New Jersey’s Delicious Food Scene: Brewery, Pizza, Ice Cream and More

Summertime is in full swing, and it is my favorite time of year to go out and explore New Jersey’s thriving food scene.

From beer, pizza and ice cream to Greek and Chinese food, this article has a little bit of everything to please your palate on any day of the week.

Buckle down and stay cool, people.

Untied Brewing Company — 140 Spring Street Unit C, New Providence, N.J.

Breweries are all the rage these days, and Untied is doing right with its fantastic selections of craft tap beers, suds in cans and hard seltzers in a relaxed, fun setting.

We went on a trivia night and then we frequented it to see the revered cover band Mid Life Crisis. Both nights were quite fun.

I enjoyed its Kicked it in the Sun draft — 6.0 percent Alcohol by Volume (ABV), suds made with slightly sour ale brewed with pineapple, mango and coconut on my first night there. It is a perfect summer beer, light and smooth, yet with a undeniable kick to it.

My next night there, while enjoying rocking music outside, we ordered a pizza pie beforehand, from nearby Coppola’s, while sipping on the skater-inspired Shredding Sidewalks brew on tap, a New England IPA, which is 6.7 percent ABV.

Dry hopped with Citra, El Dorado, Alora, Amarillo, and Simcoe, notes of orange and peach stood out with every sip, and a woodsy taste compliments the flavor that sneaks up on you as well as a little, unexcepted buzz.

Hours of operation are Tuesday 4-10; Wednesday 4-10; Thursday 4-11; Friday 12-11; Saturday 12-11; and Sunday 12-8.

Bellariva Trattoria & Pizzeria — 1275 Springfield Ave, New Providence, N.J. 

This New Providence hidden gem, in business since 1984, offers above average pizza slices and squares.

Crispy, savory and flavorful, I have enjoyed thin slices of Napoletana Pizza, and thicker, heartier variety of its Sicilian Pizza–both of which are tasty and satisfying, highlighted by its delicious sauce and gooey mozzarella.

As for its Italian fare and other pizza offerings, its chicken parmigiana, linguini with clam sauce and Margarita pizza will satisfy your hunger bill.

Dao Madison — 258 Main Street, Madison, N.J.

I have been to the family-owned Dao three times and have yet to be disappointed.

I am a vegetarian, so I ordered the lunch special of shrimp chow mein with vegetables, along with sides of egg drop soup and egg onion fried rice. It was a sure-fire hit for me, with a hardy, mouthwatering serving, more than enough to fill me and leave me sans complaints.

My girlfriend Maggie ordered the soup dumplings stuffed with chicken and a nice helping of chicken soup inside. She said they were absolutely amazing. Plus, the service was topnotch.

Our bill for two amounted to only $30.00 with tip. That is not bad at all.

Noteworthy, Dao is a suitable place for larger parties, since the food is so tasty, and the price is more than reasonable.

Other great vegetarian lunch specials are the shrimp with spicy Chinese eggplant, shrimp with garlic sauce and dry sauteed String Beans.

Zita’s Homemade Ice Cream and Italian Ice (908-464-1511) — 1790 Springfield Ave, New Providence, N.J.

I always favor ice cream establishments that craft its own ice cream on its premise. So, Zita’s is my go-to place for the sweet, cold treat.

Established in the summer of 2000 by the Elefante family, Zita’s is always, without fail, packed during a warm summer day and night. And for good reason–cold, sweet and scrumptious.

I had a vegan pineapple smoothie, while Maggie had a swirl cone of chocolate and vanilla soft ice creams in a chocolate dip.

My slushie delight was cold, refreshing and tasty. Maggie’s was even more delicious, she said.

The assortment of flavors is unmatched by any other ice cream parlor in the area.

As for its flavors, you have the choice of 91716, its signature flavor: chocolate covered pretzels, caramel, peanut butter, chocolate chips in vanilla ice cream.

Also, Mint Lightning: white mint ice cream, brownie chunks, fudge and mint cookie balls.

Chocolate Thunder: chocolate chips and brownie dough in chocolate ice cream.

Kong: banana ice cream, chocolate chips, caramel and pecans.

S’mores (number one specialty flavor in New Jersey State Ice Cream Festival).

And the Sugar Free Mint Chip, for people on low sugar diets.

In addition to ice cream, ices, shakes and smoothies, you can order wonder cakes for any special occasion.

Great Greek Mediterranean Grill (973-520-8303) — 182 Ridgedale Ave, Florham Park, N.J.

Health experts consider the Mediterranean diet one of the healthiest ways to eat, according to the Mayo Clinic.

That is why I seek out Greek restaurants to enjoy a good-for-you meal, not to mention its wallet-friendly menu.

The Great Greek menu features modern interpretations of traditional Greek, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern classics. You can enjoy succulent grilled skewers, lamb, steak, chicken souvlaki, flavorful salads and over-stuffed wraps.

I enjoyed a Classic Greek Salad — crisp Romaine hearts, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, kalamata olives, Greek feta and fresh herbs. It hit the spot and was very tasty and satisfying.

Additionally, you can add on fantastic fare such as falafel, dolmades, gyro meat, chicken breast, steak tenderloin, jumbo shrimp, leg of lamb and Atlantic salmon.

Also, the Greek salad was served with a grilled pita bread and its homemade Greek vinaigrette.

The Great Greek has over 80 locations across the United States.

— Jerry Del Priore