New American Restaurants near Hopewell, NJ

“As an expat Manhattanite who has been lucky enough to visit some of NYC's finest restaurants, I always tread carefully into what my friends have called a "great" suburban restaurant, as I have been disappointed too many times. Blue Bottle Cafe had the typical Hopewell-Princeton feel, an old home converted into a restaurant with several rooms, adored with a few interesting oil paintings. The first disappointment was a wait staff with no personality, no panache and no class. The hostess/wait person sat us, after some confusion as to where to put us, and then pulled out a pen and asked if we were ready to order or wanted more time, much the way a short order cook would. When we asked for tap water without ice (when will suburban restaurants start doing the smart thing, and simply put down a large carafe of water (NO ICE) on the table, so we don't have to keep asking for refills nor do we have to deal with freezing, too-cold-to sip water?) we were simply ignored. At this point, I was thinking, this is not going to be anything special. But then...the food arrived.My friend and I shared a stupendous Brussels sprouts starter, cold, crunchy and touched off by some white, cream-like sauce that was a slice of heaven. The bread, which I am told comes from a local bread company (also, the bread at a restaurant speaks volumes of both care and quality of owner/chef) was rustic, flavorful and served with already softened butter (a nice touch). My main, crispy scallops, were silky tender and mouth-wateringly tasty. And the chocolate profiteroles for dessert managed to taste decadent and light at the same time. To the owners, I say this: please take the ice out of your water, and find a way to re-train your staff. They do not measure up to the elegance and quality of your food.“

“I will be having sweet dreams of this amazingly delicious food experience for days to come. Shout out to mgr Sam for stopping by our table so I could just GUSH about every morsel. Zach the other mgr and I spoke yesterday. Another sweetheart. People please stop reading this review & get there right away for a meal. Then come back here & read the rest of this review & write your own. The appetizers, the entrees, the dessert & don't forget what started this incredible food journey, the bread with that tomato dip! Bravo Brick Farm team. The warm atmosphere that resembled a hug. Every morsel as stated was amazing & not to take away from anything but the truffle Mac & cheese is a MUST!!This girl, her prince and friends are in mad love with your establishment!! Continued success!! Thank you!!“

“Went Easter Sunday. Table was ready when we got there. Our server 'Alex' - she was the best. Kept an eye on us to see if we needed anything. Food absolutely out of this world Nicely spaced between appetizers and main meal. Gave us time to digest. Absolutely must come here.“

“This joint was jumping on a Friday at 6:30. We would have been turned away without a reservation. The pork chop scarpariello, short ribs and filet were excellent entrees. This was a birthday celebration, which is why we went a bit high-end. This venue at this time of night might be a bit noisy for some , but no complaints here - just an excellent meal!“

“If you want to be treated worse than the dirt on the bottom of the owners shoes, well this is your place. My girlfriend and I were recently gifted a 25$ gift card to Brookwood Cafe. We had never been, so we were excited to try somewhere new. It started off just fine, they were full capacity(it’s a small diner) but we were pleased to of been seated relatively quickly. Our server was very friendly(not sure her name).We both ordered a pumpkin coffee(4$ each). The coffee was very good, and we placed an order for a roast beef wrap and fish and chips. Well this is where it goes south quickly. My girlfriend ate almost half her wrap (they are very small), when she noticed a hair on her plate. We quietly told our server so other guests wouldn’t hear, she felt terrible and said she’d get a new plate. The server proceeded to bring the plate to the owner(male), who must of stood there for 3 minutes looking at it in customers eye view. Our server then brought back the same wrap including the almost eaten half, and the same cup of cole slaw( that was right next to the hair)on a new plate. They were only going to get fresh fries. Well this didn’t quite sit right with our stomaches, so we pulled the owner over(male) and asked for a new sandwich. “ Oh…… a new sandwich……..sure”. He ran to the back visibly annoyed and we heard him put in a order for a new sandwich. My girlfriend was so uncomfortable with his behavior, that as soon as he came back out she caught him and told him to cancel it and not to worry about it. Again, visibly annoyed, he ran to the back as we heard him shout to cancel it. As he came out again, he came over to the table and downplayed the hair we had found. “ It must of been an eyelash or something”, laughed at us, and walked away. Well let me tell you I had done lost my appetite as well. My fish and chips had three tenders(small), and I had only eaten one at the time she had found the hair on her plate. We then saw both owners( pretty sure their married) talking amongst each other, and the female came over to the table and visibly annoyed like her husband, told us “the sandwich is discounted on me, do you need a box.” My girlfriend said no and explained that both of us lost our appetite do to the hair. She responded” well the hair was only in your meal, not his.”, and she rudely walked away. Ok, that’s fine, we were completely done with this place at this point in time with no intention to return so we looked at the bill and she literally only “discounted” half of the sandwich off the bill. I went to the front booth where she was standing and asked her to explain why she only took off half the sandwich cost. She spoke to me very poorly. My girlfriend joined me at the front and said “ mam neither of us ate our meals, we will pay for the coffees( which were unfinished as well) and be on our way. She took our 25$ gift card, ripped it in half and threw it in the garbage and said “ you can leave now.” I asked where the change was from the gift card. This is where it gets ridiculous. The male owner starts puffing his chest acting like he wanted to fight me. He screams “ WHAT DO YOU WANT, A FREE MEAL TOO!?.” First of all sir, neither meal was comped, and neither of us ate our meal. We stood there in disbelief. The female owner kept pushing back the male owner, my guess is he’s had an attitude before with guests. My girlfriend again tried explaining we didn’t eat our meals, and the female owner said “ well you ordered it, this is the food industry and you find hairs.”……. Let me break down what she said, YES you do find hairs from time to time in meals, HOWEVER it’s how Management handles the situation to correct it. They didn’t even want to give my girlfriend a new plate of food after finding the hair. We left gift card-less and hungry. We also would like to mention that the gift card purchased for us had an added 25% tip as well to it ( gift card total came to $31.25)and we really hope if our server is reading this she received that.“

“We stopped by on our way and didn't expect this small place to have such good, tasty and fresh Mediterranean food. The order taker was friendly and nicely explained menu items. Seating place is average but for the kind of food absolutely perfect. Definitely a place to return for some halal Mediterranean food.“

“Not sure why I waited so long to try this place but glad I finally got around to it. Warning: make reservations or be prepared to wait on the weekends. We arrived an hour before our reservation and enjoyed some drinks at the bar. Speaking of, be prepared to stand in a rather small, crowded space. But drinks help you forget about that. I tried the grapefruit cocktail and they certainly didn't water that drink down. Next up, the main event! We started with the pork belly fries which were tasty and perfect for sharing. I got the burger with short rib which was delicious. The service was fairly quick and friendly; honestly I was shocked they didn't rush us out considering it was nearing closing time. I'd return to try more burgers but I'd prefer lunch or a weekday since parking here is very limited with barely any street parking in sight.“

“Hadn't been there for years. We had a satisfactory experience but not as good as we had hoped. The menu choices were rather limited. My husband's entre was very nice but my salmon dish was lack luster and bland. Herbs and spices were missing. The service was very good and hopefully with the introduction of some more interesting entrees, we would be more enthusiastic about Acacia. We definitely will try them again.“

“First I would like to acknowledge our waiter, Joshua B. He was such a pleasure and so attentive and personable. The recommendations were great and his personality was an experience in itself. The manager was also amazing and my only regret was not getting his name. Now let’s get into the food…EVERYTHING, and I mean EVERYTHING prepared was delicious. The tuna tartare and lobster bites were my absolute favorite apps. The entrees were phenomenal. I have the surf and turf and my wife had the cowboy with the lobster and cherry pepper topping and we thoroughly enjoyed it. The atmosphere was lovely and the drinks ESPECIALLY THE POMEGRANATE SPRITZ and Pomegranate Sangria …AMAZING !“

“Had a wonderful birthday dinner with the family downstairs in the wine room! Waiter's recs were spot on - everything was delicious. Especially the mussels, Brussels, flounder, and coconut dessert. Cocktails were okay. Looking forward to next time!“

“We were out of towners stuck during Thanksgiving and stopped in here for lunch and a drink. We sat out back on the patio enjoying the view of the river til we got too cold. First of all - this might have been the best chicken pot pie I’ve had, and I’ve had a few. Secondly, everyone who worked there was beyond hospitable and so great. I don’t know if I’ll ever be back in New Jersey but if I am I’m B-lining it here to eat another pot pie ?“

“Excellent experience. My wife and I went there as a belated Valentine's day treat for ourselves and did the 17 course tasting menu. We also sprung for the wine pairing. I think 16/17 dishes were excellent and there was only one that was "just ok". Wine pairing was excellent and pours were generous. My only advice would be to pace yourself, don't need to eat and drink everything! A little expensive but worth it for what you get.“

“Nice bar, their vodka martini was perfect. They have a decent selection of specialty cocktails, and everyone enjoyed the drinks. The bar area is comfortable, the patio looks like a perfect place to hang when the weather turns nice. I heard the food was good, looking forward to going back. Service is good, easy parking in the back.“

“This is my second visit to The Dinky Bar and Grill in Princeton which offers great views of the campus. We were going to see a play at McCarter and it is so convenient being across the street. The Dinky has an intimate vibe. Being the original Train Depot the feel of the place is still a train depot which I love. The menu is limited but certainly enough to choose from. There are shareable plates as well full entrees. Very good food and drinks. Our server Kayla was amazing. She needs to be recognized because she was extraordinary. A very busy place pre theater but Kayla never stopped smiling Great experience all around. Will definitely be going again.“

“Bagels are great!!! We had an everything with lox, onions, capers, and tomato. A lot of seasoning on the bagel which is a must. The slight crunch on the bagel was great. Edward the owner suggest not toasting it because it already has a nice crust. If you like toasted, go for it, it won’t make it too crunchy. We also had a sesame with the cherry pepper cream cheese; such a good idea for the cream cheese perfectly spicy with the sweetness of the cream cheese. Amazing, check them out. Will come back to check out their breakfast sandwich.“

“As busy as a golf course gets, and rightfully so. This is probably one of the most fun yet challenging courses we have played so far, with hazards a plenty yet nothing that some thoughtful planning and good shot selection can’t get you though. As an added bonus- the carts are electric, and the ice cold water refill statins as every other hole are also much appreciated! Oh, and they have a driving range to boot“

“Had brunch here with friends. Very cute place, and the food and drinks were tasty. The server was nice as well. Main reason for not 5 stars is that the tables are small (so takes some shuffling of plates if in a group) and are so close you overhear the conversations of every table around you, and they hear yours. Not ideal for a gossipy girl brunch or flirty dates, but otherwise we really enjoyed the experience. Would eat here again for sure - I had the scallops and they were perfectly seasoned and cooked just right.“

“This is a fantastic restaurant with an amazing menu. The vegetarian omelet and quiche are the best I have ever had. (And there are so many great choices for vegetarians.) Everything is so fresh and perfect. The desserts are so yummy. The service and ambiance are outstanding!! I have recently been there twice in one week. Now I am looking forward to a future Saturday brunch. This restaurant deserves five bravos (stars).“

“This hotel is absolutely gorgeous. A short walk away from Princeton University and all of the shopping of downtown. The heated floors in the bathroom were a huge plus for this southerner. The beds were extremely comfortable, as well as the pillows. The continental breakfast was delicious, especially the blueberry muffins. While this is a boutique hotel, the prices are fairly reasonable. I would recommend staying here if you're in the area.Walkability: Located half a mile from Princeton University and downtown Princeton.Noteworthy details: Heated floors in the bathroom were a wonderful touch.“