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Thecuisine ofNew Jersey is derived from the state's longimmigrant history[1] and its close proximity to bothNew York City andPhiladelphia. Due to its geographical location, New Jersey can generally be divided byNew York City cuisine in thenorthern andcentral parts of the state andPhiladelphia cuisine in thesouthern parts. Restaurants in the state often make use of locally grown ingredients such asasparagus,blueberries,cranberries,tomatoes,corn, andpeaches.[2] New Jersey is particularly known for itsdiners, of which there are approximately 525, the most of any state.[3] Various foods invented in the state, such as thepork roll, andsalt water taffy, remain popular there today.
The state is known for its commercial food and industrial production, beginning with the founding of theCampbell's Soup Company, headquartered inCamden since 1869.[4]Goya Foods, the largestHispanic-owned food company in the United States, operates a state-of-the-art, sustainable corporate headquarters inJersey City.[5]M&M's candy has been produced inHackettstown, New Jersey since 1958.[6]Manischewitz, one of the top producers of Jewish food such asmatzo andkosherwine, is headquartered inNewark, New Jersey.
Food writer, influencer, and chefAnthony Bourdain was raised inLeonia, New Jersey.[7] He often profiled New Jersey restaurants on his multiple television shows.[8]Carlo's Bake Shop inHoboken is the setting forTLC's reality television series,Cake Boss.[9] New Jersey is also well known for having convenience food stores, such asWawa andQuickChek, along with submarine sandwich restaurants, likeJersey Mike's Subs.
Food and agriculture are New Jersey's third largest industry, behind pharmaceuticals andtourism, bringing in millions. New Jersey also has 733,450 acres of farmland.[10] New Jersey is one of the top 10 producers ofblueberries,cranberries,peaches,tomatoes,bell peppers,eggplant,cucumbers,apples,spinach,squash, andasparagus in the United States. Many restaurants in the state get locally grown ingredients because of this.[2][11]
Due to its position betweenNew York City andPhiladelphia, the signature foods of both cities are very popular in their corresponding suburbs. In theNew York Metropolitan Area regions ofNorth andCentral Jersey,pizza,bagels,pastrami, andsubmarine sandwiches (often called "subs", sometimes calledheroes) are popular.[12] In theDelaware Valley towns ofSouth Jersey,hoagies (the Philadelphia term for the aforementioned submarine sandwich),[12]cheesesteaks, softpretzels,water ices, andscrapple are common. Several of these regional dishes have achieved popularity statewide.Irish potato candy are a familiar South Jersey treat as well.
There are a number of foods which are especially prominent in or unique to the Garden State. As with New York City,North Jersey is renowned as ahot dog stronghold, with several variants that have their roots in its cities. Theripper is perhaps the most famous type of hot dog native to New Jersey. It is deep-fried in oil until the casing bursts, or "rips",[13] and might be best exemplified atRutt's Hut, a longtime hot dog eatery inClifton, New Jersey.Texas wieners are another type of hot dog that originated in the state. They are either grilled or deep-fried and served with spicy brown mustard, chopped onions, and a thin meat sauce similar to chili. Wieners ordered "all the way" are dressed with all three condiments.
Another type of hot dog indigenous to North Jersey is theItalian hot dog, which originated at Jimmy Buff's inNewark[13] in 1932 and is one of the foods most synonymous withNorth Jersey'sItalian-American culture, especially inEssex County. The Italian hot dog is prepared by slicing a roll of round pizza bread in half (for a double order) or into quarters (for a single order), digging a pocket into it, and then spreading mustard along the inside of the roll. A deep-fried dog (two for a double order) is stuffed into the pocket, topped by fried or sauteed onions and peppers, and then followed by deep-fried potatoes that have been thinly sliced into discs or thickly-cut into chunks and drizzled with ketchup. Italian sausages can be substituted for hot dogs and, as with their counterpart, are ordered as a single or double order.
Bagels are also a prominent part of New Jersey's cuisine. They are madeNew York style. Stores that make bagels daily are quite plentiful in the state. One bagel store, Teaneck Road Hot Bagels inTeaneck, was listed as a top 50 bagel shop in the United States.[14]
The state capital ofTrenton, located near the boundary ofCentral andSouth Jersey, is known for two foods in particular:tomato pie andpork roll (also referred to as Taylor Ham). In Trenton,tomato pie is basically an interchangeable term for pizza, albeit with a subtle difference: While traditional pizzas are prepared by placing the cheese and toppings on top of the sauce and dough, tomato pies are made by laying the cheese directly on top of the dough, then adding the toppings, and finally spreading the sauce atop the mix.[15] This creates a more tomato-intensive taste for the thin-crust pie.
Pork roll is a sausage-like pork product developed by John Taylor in Trenton in the late 19th century, and has become a popular breakfast and sandwich meat throughout the Garden State. InSouth Jersey and elsewhere, it is often referred to as a pork roll due to the tube-like sack, or "roll", in which it is traditionally packaged, while inNorth Jersey it is usually called Taylor Ham. The meat is generally eaten sliced and grilled likeCanadian bacon, but is also known to be fried. Also common is the pork roll, egg and cheese sandwich, in which the pork roll is cooked on a griddle and then topped with a fried egg andAmerican cheese and eaten on ahard roll.
TheGrease Trucks ofRutgers University inNew Brunswick, New Jersey have popularized "fat sandwiches", which are sandwiches usually consisting of various combinations of chicken fingers, french fries, mozzarella sticks, onion rings, and other fried foods. The Grease Trucks have been made famous by mentions inUSA Today andMaxim Magazine, among other media outlets.[16]
Salt water taffy is a soft taffy originally produced and marketed in theJersey Shore resort town ofAtlantic City beginning in the late 19th century, and is a staple candy and souvenir item ofboardwalks in the state. It is widely sold throughout beachfront areas of theEast Coast of the United States andCanada.
New Jersey Cheesesteaks, or Donkey's Steaks, are a variation of thePhilly Cheesesteak sandwich that is found primarily inCamden County and the surrounding areas. Differentiated by the use of a poppy-seededKaiser roll, and often accompanied with a hot cherry pepper relish, this style originates inCamden, New Jersey atDonkey's Place, a local standby that was founded in 1943.[18] In recent years, Donkey's has expanded to additional locations inMedford andMt. Holly.[19]
The regional soft drinkBoost! is sold primarily inBurlington County, but can also be found in other places fromTrenton toWoodbury and as far east asWilliamstown.[20]
New Jersey is renowned for its multitude ofdiners, which number over 500, more than any other state. Many are open 24 hours a day. A large number of diners are owned or were founded by Greeks and offer Greek dishes likegyros in addition to standard diner fare. Typical cuisine includes staple American foods such ashamburgers,club sandwiches,meatloaf, and other simple fare. There is often an emphasis onbreakfast foods such aseggs (includingomelettes),waffles,pancakes, andFrench toast, and most diners serve breakfast all day. Many diners in the state carry a full drink menu, includingmixed drinks. Many also serve hand-blendedmilkshakes. The food is usually quite inexpensive, with a decent meal (sandwich, side dish, drink) often available for less than ten dollars. Many establishments have transparent display cases in or behind the counter fordesserts, typically including a variety ofpies andcheesecakes.
Specialties specific to New Jersey diners include the previously mentioned pork roll, egg, and cheese sandwich, as well asdisco fries, a food similar to theQuebec dish ofpoutine. They consist of french fries, usually slightly overcooked, and covered with brown gravy and melted mozzarella cheese.
In addition to its local foods, New Jersey boasts a plethora of ethnic cuisines due to its large immigrant population. Some of the more prominent examples includeChinese,Indian,Brazilian,Taiwanese,Korean,Portuguese,Spanish,Middle Eastern,Italian,Polish, andGreek food.Cuban cuisine has also had an impact in New Jersey, especially in theHudson County area. Typical Cuban food found in the state includesChristianos y Moros (also known as arroz Moros),lechon, theCuban sandwich, arroz salteado anddulce de leche.
Among the ethnic culinary enclaves in New Jersey[28]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)In Trenton, it's called "tomato pie," not pizza. Although the terms are interchangeable, there is a body of myth and lore attempting to distinguish tomato pie from pizza. The generally accepted explanation is that a tomato pie is built as follows: dough, cheese, toppings, and then sauce
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