffee shops and ramen places opening in this college town that heretofore was better known for food trucks, pizza parlors and pubs. Despite all this, the Frog and the Peach still feels like a little secret oasis in downtown New Brunswick. The executive chef and owner is Bruce Lefebvre, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America who has worked at Daniel and other locations in Manhattan. Lefebvre got his start working at The Frog and the Peach under its original owners.

What to order: The local hothouse tomato salad with burrata, burnt tortilla crumble and tomatillo salsa ($12) is what this restaurant does best: local, fresh and simple. The black truffle ricotta gnocchi, in a broccoli pistachio pesto, are pillowy and divine ($16 for half order, $25 for entree portion). Your best bet is to pick what's in season — crabs and clams in June, peaches and tomato-based dishes in July and August, etc. Don't miss the delicious cocktails — the fresh pineapple and vodka martini ($11) and the El Ardito ($12), a spicy blend of serrano-chili infused vodka, triple sec and passion fruit purée, are the perfect mix of spicy and sweet. For dessert, the Valrhona chocolate coulant cake ($13) would wow any chocoholic.

While you’re there: New Brunswick is a college town, so there's plenty to do. Catch a show at the State Theatrer the George Street Playhouse (which has relocated to a temporary performance space elsewhere in New Brunswick for a few seasons while its new home is being built.). 

Insider tip: For a more budget-friendly experience, sit at the bar, where you can order the aforementioned cocktails as well as less expensive versions of the dining room menu, casual eats such as tacos ($4 to $5 each) and chickpea fries with curried mayo ($7). (You can order from the regular menu, too.) There are also prix-fixe lunch, dinner and pre-theater options.

Go: 29 Dennis St., New Brunswick, 732-846-3216, frogandpeach.com.

—Sophia F. Gottfried

The Walpack Inn

Wallpack Center

Established in the mid-1940s by the Lombardi and Zichella families, the Walpack Inn was purchased in 1949 by Adam and Louise Heigis, Bergen County residents who were retiring, but wanted a “little something” to do after resettling near loved ones in Sussex. The couple offered a traditional menu in a warm, rustic space and their efforts paid off. The Walpack Inn has been packed to the rafters ever since. And what rafters!

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Why it's worth the drive: The restaurant’s motto is “We feed the deer, and people too!” That’s because while you’re eating, you can watch the deer, wild turkeys and other wildlife in the sprawling meadow outside. The views, combined with the terrific food and service, make it an ideal destination no matter the season. Be advised, though, the restaurant is open on only Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

What to order: Prime ribs, steak, more prime ribs and just about everything on the menu. Don’t expect too many surprises, though. Appetizers are old-school classics (shrimp cocktail, smoked salmon, etc.) but don’t pass up the salad bar, which is brimming with local produce. And leave some room for a slice (or two) of fruit pie.

While you're there: The restaurant’s website offers links to several local attractions, included the Sussex County Sunflower Maze, Stokes State Forest and the Peters Valley School of Craft.

Insider tip: If you have GPS, don't bother using it. The setting is so remote, the owners say, that Google maps and other services tend to direct drivers to another location in nearby Layton. For this reason, the restaurant has posted detailed directions from Route 80 and other approaches at thewalpackinn.com/directions. The drive is quite scenic, so tell your passengers to keep their cameras handy.

Go: 7 National Park Service Road, Walpack Center; 973-948-3890, thewalpackinn.com

—Bill Ervolino

Kaya's Kitchen

Belmar

Options can be limited when you're a vegan.

Options can be even more limited when you're a vegan going out to dinner with a non-adventurous non-vegan.

If you find a meatless restaurant at all, the menu is likely to have dishes with names like "Fall Colors" or "Cosmic Casserole." Try telling that to a friend who's craving meatloaf.

Kaya's Kitchen in Belmar not only has tasty food, it also has food that — in many cases — bears a family resemblance to dishes you've heard of. The 10-year-old restaurant, the brainchild of Omer Basatemur (Kaya is his daughter), has lots of options, from vegan burgers and mac-and-something-resembling-cheese, to tacos, curries and jambalaya. Entrée prices are reasonable, the general atmosphere is mellow, and service is friendly though sometimes a tad laid-back. They have poetry nights and, on weekends, live music, of a not-too-overbearing kind. 

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Why it's worth the drive: This is a casual-dining, BYOB restaurant that you can still build an evening around. And it's one of the few restaurants in which you and your carnivore friends can have an equally good time.

What to order: Acapulco loco ($19) a big, delicious mess of black beans, corn, peppers, onions and broccoli in chipotle lime salsa; seitan stroganoff ($19), the traditional noodle dish with seitan — a wheat gluten product — as the meat substitute; and soul seitan ($16), a big, yummy, breaded fried steak, smothered in gravy, that you can pretend is chicken, flounder or the sole of your running shoe. (For the gluten-averse, by the way, there are plenty of other options.) For appetizers, ask if they have the Thai sweet potato soup. Killer! 

While you’re there: You're a few blocks from the beach — 'nuff said. You're also a couple of towns over from Asbury Park, where there's plenty of great shopping and people watching. 

Insider tip: On Friday and Saturday, make reservations. On Sunday, ask when they close (they've been known to close early when business is slow). Also, desserts have been known to run out, so consider ordering one before the meal.

Go: Kaya’s Kitchen, 1000 Main St. (corner of 10th & Main) Belmar. 732-280-1141 or kayaskitchenbelmar.com

—Jim Beckerman