Exploring Morristown, New Jersey
(from left) cocktail at Jockey Hollow Bar and Kitchen; blueberry tart at Coniglio's
(from left) Mayo Performing Arts Center; Andrea Lekberg of The Artist Baker
Grounded in history, Morristown was once best known as a key area where George Washington headquartered during the Revolutionary War. Today, this economically thriving town has a robust restaurant community and a vibrant small-business presence. It’s a destination city with plenty of things to do—from strolling The Green, a popular two-and-a-half-acre park that often hosts events and performances (including an enormous Christmas tree), to immersing in culture and knowledge at the Mayo Performing Arts Center or the Frelinghuysen Arboretum. But what is most impressive about Morristown is its commitment to empowering what’s local, whether that’s through food, goods, or partnerships.
8 am
Quiche & Coffee
An offshoot from the busy Speedwell Avenue, Cattano Ave offers a calmer (but still lively) ambiance and a number of businesses. Nestled among a posh beauty salon, boutique tux rental shop, and an upscale pet groomer is The Artist Baker.
This quaint side-street bakery and café makes some of the tastiest blueberry scones and chocolate croissants in the area. Nearby residents can attest that the European-style café is a cozy spot oozing with equal parts charm and pastry filling, but even out-of-towners find themselves bookmarking The Artist Baker for their return visits.
First thing you’ll notice upon entering is the glass display showcasing a selection of gourmet quiche pies—try the spinach and goat cheese quiche, which has an ideal consistency between dense and fluffy, along with generous amounts of spinach and cheese—and other baked goods.
If you visit during the winter months, don’t miss the warm spiced treats, including pumpkin bread, apple spice cakes, ginger cappuccinos, and homemade chai. The Artist Baker’s loaf gingerbread, made with ginger, stout, and a touch of cocoa, is a holiday favorite as is the gingerbread cookie dough used for make-your-own houses.
Although the space is small, it’s inviting, and baker and owner Andrea Lekberg welcomes customers to sit and stay. “The customers of Morristown have taught me a lot about community and community engagement. The shop couldn’t have been the success it is without them.”
There are a couple of tables near the entrance and more seating in an adjacent room. You can order and be on your way within minutes, but if you have time to linger, snag a seat with a cappuccino and a good book and stay for a while. Don’t forget to grab a few lemon tarts to enjoy later!
10 am
Stock Up at the Farmers’ Market
Swing by the Morris Winter Market early on Sundays. Hosted by the town’s beloved nonprofit Grow It Green Morristown and opening for the season on Sunday, December 3, it has become a weekly winter staple in Morris County and is conveniently located in the lot of the Convent Train Station with free parking. Browse through the 30-or-so vendors at the outdoor farmers’ and artisan food market; its goal is to educate the community about and promote sustainable agriculture, local food systems, healthy lifestyles, and seasonal eating.
Attracting nearly 800 shoppers each week, the Market, now in its 11th year, is a great place to be outdoors, socialize, and support local farmers and small businesses. Bundle up and bring the whole family (even the dog) and grab a hot drink and a warm snack as you explore the offerings. More than just a farmers’ market, it’s grown into a winter experience where people can connect over delicious food. (Note: In June through November, don’t miss the Morristown Farmers’ Market presented by Morristown Partnership on Sundays in the municipal parking lot at Spring and Morris streets.)
PHOTO: COURTESY OF MORRIS COUNTY TOURISM BUREAU
11am
Satisfy Your Chocolate Craving
In need of a late-morning pick-me-up? Stroll into Enjou Chocolate for a sweet treat! As soon as you walk through the door you’ll be hit with the tantalizing aroma of chocolate.
Up front, there are small boxes of sea salt caramels; chocolate-covered Oreos, pretzels and popcorn; nonpareils, and foiled chocolates, which are great grab-and-go picks.
In the back, magic is being made. Enjou is best-known for their unique molds, which add a creative touch of fun to the chocolate experience, forming it into playful shapes like a high-heeled shoe or a beer bottle. The molds are poured, then carefully hand-shaved and brushed to ensure a smooth, unblemished look.
Enjou’s small-batch approach is unparalleled compared to other big (or small!) name chocolate companies. It’s all about the quality of taste and ingredients.
noon
Stroll South Street
The variety of shops on South Street is impressive. Here, you’ll find everything from toys to wine to jewelry to a good haircut and more, all within walking distance. On the food front, you’ll want to make a stop at Coniglio’s Old Fashioned, located just off The Green. Run by Brooklyn-born pizza maker Nino Coniglio, the shop is known for award-winning pizzas and other Italian specialties. It also has a devoted following for its breads, croissants, and bagels. Loyal customers buy Coniglio’s bread here and at area farmers’ markets in season, including Morristown, Madison, and Bedminster.
2pm
Savor a Sustainable Lunch/Brunch
If you’ve ever walked into a restaurant and felt like you were coming over to a friend or family member’s house, that’s the exact vibe at South + Pine. “The way I cook at home is the same way I cook here—just on a much larger scale!” says Leia Gaccione, chef and owner of South + Pine.
“People come here for many occasions: to celebrate a proposal; to melt away the stress of a long, hard day; or to simply reconnect with a few friends over a shared meal. We want to be here for all of those things and aim to make people feel as if they’re part of our family when they dine with us.”
As Gaccione curates the menu each quarter, using the seasons as her muse, she keeps a few key things in mind: What’s local? What’s fresh? What’s exciting?
South + Pine takes pride in sourcing its produce, eggs, chicken, dairy, and fish from local farms and purveyors, ensuring fresh food that is mindfully made and sustainably sourced. The products don’t sit in a warehouse for weeks on end; they are plucked off the farm, put onto a truck, and driven to the restaurant.
Many of the dishes are inspired by what Gaccione herself likes to eat. One hungry day at home, she decided to gather up a few things lying around and turn it into a sweet potato hash with kimchee, bacon, and poached eggs. It was something that had to be shared with her guests, so it quickly became a staple on the brunch menu and has remained for four years.
South + Pine’s fall menu will run through the end of the year, featuring dishes like Pork Chop Au Poivre, which is crusted in black peppercorns and plated alongside roasted grapes and sunchokes for a blend of spicy, sweet, and earthy.
“WE STARTED OUT WANTING TO CREATE A SPACE FOR LOCAL ARTISTS AND MAKERS TO SHOWCASE THEIR PRODUCTS, THEN QUICKLY LEARNED THAT OUR CUSTOMERS WANTED TO SEE PRODUCTS THAT REPRESENTED NEW JERSEY,”
Clockwise, from top left: Enjou Chocolate; Glenbrook Brewery; Curried Pumpkin Soup at South + Pine; offerings from Just Jersey
3pm
Browse and Brews
After you’ve got some sustenance to fuel your afternoon shopping, stop into Just Jersey, a place where you can find state-shaped serving boards, coasters with your zip code on them, and pillows with the words “Taylor Ham or Pork Roll” stitched in. (Besides, there’s nothing New Jerseyans love more than merchandise about New Jersey!)
“We started out wanting to create a space for local artists and makers to showcase their products, then quickly learned that our customers wanted to see products that represented New Jersey,” says Paul Miller, co-owner of Just Jersey. Paul manages the shop with his business partner, Tina Bologna, and together they curate each piece and work closely with the makers. “Now nearly nine years later, we’ve cultivated relationships with hundreds of local makers from all corners of the state and you see New Jersey represented in a variety of creative ways: through art, food, soaps, candles, soft goods, wood, and jewelry.”
There isn’t a pair more fit to run Just Jersey than Bologna and Miller because they both love being able to promote the positive things that make NJ an amazing place to live and work. “Paul and I have both lived in other states and never experienced the amount of pride and enthusiasm that exists in New Jersey,” says Bologna.
Just Jersey really gets into the holiday spirit, too. From greeting cards and ornaments to décor, the shop offers a great selection of locally sourced holiday gifts. Each year they select new seasonal collections to feature in gift boxes and baskets that are shippable all over the country. These are in addition to their regular collection of Jersey-themed packages that are popular year-round.
After browsing Morristown’s many unique shops, you might be in search of a seat—and a brew. Morristown has many options for craft brew lovers, including Glenbrook Brewery, which opened on Morris Avenue in early 2021. The popular stop’s tasting room and patio offer ample seating where you can relax and let the friendly staff guide you through the 12 craft beers on tap. Beer afficionados will also want to mark their calendars for the 2024 Big Brew Beer Festival. Featuring over 150 craft brews from throughout the region, it’s set to return to the Morristown Armory in March.
(left) ESO Artisanal Pasta; (top right) top floor dining room at Jockey Hollow Bar and Kitchen; (bottom right) Gem Wedge Salad at Jockey Hollow
5pm
Pick Up Your Pasta Night Essentials
If you’re in the mood to cook dinner tonight, you’re in luck: ESO Artisanal Pasta has everything you need for a delicious Italian meal at home. Those who know the ropes simply walk up to collect the orders they’ve placed online from the pasta shop’s website. But first timers may want a bit more guidance.
“Usually, we ask customers to pick a sauce they like, and we’ll recommend a pasta that pairs best with it,” says AJ Sankofa, co-owner of ESO Artisanal Pasta. If you’re feeling a smooth and creamy vodka sauce with flecks of tomatoes, instead of the traditional penne Sankofa suggests their paccheri, which is like a giant flat tube. This way, each bite gets ample amounts of sauce.
Sankofa and his wife, Kristina, handmake all of their pastas, thanks to AJ’s culinary training in Italy and their combined experience in kitchens. The pastas are cooked, flash-frozen to secure freshness, and sold in the shop.
AJ Sankofa has roots in and around the Morristown area and says that nearly 80 percent of their customers today are the parents of kids he went to high school with.
6pm
Dine in a Historic Mansion
One might think that having a reservation in a 15,000-square-foot building constructed in the early 1900s could mean stuffy and formal, but that’s far from the case at Jockey Hollow Bar and Kitchen.
The historic Vail Mansion’s charm and grandeur remain, yet something approachable and energetic was infused when Chris Cannon, owner and managing partner of JHBK, stepped in to create a unique contemporary restaurant in its place.
With four areas to choose from, you can have a completely different experience depending on what you’re seeking. Each room has its own personality—the Oyster Bar, for example (which was originally constructed to be the mansion’s art gallery), is ideal for nibbling on a selection of raw bar items and small plates to share. Head upstairs to the Washington Room, the original living quarters of the estate, for a relaxed fine-dining experience that focuses on the quality of their local fish, meats, and seasonal produce. The more laidback Vail Bar and Rathskeller often hosts live music as well as comedy nights.
Jockey Hollow celebrates artisanal culture in ways that many restaurants overlook at the expense of mass-produced ingredients. Here, your meal is cooked to order and to your specifications using picked-yesterday tomatoes in their Bolognese sauce.
No matter what type of cuisine or culinary experience you’re seeking, downtown Morristown likely has it within an easy stroll, from the sports bar and burger vibe of The Famished Frog to the not-to-be-missed fries at The Committed Pig to the farm-to-table-inspired Agricola to the over-the-top experience of 1776 by David Burke, where guests have the option to “sip, snack and swing” in Topgolf suites. In nearby Headquarters Plaza, Mehndi with its expertly crafted classic Indian menu and Central Taqueria on South Street are two of Morristown’s many international options.
8pm
Play Classic Arcade Games at the Vault
Walking down South Street, you’d probably mistake the large brick facade with white columns for a bank. Because that’s exactly what it was over 150 years ago.
The former bank was reimagined as Morristown Game Vault nearly seven years ago and has captured the interest of kids, teens, and adults ever since.
Inside the dimly lit space, which is enhanced by neon signs and colorful flashing lights emitting from the games themselves, you’ll find people going head-to-head in Pacman and Donkey Kong on console, and flinging pinballs scoring hundreds of points only to have them become casualties as they fall directly down the middle.
Those who grew up in the late ’70s and early ’80s remember playing these games in malls, pizzerias, and bowling alleys. Now, they are all collected into one area uniting generations young and old with a competitive edge.
Place a friendly wager: Loser has to buy a round of drinks at the next stop. Once 10pm strikes at the Vault (or midnight on Saturdays), it’s Game Over.
IF YOU VISIT DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, DON’T MISS THE WARM SPICED TREATS, INCLUDING PUMPKIN BREAD, APPLE SPICE CAKES, GINGER CAPPUCCINOS, AND HOMEMADE CHAI.
11pm
Late-Night Tunes & Cocktails at Laundromat
Slide on to a barstool at Laundromat, where the only thing tumbling is a cocktail being mixed inside a shaker. Pass through a hall lined with inconspicuous-looking washers and dryers, and at the end of the hall, open two of the laundry machine doors to reveal a grand staircase leading down to an upscale speakeasy-style bar specializing in craft cocktails and live music.
Laundromat was designed to feel like you are in a hidden space; the bartenders are dressed in button-downs, vests, and ties; there are whiskey barrels functioning as a water station. The TVs play in black and white, there are multiple fireplaces, and the cozy wood decor is reminiscent of an era gone by.
Live music is the focus of most of the night, with a band on the stage, people dancing and mingling, and the smell of delicious cocktails in the air—the Smoked Apple Old Fashioned is a crowd favorite.
Shopping & Dining
1 THE ARTIST BAKER
16 Cattano Ave.
theartistbaker.com
973.267.5540
2 MORRIS WINTER MARKET
11 Convent Rd., Morris Township
Sundays, 9:30am–1pm,
Dec 3– April 28
(Closed Dec. 24, 2023, and March 31, 2024)
growitgreenmorristown.org
wintermarket
3 ENJOU CHOCOLAT
8 Dehart St.
enjouchocolat.com
973.993.9090
4 CONIGLIO’S OLD FASHIONED
11 South St.
coniglios.com
856.543.9144
5 SOUTH + PINE
90 South St.
southandpine.com
862.260.9700
6 JUST JERSEY
163 South St.
justjerseygoods.com
973.590.2820
7 GLENBROOK BREWERY
95 Morris St.
glenbrookbrewery.com
973.206.1712
8 ESO ARTISANAL PASTA
92A Elm St.
esoartisanalpasta.com
201.520.1546
9 JOCKEY HOLLOW BAR AND KITCHEN
110 South St.
jockeyhollowbarandkitchen.com
973.644.3180
10 THE FAMISHED FROG
18 Washington St.
famishedfrog.com
973.540.9601
11 THE COMMITTED PIG
28 W. Park Pl.
thecommittedpig.com
862.260.9292
12 AGRICOLA
40 W. Park Pl.
agricolaeatery.com
973.326.9200
13 1776 BY DAVID BURKE
67 E. Park Pl.
1776bydb.com
973.829.1776
14 MEHNDI
3 Speedwell Ave. (88 HQ Plaza 3)
mehtanirestaurantgroup.com
973.871.2323
15 CENTRAL TAQUERIA
61 South St.
centraltaqueria.com
973.206.1414
16 MORRISTOWN GAME VAULT
22 South St.
morristowngamevault.com
973.944.8500
17 LAUNDROMAT
4 Dehart St.
973.745.3508
thelaundromatbar.com
Arts & Culture
18 THE MORRISTOWN GREEN
46 Washington St.
themorristowngreen.org
19 THE FRELINGHUYSEN ARBORETUM
353 E. Hanover Ave.
973.326.7601
arboretumfriends.org
20 MAYO PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
100 South St.
973.539.8008
mayoarts.org
21 MORRISTOWN ARMORY
430 Western Ave
morrisarts.org
