Somerville: A Culinary Renaissance In Central Jersey
I had been living in Atlanta for about 15 years when I read this quote by Richard Ford, whose most famous novels are set in Central Jersey: “You either think you live at the center of the universe, or else you think you live on Pluto.”
Wow, I realized, I’m living on Pluto.
I had grown up in Bridgewater and attended school in neighboring Somerville. I left in the late ’80s, shortly after the opening of the Bridgewater Commons Mall, which struck a blow to the downtown. After I had children and began returning to visit family, I marveled at the resurgence. It occurred to me that the Ville was the center of my universe and my children and I belonged nowhere else.
I moved back in 2008, prior to the revolutionary reinvention of Division Street as a pedestrian mall in 2013, which put Somerville on the map as a destination. Today, the downtown is known for its unique businesses, festivals and flavors that take you on a trip around the world. The variety of open-air dining allows you to immerse yourself in the bustle.
“The minute I stepped foot in Somerville I fell in love with it,” says Natalie Pineiro, executive director of the Downtown Somerville Alliance, whose first experience in the town was eating breakfast with her children at Division Café. “That’s the feeling a lot of people get when they come for the first time. Now, we’re cultivating an entire experience to get people out and socializing.” True. You never know what you’ll find on Division Street: live bands, street musicians and magicians, drag queen shows, ice carvers, even heated, furnished igloos that take the edge off the winter chill.
“I MARVELED AT THE RESURGENCE. IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT THE VILLE WAS THE CENTER OF MY UNIVERSE AND MY CHILDREN AND I BELONGED NOWHERE ELSE.”
When the weather warms, the downtown springs to life with ubiquitous weekend street festivals, featuring art, music, beer gardens and more, punctuated by three free marquee-quality events. The party kicks off on Memorial Day with The Tour of Somerville, the oldest and most prestigious bike race in North America, which draws world-class cyclists from around the globe. Called the “Kentucky Derby of Cycling,” the festivities permeate the town as locals on the route host lawn parties to cheer on the cyclists. As a teen, I plopped down on the lawn of St. John’s Episcopal Church on West High Street. Today, I watch the Tour from the lawn of a friend’s historic home a few doors down, cheering always for whoever happens to be in last place (“Go number 9!”). Come for the thrills, cringe at the spills—that turn onto Mountain Avenue is a doozy—and if you sit close enough, you can catch the breeze from the cyclists whizzing by. Furman Kugler, whose father “Pop” founded the race in 1940, was the first Tour winner at age 18; see the bike he rode in the glass case on the corner of West End and Mountain Avenues.
Memorial Day weekend also heralds the start of Cruise Night, the largest on the East Coast. For three decades, Somerville has hosted this dazzling array of classic cars, attracting visitors from around the state and beyond every Friday night through Labor Day weekend.
In September, Somerville hosts the final day of the three-day Central Jersey Jazz Festival, which features 14 hours of non-stop sophisticated jazz. Bring your chairs and enjoy the final gasps of summer before autumn moves in.
Top left: Division Café; bottom left: Cheech’s Own Coffee Company; right: Division Café
9am
Let’s Get Started!
Calling Division Café a breakfast spot is a disservice. I could eat every meal in this colorful, family owned restaurant serving traditional Costa Rican and Latin American fare. Request the Gallo Pinto: This Costa Rican breakfast of fried rice and beans served with a fried egg, corn tortillas and a slice of fried farmer’s cheese will certainly power you through lunch. Side it with café con leche, and return early enough in the afternoon to snag one of the restaurant’s famous empanadas—choose from a half-dozen varieties—for a snack before they are sold out!
Or, venture down East Main to Don’s Famous Hoagie Shoppe to join the locals—and nostalgic former Ville residents here on a visit—queuing up at the counter for a breakfast sandwich. Alternatively, you can sample omelets, wraps, breakfast burritos or my teenage daughter’s favorite, the Brioche French Toast, at Mike’s Courtside Kitchen or treat yourself to a diner-style breakfast at the cozy Phoenix Café with a strong cup of coffee and a copy of The New York Times.
10am
More Coffee, Please!
Your next stop is Cheech’s Own Coffee Company, occupying prime real estate at the mouth of Division Street. Steven “Cheech” Chiocchi grew his cold-brew brand, made with natural spring water and organic coffee beans, by setting up at events and collaborating with local mixologists who used the coffee concentrate in their creations. Upon opening, Cheech’s quickly became a cultural hotspot, with its sophisticated urban vibe and stage filled with musicians, comedians, poets and tarot-card readers. You will want to circle back here after dinner for the live entertainment and coffee mocktails. Recommended: Refresh, which blends strawberry, basil, lemon and cold brew.
10:15am
Immerse Yourself in Art and Antiques
Somerville’s original resurgence was launched by the arrival of antiques dealers on Main Street, and the town continues to attract visitors who love fine collectibles. Gallery on Main features local and global artists, hosts “meet the artist” events and sells vintage and antique pieces and decorative arts. Inventory at Living in the Past focuses on art deco, arts and crafts and art nouveau pieces, as well as an assortment of antiques from the 17th to 19th centuries.
If you’re visiting on a Saturday, stop by the Fireman’s Museum, which is open from 10am to noon. The Victorian-era firehouse, operated by retired members of the volunteer fire department, showcases fire department history, memorabilia and antique fire-fighting equipment.
12:15pm
Time for Lunch
When I bring my vegetarian son back from college, our first stop—sometimes even before home—is Turf, Surf & Earth, which transforms fresh ingredients into a strong assortment of plant-, fish- and meat-based options. First-timers may be overwhelmed by the customizable menu and dizzying array of options for proteins, flavor and serving styles, and toppings, but the cheerful staff is at the ready to assist. We’ve been fans of owner Byron Salazar since he opened Turf ’N Surf Burger Grill in Warren. My go-to here is the salmon served taco-style with Baja flavors; my son’s is the Impossible Burger over brown rice and spinach with BBQ ranch and cheddar cheese. And we both scarf down the blackened fries.
You can sample flavors from around the world for lunch just by walking down Main Street. Try: Kuay Tiew Noodles & More for noodles, soup and rice in elegant surroundings; Soeulville for fresh, home-cooked Korean fare; King Tut for a spiced kebab; or grab a slice of ’za at the iconic Central Pizzeria, which has been a part of downtown since 1955 and is also a popular hang-out during Cruise Nights.
Top left: Blue Sheep Bake Shop; bottom left: Carol’s Creative Chocolatez; top right: Penny Milligan, The Hungry Hound; bottom right: Paul Robeson mural
1:30pm
Room for Sweets?
Head back to Division and grab a cupcake, macaron, cookie or ice cream cone at Blue Sheep Bake Shop or indulge in some decadence at Carol’s Creative Chocolatez, which crafts everything in-store using imported cacao from France, Belgium and Switzerland. Or, try the milk cloud tea topped with creamy and savory cream cheese foam at Grumpy Bobas.
Worth the walk is Summerville Homemade Ice Cream at the far end of East Main Street. Here, every day is a trip to the Shore: the parlor is brimming with festive nautical décor—complete with a hammerhead shark replica ready to lick your cone filled with unique flavors like Amaretto Fig ‘n’ Almond.
And your dog deserves a treat, too, right? Duck into The Hungry Hound for homemade cookies, cakes and ice cream—oh yeah, doggie ice cream! The popular store opened by Penny Milligan in 2003 recently expanded to a new, larger location. When you step inside, you enter a dog haven where you can get everything you need to pamper your pooch (and also your cat).
2pm
Now, Walk It Off with Some History
Somerville, which was settled by the Dutch in 1683 and became the county seat in 1799, is home to many historic properties, some on the National Register. Explore the colorful Victorian neighborhoods near Main Street and the 1909 white marble Courthouse, where Teddy Roosevelt once spoke. Or, walk off your lunch by following the scenic Peter’s Brook Greenway, which snakes through town.
Take a 15-minute walk from downtown—centuries back in time—to the Wallace House, which served as the headquarters of George Washington during the Middlebrook encampment in the winter of 1778–79, and Old Dutch Parsonage, the ancestral home of the Frelinghuysens, a famous New Jersey family. Needing a place near the Raritan River for himself and his aides, Washington rented the Wallace House from Philadelphia merchant John Wallace. That winter, lonely Martha came to join him. So not only did Washington sleep here—Martha did, too!
Return to downtown to view the many murals that pay tribute to natives who made their mark in the visual and performing arts. Somerville’s most famous resident, Paul Robeson, a 1915 graduate of Somerville High School who went on to become a legendary actor, singer and labor and civil rights activist, is memorialized on Giardina Walk. And in an alley off of Division Street, you may be startled by a mural depicting Lee Van Cleef, whose steely eyes and sharp features made the Somervillian a super villain of Spaghetti Westerns.
In the center of West Main Street, two murals give homage to natives who were gone too soon. A kaleidoscope of color in radiating plumes like a peacock tail graces the side of Redelico’s Paint & Decorating Center. Painted by the grieving hands of mural artists Doug “Hoxxoh” Hoekzema and Bhakti Baxter, it memorializes the vibrancy of Raymond W. Brown, a Somerville-born artist and guitarist who was killed at age 32 when scaffolding collapsed while he and Hoekzema were creating a mural in Florida.
The colorful 90-foot mural on the side of the Phoenix Café, completed last year by Leon Rainbow and Alejandro Medina, celebrates the life and art of Somerville High School graduate Jerome Gonzalez, a talented graffiti artist and author who was integral to establishing Somerville’s arts community and who died at age 44.
Inspired? Now, head over to Nailed It D.I.Y., where you can make crafts and create decorative home design projects such as wood signs, blankets and gifts.
Top left: Chefs Chris Minikus & Katey Barree, Salted Lime Bar & Kitchen; bottom left: Verve; top right: Boulevard Seafood Company; bottom right: Ai Sushi
5pm
Happy Hour
When I first returned to Somerville, Verve, the town’s sophisticated French bistro and bar with speakeasy ambiance, became my regular spot for creative cocktails served up by Prohibition-era-styled bartenders or dinner at its Landmark Bar. Being the social heart of Somerville was the vision of owner Rick St. Pierre, who established Verve more than two decades ago. It is the local place. Climb upstairs to discover another gem: the 1933 Room, a cozy SoHo-inspired lounge. Verve is the only place that I’ve ever had to interview for a drink. Bartenders here take the time to get to know you and your unique tastes. Once they gauge your preferences, they make suggestions that you’re wise to accept. Check the event calendar, as Verve offers some of the hottest tickets in town, from comedy nights that bring in national headliners to live music, a Mardi Gras celebration and The VerveCage, the best drag show I’ve ever seen.
Alternatively, you can sample the choices at Project P.U.B., which dedicates its taps to one craft brewery each month and designs a custom menu paired with the brewery’s products, or head downstairs to Tapastre, where you can take the edge off your hunger with tapas and craft brew. If you’re lucky, the Good Donut Shop, a pop-up purveyor of impossible-to-eat-just-one miniature donuts owned by Somerville resident Ryan Ozolins, will be present to pair gourmet donuts with your beer.
6:30pm
Ready for Dinner—How to Choose?
While deciding where to have dinner in Somerville is a challenge, picking up the perfect BYO pairing is easy. Stop in at Discover Wine and browse its wall of bottles matched to your restaurant of choice.
At Salted Lime Bar & Kitchen, it’s hard to select what to order— everything is oh so good. In fact, the month it opened, I dined here several times a week, inviting a new friend to introduce the restaurant to each time as an excuse to try another entrée. But, truth be told, I was already a fan of the fresh, local fare served by Mark Farro and Danny McGill at their Uproot restaurant in Warren and Inc. restaurant in New Brunswick. At Salted Lime, it’s best to snag a spot at the 27-seat bar and order a creative cocktail. The Latin-inspired menu is seasonal and locally sourced—a favorite is “The Bell,” the restaurant’s upscale take on Taco Bell—and the drinks inspire curiosity. My recent order of “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” which mixed bacon fat–washed Casamigos Mezcal with cranberry jam and blood orange, was an infusion of tastes that certainly exceeded expectations.
Craving fish? The fishmonger at Boulevard Seafood Company sources fresh catches from the New Fulton Fish Market in New York daily to fuel its dishes. The restaurant also features a retail seafood market and the recently opened Café at BSC, which offers healthy fare in a casual setting. Or, visit Ai Sushi. Authentic sushi lovers did not skip a beat when the lauded Shumi switched ownership in 2018 and reopened with a new name under the direction of David Grodman and long-time Shumi employee Joy Noobanjong, who continues the tradition of serving authentic sushi and sashimi—no Americanized California rolls here— hand-crafted by Japanese sushi chefs.
If you’re with a large crowd, head over to the casual and family friendly Alfonso’s Trattoria, which has been owned by the Ianniello family at the heart of the Somerville community since 1978, when I started going there as a kid for “Pizza Fridays.” While the restaurant can easily accommodate large groups, cozier dining can be found in the bar area. Of note here is the restaurant’s extensive gluten-free menu, filled with favorite dishes and served on worry- free specially marked plates.
Left: Dessert at Verve; top right: Mural at New Start Consignment; bottom right: Village Brewing Company
8pm
After-Dinner Drinks and Entertainment
Check out the Ville’s most recent social hotspot, Village Brewing Company, which opened in the former Woolworth’s building and hosts trivia nights on Tuesdays and live musicians on Thursdays. Not sure what to order? The brewpub offers samplers of its freshly brewed craft beer. A champion of local farms and businesses, Village Brewing’s menu is filled with seasonal, farm-to-table fare.
Alternatively, you may fancy a frothy pint of Guinness or shot of whiskey poured with warm hospitality at Mannion’s Irish Pub, where live music mingles with roars of laughter as strangers become fast friends in true Irish style. Somerville is, of course, the place to be for St. Patrick’s Day. The town’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, one of the largest celebrations of Irish heritage in the state, began in 1984. The parade will kick off this year at 1:30pm on March 15 and can attract up to 20,000 people. Enjoy floats, pipe and drum marching bands, Irish step dancers, fire companies, youth groups and more along the parade route down Main Street.
Planning a girls’ night out? Grab a bottle of wine, make a reservation and spend the evening creating unique home décor at Board & Brush or painting at Pinot’s Palette.
Or, you may want to relive the days when you’d hang out in your best friend’s wood-paneled basement helping Pac-Man clear the maze. Check out YESTERcades, which houses everything from classic games and pinball machines to top current titles and is a great place to find some good old-fashioned multi-generational fun. Be careful, though, as it’s easy to lose track of time there—and with the arcade open until midnight or 2am, that’s dangerous indeed!
DOWNTOWN SOMERVILLE EVENTS
Downtown Somerville Events:
downtownsomerville.com/events
Arts on Division Events:
facebook.com/SomervilleAOD
St. Patrick’s Day Parade:
March 15, one of the state’s largest
Girls Night Out:
May, downtownsomerville.com/events
Tour of Somerville:
Memorial Day, tourofsomerville.org
Cruise Nights:
Friday nights from Memorial Day to Labor Day
StarLit Cinema:
free outdoor movies
Thursday nights in July and August on Division St.
Summer Stage:
live music on Division St. on weekends from Memorial Day to the end of September
Central Jersey Jazz Festival:
September, centraljerseyjazzfestival.com
FOOD & DRINK
Ai Sushi
30 S. Doughty Ave., 908.526.8596
aisushisomerville.com
Alfonso’s Family Trattoria & Gourmet Pizza
99 W. Main St., 908.526.0616
alfonsostrattoria.com
Arusuvai Chettinad Indian Cuisine
30 E. Main St., 732.200.2787
arusuvaiusa.com
Blue Sheep Bake Shop
9 Division St., 908.393.1824
bluesheepbakeshop.myshopify.com
Boulevard Seafood Company/ The Café at BSC
49 W. Main St., 908.722.3300
boulevardseafood.com
Café Picasso
81 Main St., 908.429-8850
cafe-picasso.com
Calabria Mia Pizzeria and Gelateria
83 W. Main St., 908.429.7747
cafe-picasso.com/calabriamia
Carol’s Creative Chocolatez
24 Division St., 908.725.5500
carolscreativechocolatez.com
Casa Luna
30 S. Doughty Ave., 908.526.3300
Central Pizzeria
126 W Main St., 908.722.8272
centralpizzerianj.com
Cheech’s Own Coffee Company
37 W. Main St., 908.393.1468
cheechsown.com
Chicali Mexican Grill
12 W. Main St., 908.947.2449
facebook.com/Chicali-Mexican-Grill
Courthouse Sub Shop
16 E. Main St., 908.725.9876
thecourthousesubshop.com
Da Filippo Autentica Cucina Italiana
132 E. Main St., 908.218.0110
dafilippos.com
De Martino
9 Davenport St., 908.722.8602
martinoscuba.com
Discover Wine
66 W. Main St., 908.707.9463
discoverwine.biz
Division Café
8 Division St., 908.450.7979
divisioncafe.com
Don’s Famous Hoagie Shoppe
133 E. Main St., 908.722.4200
Fresh Tiki Bar
15c Division St. 908.307.6002
From the Hive Honey Shop
4 Division St., 908.300.8230
fromthehivenj.com
Grumpy Bobas
72 W. Main St., 908.450.7100
facebook.com/grumpybobas
Just Subs
15 W. Main St., 908.393.5803
just-subs.com
King Tut Fine Middle Eastern & Mediterranean Cuisine
6 Main St., 908.722.1360
kingtutgrillandseafood.com
Kuay Tiew Noodles & More
42 W. Main St., 908.393.9555
ktsomerville.com
Kyma Greek Cuisine
24 E. Main St., 908.864.4730
Main Street Gourmet Deli
63 W. Main St., 908.864.4277
mainstreetgourmetdeli.com
Mannions
150 W. Main St., 908.203.0700
mannionsirishpub.com
Mike’s Courtside Kitchen
2 W. Main St., 908.722.7700
mikescourtside.com
Origin French Thai
25 Division St., 908.685.1344
originfrenchthai.com
Phoenix Café
24 Main St., 908.218.9992
Project P.U.B.
41 N. Bridge St., 908.393.5211
projectpubnj.com
Salted Lime Bar & Kitchen
46 E. Main St., 908.864.4403
saltedlimerestaurant.com
Savor
18 W. Main St., 908.685.1975
savornjrestaurant.com
Seoulville
45 W. Main St., 908.864.4100
seoulvillenj.com
Summerville Homemade Ice Cream
144 E. Main St., 908.203-4081
summerville-homemade-ice-cream.com
Sushi Palace
34 Division St., 908.218.7888
sushipalace.net
Tapestre
1 W. High St., 908.526.0505
tapestre.com
The Good Donut Shop
thegooddonutshop.com
The Salad House
58 W. Main St., 908.203.5252
thesaladhouse.com
The Venetian Grille
128 W. Main St., 908.722.1244
Turf, Surf & Earth
46 E. Main St., 908.393.9272
turfsurfandearth.com
Verve
18 E. Main St., 908.707.8655
vervestyle.com
Village Brewing Company
34 W. Main St., 908.333.2990
villagebrewing.com
Wolfgang’s Steakhouse
119 W. Main St., 908.541.0344
wolfgangssteakhouse.net/somerville
Yokahama
164 W. Main St., 908.707.1700
sushiyokohamanj.net
Yutaka Hibachi & Sushi
90 W. Main St., 908.218.5523
yutakanj.com
SHOPPING & ATTRACTIONS
Board & Brush
28 Division St., 908.947.1005
boardandbrush.com/somerville
Design Studio of Somerville
67 W. Main St., 908.685.1921
dsosdesign.com
Elysium Antiques
25 Main St., 908.307.3376
facebook.com/ElysiumAntiques
Gallery on Main
30 W. Main St., 908.722.4234
galleryonmainst.com
Living In The Past Antiques
63 W. Main St., 908.652.9658
somervilleantique.com
Nailed It DIY Studio
46 E. Main St., Ste. 103, 908.800.8029
somerville.naileditdiy.com
Pinot’s Palette
196 W. Main St., 908.393.4847
pinotspalette.com/somerville
Somerville Exempt Fire Museum
23 N. Doughty Ave., 908.526.7098
somervillefd.org/museum.htm
Stickley Audi & Co.
130 W. Main St., 908.947.0471
stickleyaudi.com
The Hungry Hound
93 W. Main St., 908.927.9663
thehungryhound.com
The Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage
71 Somerset St., 908.725.1015
wallacehouseassociation.org
Open 10am to noon and 1pm to 4pm Wednesday to Saturday, and Sunday from 1pm to 4pm.
Call before visiting to confirm the sites will be open.
YESTERcades
29 Division St., 908.526.3270
yestercades.com
