Best Restaurants in Bergen County, NJ
Bergen County isn’t just one of the best places in New Jersey to raise a family or shorten a Manhattan commute — it’s one of the best places in the tri-state area to eat. From Fort Lee’s Korean BBQ scene that rivals anything in the five boroughs, to Ridgewood’s white-tablecloth bistros and Hackensack’s cult-favorite burger stand, every town here has its own culinary identity. Whether you’re house-hunting in Englewood or exploring Rutherford’s downtown, these are the restaurants that make Bergen County living so delicious.
Fine dining & date nights
River Palm Terrace — Edgewater
Steakhouse & Seafood · $$$$
A Bergen County institution for more than four decades, River Palm Terrace butchers its own USDA Prime beef in-house and pairs dry-aged porterhouses with a raw bar that would hold its own in Manhattan. The clubby, wood-paneled dining room draws multi-generational families celebrating everything from graduations to closing-day dinners.
Butterfish — Rutherford
Japanese / Omakase Sushi · $$$$
A two-Michelin-starred chef quietly landed in downtown Rutherford and turned this intimate counter into one of North Jersey’s most sought-after omakase reservations. Seats book out weeks in advance — proof that world-class sushi doesn’t require a trip into the city.
Sofia — Englewood
Italian Steakhouse · $$$
Sofia fuses old-world Italian technique with steakhouse bravado — dry-aged prime cuts from a wood-burning oven alongside handmade pastas and a lively bar scene. The velvet-and-marble dining room has become one of the county’s buzziest celebration spots.
Latour — Ridgewood
French-American · $$$
Tucked just off Ridgewood Avenue, Latour serves classic French bistro fare — escargot, duck confit, and a serious wine list — in an intimate, romantic setting. It’s downtown Ridgewood’s go-to for anniversaries and special occasions.
Capon’s Chophouse — Hackensack
Chophouse / Raw Bar · $$$
The first New Jersey outpost from celebrated chef-restaurateur Josh Capon brings big-city polish to prime steaks, a raw bar, and a lively bar scene. One of the county’s newest heavy hitters, drawing buzz for bringing genuine NYC-caliber dining across the bridge.
The Korean food capital of New Jersey
WOOGA — Fort Lee
Korean BBQ · $$
Tabletop Korean barbecue at its most hands-on, with marbled short rib and pork belly grilling right in front of you while servers keep the banchan coming. Fort Lee’s Korean BBQ scene is considered among the best outside Manhattan’s Koreatown, and WOOGA is a perennial favorite. Loud, smoky, and completely worth the weekend wait.
Onga — Fort Lee
Korean · $$
Onga leans into Korean soul food — bubbling stews, sizzling stone-pot rice, and generous banchan spreads — in a cozy, modern space along Fort Lee’s restaurant row. Comfort food done with real technique; the kind of spot locals return to weekly.
Local legends & neighborhood favorites
White Manna — Hackensack
Classic American / Burgers · $
A tiny 1946 diner car with a griddle in the middle of the room, White Manna has been smashing onion-laced sliders for generations and lands on national “best burger” lists again and again. No real seating — just a horseshoe counter and a line out the door — and that’s part of the charm.
Bar Mutz — Westwood
Italian / Mozzarella Bar · $$$
From acclaimed chef Robbie Felice, Bar Mutz turns hand-stretched mozzarella into the main event, alongside inventive pastas and a rainbow cookie sundae worth saving room for. The energy is lively and a little glamorous — more downtown Manhattan than suburban Westwood.
ORA Freestyle Italian — Oradell
Modern Italian · $$$
A back-to-back “Best Italian in Bergen County” award winner, ORA takes a farm-forward approach to Italian classics, leaning on fresh, local, seasonal ingredients rather than red-sauce nostalgia. Polished but unpretentious — Italian food that feels current.
Segovia Steak & Seafood — Little Ferry
Spanish Steakhouse · $$$
Segovia blends Certified Angus Beef steaks with Spanish tapas, paella, and seafood, and took home a 2025 Readers’ Choice Award for Best Fine Dining in Bergen County. Festive and a little theatrical — built for long dinners with sangria and shared plates.
Baumgart’s Café — Ridgewood
Eclectic American-Chinese Diner · $
An only-in-New-Jersey mashup: diner classics and Chinese-American dishes off the same menu for decades, plus over-the-top ice cream sundaes that are practically a Bergen County rite of passage. Unpretentious, family-friendly, and endlessly nostalgic.
Love the food here? You’ll love living here.
Great restaurants are just one part of what makes Bergen County such a special place to call home — the towns behind them offer top-rated schools, easy NYC commutes, and neighborhoods for every chapter of life. If you’re dreaming about being a short drive from any of these spots, we’d love to help you make it happen.