Mrs. A and I are driving up to NYC in a few days. She would, over the course of her life, like to visit every state in the Union. Visit, for these purposes, is defined as "do something other than drive straight through."

So, we are planning to stop in NJ for a meal on the way up. Does anyone here have any suggestions of a good place to stop? It can't be anything that takes us too far off the route up to NYC, but a small diversion is fine. Right off the highway is, of course, ideal.

Also, we will be eating with a small child, so keep that in mind.

Thanks.

what route are you taking?

What kind of food do you like. Have you ever been to an authentic diner?

When traveling anywhere, my first inclination would be to see if Diners, Drive-ins and Dives has anything.

The New Jersey Diner Tour : Diners, Drive-ins and Dives : Food Network (http://www.foodnetwork.com/diners-drive-ins-and-dives/the-new-jersey-diner-tour/index.html)

Not sure where any of those are or what route you are taking, but worth a look. :)

what route are you taking?

What kind of food do you like. Have you ever been to an authentic diner?

It looks like we will be going up the New Jersey Turnpike. That's what Mapquest says, anyway. Driving Directions from Washington, DC to 401 E 34th St, New York, NY (http://www.mapquest.com/maps?1c=Washington&1s=DC&2a=401+E.+34th+Street&2z=10016)

And we eat pretty much anything. I don't know that we have been to a really real diner before.

My favorite place growing up and I still go there every time I am home is an awesome pizza/ Italian place in Freehold Boro called

Federici's Family Italian Restaurant (http://www.federicis.com/)

It is by far the best pizza I have ever had. Plus they have a nice outside patio you can sit on and people watch on Main St. If you are going up the turnpike it is about 20 minutes from exit 8.

My hometown of Montclair has some good restaurants and diners. It's about 15-20 minutes outside the city, though a little off from the Turnpike (though you can take route 3 from Montclair and be at the tunnel in 10-15 minutes or so.

The Grease Trucks at Rutgers are about 5 mins off Exit 9. The little one probably won't want a Fat Bitch, but they can make him/her a burger, chicken fingers, etc.

heh, Logan, you ever been to Federicis?

Just hit something with your car and eat it at a rest stop....

Of course, I grew up in Marlboro. It's definitely good but not my favorite as I don't usually prefer thin crust.

Of course, I grew up in Marlboro. It's definitely good but not my favorite as I don't usually prefer thin crust.

yeah, I was going to give him a heads up about the crust if he seemed interested.

My favorite place growing up and I still go there every time I am home is an awesome pizza/ Italian place in Freehold Boro called

Federici's Family Italian Restaurant (http://www.federicis.com/)

It is by far the best pizza I have ever had. Plus they have a nice outside patio you can sit on and people watch on Main St. If you are going up the turnpike it is about 20 minutes from exit 8.

Yes. Federici's is the shit.

Yes. Federici's is the shit.

where in Jersey are you if you dont mind me asking?

all you jersey boys...

Federici's sounds really good. And I like thin crust pizza, so that wouldn't be an issue for me.

Federici's sounds really good. And I like thin crust pizza, so that wouldn't be an issue for me.

then you should love it. I am heading out so this may seem really randon but I don't want to forget. If you decide to go there the parking area is behind main street and the building. You will have trouble finding on street parking.

Then I'd definitely recommend Federici's as well. That part of downtown Freehold is nice and still has that small town feel. If you end up doubling back the way you came from the Turnpike, I highly recommend stopping off at Cree-Mee Freeze for ice cream afterwards. It's a small stand-alone shop that will be on the eastbound side of 33 (so you'll pass it as you head towards Freehold). Don't know an address, but you honestly can't miss it...it's the only thing on the side of the road in that particular stretch.

where in Jersey are you if you dont mind me asking?

I grew up in Hazlet, which is in Monmouth County. Then I moved to Holmdel (also in Monmouth County) in high school.

Exit 117/114 on the Parkway.

I always went to the Federicis in Freehold. The big one. I know they have a smaller one, but I forget what town it's in.

Every year my family would meet at Federicis and we'd take up the entire upstairs. When my grandfather passed away, we had a huge party at Federicis to celebrate his life.

I'm in Wildwood now and miss Federicis so much. It was a huge part of my childhood, which sounds silly because it's a pizza place, but I have so many memories there.

dola

And the pizza is THE BEST pizza I've ever had. And I don't even like thin-crust pizza, generally.

then you should love it. I am heading out so this may seem really randon but I don't want to forget. If you decide to go there the parking area is behind main street and the building. You will have trouble finding on street parking.

Funny, was gonna give him the same warning. I remember there not really being any signs either. There's a Sun National Bank a few buildings down from Federici's. Next to their drive-thru lane is a separate lane that will lead back to the parking lot. Head in there, pop a right and head down to a larger lot. You'll be behind Federici's, Court Jester, etc. No charge to park there (but if you're there on a weekday might just want to double-check the parking rules, it's been awhile since I was there anytime but a weekend night).

This thread is like a huge circle jerk for us Monmouth County'ers.

This thread is like a huge circle jerk for us Monmouth County'ers.

ocean twp in the house. woot woot

Okay... still workable under the title, so I'll just bump this.

I fairly often make the drive across NJ to Atlantic City, basically just taking Route 40 all the way across from the Del Mem Br to AC.

Anything along that path, more or less, that's particularly noteworthy? I'm fine with a pretty wide gamut of food styles, including diner/greasy/homespun roadside stuff. Of course, I'm okay with my usual stop at Volcanic Eruptions for their spread (har har) but certainly open to something along the way that comes recommended.

one more heads up, unless something has changed the only take cash

I grew up in Hazlet, which is in Monmouth County. Then I moved to Holmdel (also in Monmouth County) in high school.

Exit 117/114 on the Parkway.

I always went to the Federicis in Freehold. The big one. I know they have a smaller one, but I forget what town it's in.

Every year my family would meet at Federicis and we'd take up the entire upstairs. When my grandfather passed away, we had a huge party at Federicis to celebrate his life.

I'm in Wildwood now and miss Federicis so much. It was a huge part of my childhood, which sounds silly because it's a pizza place, but I have so many memories there.

lol, did you think I didn't know that? ;)

I grew up in Freehold, Feds was a weekly thing growing up. Then when I got older I would always take my mom there when I came home.

I grew up in New Orleans, but I have a lot of connections to New Jersey.

1) I am a Devils fan.
2) I once drove to Camden by accident.
3) I spent two days in Atlantic City.
4) People shit on me all the time for no reason.

Why is that "circle jerk" "New Jersey" "Pumpy" and "Lathum" all being in the same thread holds absolutely ZERO surprise for me?

The Grease Trucks at Rutgers are about 5 mins off Exit 9. The little one probably won't want a Fat Bitch, but they can make him/her a burger, chicken fingers, etc.

I loved my Fat Cat sandwiches. The grease truck vendors weren't exactly family-friendly, though, from what I remember.

I loved my Fat Cat sandwiches. The grease truck vendors weren't exactly family-friendly, though, from what I remember.

Well at 3am when they're trying to get business over another truck or fire out orders quickly, I agree. But during the day, there's one main truck that operates (might be a second, but the one truck that faces College Ave is the prominent one)...it opened up a few years ago and is very clean and caters to the more casual walk-up crowd. It's also summer now and not many students are around which would add to the more laid-back atmosphere.

For a food that is considered original to New Jersey, there's the pork roll sandwich.

Country Pancake House in Ridgewood is awesome. I know that I went there en route to going hiking in Palisades (so it should be TP-accessible). Country Pancake House (http://www.countrypancakehouse.net/) The address on the website only says the FL location, the Ridgewood location is:

140 E Ridgewood Ave
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
(201) 444-8395


I was staying in Vernon and drove ~40 minutes to get there, would do it again if I had to go back. In a heartbeat. The food was AWESOME.

/tk

I want a Fat Knight now.

Fat Koko or Fat Moon for me please.

montclair/brick/point pleasant! what what!

if youre driving through nj, hit a diner at 3 am. thats what eating in nj is really about.

if you need any recommendations in NYC, let me know.

When I was in Rutgers, they came out with a new Fat sandwich called the Fat Filipino, which included loads of hot sauce (which is what I mostly remember). Dunno if they added it to the permanent rotation.

montclair/brick/point pleasant! what what!

Woot! Toms River here (born at Pt. Pleasant hospital)!

surprised there hasn't been a nj fofc get together

seems like many of us escaped

Are there even any Night Janitors here?

When I was in Rutgers, they came out with a new Fat sandwich called the Fat Filipino, which included loads of hot sauce (which is what I mostly remember). Dunno if they added it to the permanent rotation.

Filipino is still around. I was a big fan of the Darrell and Night, but nothing was better than the Fat Tsunami: cheesesteak, gyro meat, jalapeno poppers, mozzarella sticks, fries, hot sauce, white sauce, lettuce, and tomato. Unreal.

Filipino is still around. I was a big fan of the Darrell and Night, but nothing was better than the Fat Tsunami: cheesesteak, gyro meat, jalapeno poppers, mozzarella sticks, fries, hot sauce, white sauce, lettuce, and tomato. Unreal.

on a single sandwich??

:crazy:

my stomach hurts just thinking about that

on a single sandwich??

:crazy:

my stomach hurts just thinking about that

You'll be fine, trust me.

Fat Tsunami: cheesesteak, gyro meat, jalapeno poppers, mozzarella sticks, fries, hot sauce, white sauce, lettuce, and tomato. Unreal.

Holy Shit, that sounds amazing!! :eek:

I may need to make a trip just to get that! Kinda sounds like a Filipino, but it didn't have jalapeno poppers.

I've heard that Holsten's has the best onion rings in the state.

I'm not a skinny guy, but sangwiches with jalepeno poppers, cheese sticks.....stuff like that, seem to be a bit too much for one to consume.

How much that shit cost anyways? $10?

I'm not a skinny guy, but sangwiches with jalepeno poppers, cheese sticks.....stuff like that, seem to be a bit too much for one to consume.

How much that shit cost anyways? $10?

They're made for drunk college kids...$4-6 with most on the lower end.

Fat koko = cheesesteak, mozzarella sticks, fries, marinara. Yum.

Fat moon = nice and east, chicken fingers, fries, fixins.

I always liked a good Koko every once in a while myself. With all the variety of Fat sandwiches, I don't think I ever had a straight Fat Cat, LOL!

fat knight = koko plus chicken fingers.

update on this?

Not a real update, but I was in Jersey this weekend and went down 33...there are now two Cree-Mee Freezes within a few miles of each other, which was a little weird.

Not a real update, but I was in Jersey this weekend and went down 33...there are now two Cree-Mee Freezes within a few miles of each other, which was a little weird.

are you sure one wasn't Jersey Freeze at the 33 and 9 intersection?

I'm not a skinny guy, but sangwiches with jalepeno poppers, cheese sticks.....stuff like that, seem to be a bit too much for one to consume.

How much that shit cost anyways? $10?

seriously

are you sure one wasn't Jersey Freeze at the 33 and 9 intersection?

Don't insult me :). I grew up on Jersey Freeze. Their food is ridiculously underrated (come to think of it, the combo of that with the ice cream would've been great for albion).

The new one is at the intersection of 33 and Tenant Rd, while the original one is a few miles west.

Don't insult me :). I grew up on Jersey Freeze. Their food is ridiculously underrated (come to think of it, the combo of that with the ice cream would've been great for albion).

The new one is at the intersection of 33 and Tenant Rd, while the original one is a few miles west.

:p

Update:

Southern New Jersey, from the Turnpike, does not look the way one pictures New Jersey. I knew all about the Swamp Devil, but seeing actual swamp still surprised me on some fundamental level.

On the way up, we decided to do the diner thing and ate at the Hightstown diner in (go figure) Hightstown. It was right off the Turnpike, which was nice. And the corned beef hash was really really good. Mrs. A got a Gyro and said that it was fine, but nothing special. The people were friendly and very local.

On the way back, Federcis (sp?) was the plan, but the baby was asleep when we passed the exit and, having driven up with him in not the best of moods, we called an audible and decided to keep on driving rather than wake him up. (Vacations with a kid, I have learned, are both better and worse than vacations without a kid, but certainly not the same).

In terms of pizza, actually, this trip was cursed. In addition to missing Federecis on the way out, I also missed Totonno's because it was closed for renovations--after we drove out to Coney Island just to eat there (at least we got to try Nathan's Famous as a consolation prize).

Thanks a ton for the heads-ups. This will not be our last trip to NYC, and next time we will hit federcis on the way up to make sure we catch it.

dola--funny moment for the NJ haters. On the way back, it was raining really hard (another reason we decided not to stop). I joked with Mrs. A that as soon as we left New Jersey, the weather would improve. And, of course, as soon as we crossed into Deleware, the clouds began to part.

No disrespect, of course :-)

I know that diner well, has a pepper shaker for a sigh IIRC