This highly subjective list of primarily small specialty food shops has been compiled from personal recommendations, user input and reviews and rankings published by other Web and media sources. These other state-focused sources include NJ.com, NorthJersey.com, AsburyParkPress.com, NewJerseyMonthly.com, JerseyBites.com, BestofNJ.com, as well as national sites such as Eater.com, Epicurious.com, Yelp.com, TripAdvisor.com, The Daily Meal.com and Facebook.com. The list will be periodically updated and supplemented, and we welcome comments and suggestions.
Winner of New Jersey's Best Bakery in 2017 NJ.com survey> Operated and owned by Melissa Murphy Rafano and husband Chris Rafano, previously in three Brooklyn locations for 16 years before moving to NJ in 2016, also operates out of Stockton Market Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays> Croissants, tarts, eclairs, donuts, cookies and cakes.
Cakes, pastries, and breads, empanadas and sandwiches> Whipped cream and custard made on-site featured in many items, cakes baked daily including popular Dulce de Leche caramel-flavored cake, also custom sheet cakes, layer cakes, and wedding cakes> Pastries decorated with fresh fruit, butter cookies topped with sprinkles and jams, white chocolate-topped caramel cookies, Argentine danishes like facturas de grasa and manteca.
"Tod Wilson's banana cream pie may be my favorite single pie of the past ten years; it's that good" Peter Genovese, .N.J.s 10 best pie shops/stops for National Pie Day, 1/27/2016, NJ.com> Founded 2002 in Englewood by Tod Wilson, promoted as "The Sweet Potato Pie King," also features fruit pies including apple, blueberry, peach, as well as pecan, pumpkin, coconut, sweet potato and cheesecakes.
Known for apple and other fruit pies, origins in 1911 as apple orchard, later roadside fruit stand, now comprehensive 60,000 square-foot retail market specializes in fresh fruits and vegetables, wide array of baked goods all made on site, as well as meats and cheeses with deli, prepared foods and grocery sections> Rated 4.6 of highest 5 stars by over 700 Google reviewers.
Offers varieties of fresh ground nut butters, including Honey Roast, Butter Scotch, Capu Cino, Choc Choc, Natural, Almond, Sunflower, Cashew, and Organic, over 40 flavors of jam including carrot cake, habanero, oatmeal stout, India pale ale and of course, grape and strawberry, as well as sandwiches featuring peanut butter with bananas, other additions and peanut butter dog treats> Also baked goods, candy, specialty coffees> Products also offered at some 20 resellers in NJ, NY, PA> Certificate of Excellence, highest 5-star average rating from 364 reviews in TripAdvisor.com.
Image: Cape May Peanut Butter Co.
Family farm in Cape May county on site first settled in 1680's, with natural stand of plums going back to original settlers> Follows old family recipe using beach plums with sweet tart flavor, can be eaten as fresh fruit or made into a food product such as jam, jelly or syrup> Jam flavors Beach Plum, Beach Plum Hot Pepper, Aronia Berry and Aronia Berry Hot Pepper> Pepper varieties include jalapeño, habanero> Orchard of over 10,000 Black Aronia Berry bushes> Markets online and through retailers in Cape May, Atlantic, Ocean, Morris and Mercer counties.
Preserved poultry farm and small retail store on back road in Somerset County just north of Princeton operated for some 40 years by George and Joan Rude> Poultry grown naturally and processed in own USDA processing plant, with some produce grown on farm used in prepared foods made in on-site kitchen> Extensive wholesale distribution to restaurants, supermarkets and specialty food shops> Also features poultry pot pies, fruit pies and prepared foods such as sausages, chili, soups, sauces.
Raised and processed fresh live poultry and eggs for over three generations> Founded 1930, owned and operated by Silvestri family for three generations, current owner Joseph Silvestri> Adheres to free range poultry methods prohibiting any use of steroids, antibiotics or animal by-products, all products home grown and naturally processed> Offers wide variety of poultry from turkeys and chickens to game items such as pigeon, squab, quail, pheasant, goose, guinea hen, duck and gourmet capon> Specially prepared items include chicken sausage, chicken and turkey chopped meat and chicken thigh and breast cutlets.
Ranked among top 10 chocolate shops in North America by Institute of Culinary Education> Opened 2012 by Jean-Paul Hepp, makes small-batched Belgian chocolates by hand in state-of-art kitchen in Clinton using no preservatives with premium chocolate discovered from travel to various parts of world> Hepp recognized 2016 by Dessert Professional Magazine as one of Top 10 Chocolatiers in North America.
Evolved from home kitchen-based business selling to neighbors in Queens NY founded by Elyissia and mother Barbara Chinchilla> Flavors include Dark Chocolate Truffle, Marshmallow Fluff, Sea Salt Caramel, Cookie Butter, Milk Chocolate Ganache, Champagne Ganache, Honey Jack Cramel> Metuchen location offers classes in chocolate making and recipes, also carries cupcakes, chocolate and full coffee bar> Ranked in Top 5 NJ chocolate shops by Asbury Park Press 9/5/2017.
Hand-mixed chocolate cooked in copper kettles over open flame stoves, centers hand dipped in highest grade milk, dark, or white chocolate> Established 1929 by Alfred and Hanna Krause in NY State as complement to family's gas station, continues in third generation of family ownership> Specializes in custom designs, chocolate as US flag, sports team and corporate logos, cartoon characters> Also jelly beans, fruit slices, gummy bears, licorice, other candies.
Small shop with frequent long lines located in Palmer Square in central Princeton offering ice cream, sorbet and yogurt, specializes in own unique blends and flavors> Popular flavors include Wild Turkey, Brown Clove, Habanero Banana, White Chocolate Caramel, Basil, Blood Orange, Chocolate Hazelnut, Coffee Cookie, Vanilla Sea Salt> Ranked in 2014 as one of 27 best ice cream shops in America by MensJournal.com> 4.5 of 5 stars from over 700 reviews on Yelp.com.
Opened only Nj location 2014 with two previous stores in PA, ice cream blended at farm in Bucks County PA> Named as best NJ ice cream shop in 2016 by NJ.com; one of top 27 ice cream shops in world 2014 by Buzzfeed; highest 5-star average rating by 177 reviews and Certificate of Excellence by TripAdvisor.com> Features traditional and custom flavors such as lemon-blueberry, caramel mocha, honey lavender, Tahitian vanilla.
First opened 1939 as Strubbe's Ice Cream parlor, then became Martin & Holsten's, and finally Holsten's> Features old fashioned atmosphere, recipes and flavors, also sells fudge, candies, milk shakes, hamburgers> Also became known as site for final scene of 'The Sopranos' HBO TV series depicting Soprano family dining at table with sudden final blackout.
Farm with over 700 sheep and goats on 120 acres, produces its own line of some 30 sheep's-milk and mixed-milk cheeses, also own yogurt, butter, grass-fed lamb, as well as imported goods and specialties including olive oil, vinegar, gelato, charcuterie, bread, cookies, honey, jams and preserves> Sells at on-site Sheep Shoppe along with several NJ farmers' markets, Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia and Park Slope Shop in Brooklyn> Tours, cheese-making classes and cheese and wine tastings.
Specialty food store in hand-cut cheeses founded 1967> Offers wide selection of European and domestic cheeses along with locally baked breads, fine olive oils and vinegars, mustards, jellies, cookies and crackers from all over world> Selection of imported meat, domestic salami and pate, as well as specialty sandwiches> Highest 5-star average review from 36 reviews on Yelp.com.