Weed is now legal in NJ. Here's our ultimate North Jersey munchies guide
Recreational marijuana is officially legal. Translation: the munchies are coming.
As of April 21, people 21 and older can buy recreational marijuana at 13 licensed medical marijuana dispensaries in New Jersey. And while we now know where to get legal weed, the search is on for the perfect spot to satisfy your munchies (AKA the spike in appetite people get after smoking weed).
Fortunately, New Jersey has long been a place where greasy, filling, satisfying food abounds. We do munchie food better than anyone. From pizza to fat sandwiches to disco fries, here’s where to eat your fill after partaking in the now-completely-legal activity of smoking pot.
Of course, don't drive under the influence. Many of these restaurants offer delivery with their own in-house service or through delivery apps. Or, ask your designated driver to do you a solid.
Ultimate dining guide: The ultimate guide to finding really good food in North Jersey
Pizza
New Jersey has the best pizza in the country. Don’t believe us? (We’re admittedly a bit biased.) Ask Food & Wine, which recently named New Jersey the state with the best pizza. Whether you love a classic bar pie – thin and crispy – or a fluffy Neapolitan pizza with a gorgeously charred crust: New Jersey has it.
Some of our favorite pizza joints:
Pizza Town: 89 Route 46, Elmwood Park; 201-797-6172, no website.
John's Boy Pizzeria: 206½ Rock Road, Glen Rock; 201-652-8188, johnsboypizzeria.com.
Luigi's: 54 Mount Vernon St., Ridgefield Park; 201-641-9869, luigisridgefieldpark.com.
Tony D's Pizza: 3 Hanford Place, Caldwell; 973-228-9500, tonydpizza.com.
Ralph's Pizzeria and Italian Restaurant: 564 Franklin Ave., Nutley; 973-235-1130, ralphspizzeria.com.
Reservoir Tavern: 92 Parsippany Blvd., Boonton; 973-334-5708, therestavern.com.
Pizza Terminal: 150 Bloomfield Ave., Verona; 973-857-0323, thepizzaterminalrestaurant.com.
Razza Pizza Artigianale: 275 Grove St., Jersey City, 201-356-9348, razzanj.com.
Vesta Wood-Fired Pizza & Bar: 64 Hoboken Road, East Rutherford; 201-939-6012, vestapizzeria.com.
Dough Artisan Pizzeria: 437 Bloomfield Ave., Caldwell; 973-226-3300, doughartisanpizzeria.com.
Aquila Pizza Al Forno: 7A Paterson Ave., Little Falls; 973-256-0050, aquilaforno.com.
Porto by Antonio: 8921 Old River Road, North Bergen; 201-941-7107, portobyantonio.com.
Kinchley's Tavern: 586 N. Franklin Tpke, Ramsey; 201-934-7777, kinchleyspizza.com.
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S. Egidio: 17 N. Broad St., Ridgewood; 201-389-3525; segidiopizza.com.
Nellie's Place: 9 Franklin Turnpike, Waldwick; 201-652-8626, nelliesplacenj.com.
Arturo's: 180 Maplewood Ave., Maplewood; 973-378-5800, arturosnj.com.
Star Tavern: 400 High St., Orange; 973-675-3336; startavern.net.
Rudy's: 55 Vervalen Street, Closter Plaza, Closter; 201-768-8444, rudysitalianrestaurant.com.
Pizza: Your ultimate North Jersey pizza guide, from thin-crust to Neapolitan
Pizza Terminal: With a collective 200 years of experience, this staff is a who's who of Jersey pizza guys
Hot Dogs
The satisfying snap of the casing. The piquant mustard. Meaty chili. Zesty relish. A North Jersey hot dog is perfection, especially when experiencing the munchies. No state has as many iconic hot dog joints as Jersey, which set the standard for well-made hot dogs with toppings so delicious they’ve become trademarks. (Need we mention the chili at Hot Grill? The relish at Rutt’s Hut?)
Some of our favorite hot dog joints:
Rutt's Hut: 417 River Road, Clifton; 973-779-8615, ruttshut.com.
Hiram's: 1345 Palisades Ave., Fort Lee; 201-592-9602, no website.
The Hot Grill: 699 Lexington Ave., Clifton; 973-772-6000, thehotgrill.com.
River View East: 455 River Dr., Elmwood Park; 201-797-9258, no website.
Callahan's: Food truck; eatcallahans.com.
Johnny & Hanges: 23-20 Maple Ave., Fair Lawn; 201-791-9060, Facebook: Johnny & Hanges.
The Hot Dog House: 510 Route 17 S., Carlstadt; 201-935-5803, no website.
Hot Dog Caboose: 211 Greenwood Ave., Midland Park; 201-444-2531, hotdogcaboose.com.
Hot dogs: North Jersey is the epicenter of hot dog heaven. Here are 11 of the best spots for a frank
Diners
New Jersey is the diner capital of the world. And we dare you to find a place more suited to fill your munchies than an ultra-casual restaurant that slings pancakes, disco fries, mozzarella sticks and nachos at all hours of the day and night. No reservation needed. No need to change out of your pajama bottoms. Diners are the epitome of “come as you are,” even if “as you are” is baked.
Some of our favorites:
Maple Valley Diner: 1116 Route 46, Clifton; 973-473-6444, maplevalleydiner.com.
Brownstone Pancake Factory: 860 River Road, Edgewater; 201-945-4800. 717 E. Palisade Ave., Englewood Cliffs; 201-945-4800, brownstonepancakefactory.com.
Stateline Diner: 375 Route 17, Mahwah; 201-529-3353, statelinediner.com.
Top's Diner: 500 Passaic Ave., East Newark; 973-481-0490, thetopsdiner.com.
Park West Diner: 1400 Route 46, Little Falls; 973-256-2767, no website.
Tacos
Tacos give us the perfect bite: a bit of protein, acidic salsa, maybe some greens in a hand-held tortilla. Powering down some carne asada in a cradle of flattened corn flour is an excellent way to battle the munchies any time of day. And North Jersey is blessed with plenty of taco joints better than any Taco Bell. (Though, if that’s your high food of choice, we won’t judge.)
Some of our favorites:
Tito’s Burritos: Various locations. Visit titosburritos.com to find one close to you.
Lola's Waterfront Tex-Mex Restaurant: 300 Lakeside Ave Hopatcong; 973-264-4231, eatlolasnow.com.
Chofi Taco, Union City: 1706 Summit Ave., Union City; 201-430-6515, chofitaco.com.
Tacoria: 305 Route 17 South, Paramus; 201-265-4206. 52 South St., Morristown; 973-455-7089. 367 Bloomfield Ave., Montclair; 973-893-5220. 24-26 Erie St., Jersey City; 201-792-9041, tacoria.com.
Barbecue
When only blackened ribs, crispy wings and decadent pulled pork – with a side of mac and cheese and cornbread – will satisfy your munchies, these are the barbecue restaurants to visit.
Some of our favorites:
Kimchi Smoke: 301 Center Ave., Westwood; 201-497-6333, kimchismoke.com.
Brother's Smokehouse: 900 Route 17, Ramsey; 551-264-9073, brotherssmokehousenj.com.
Red, White & Que Smokehouse: 266 Davis Ave., Kearny; 201-998-2271, redwhiteandquesmokehouse.com.
Mighty Quinn's: 850 Route 3, Clifton; 973-777-8340, mightyquinnsbbq.com.
Ramen
Few dishes are more filling than a steamy bowl of ramen. It requires ravenous hunger to finish all those chewy noodles, fatty hunks of protein, jammy eggs, crisp beansprouts and hearty broth. The munchies are no match for a bowl of ramen.
Some of our favorites:
Kinyobi: 838 Main St., Hackensack; 201-646-3267, kinyobinj.com.
Batten Ramen: 243 Main St., Fort Lee; 201-592-0020, batten-ramen.com.
Ani Ramen: Various locations. Go to aniramen.com to find the closest to you.
Ramen Azuma: 39 S. Van Brunt St., Englewood; 201-567-1283, azumaramen.com.
Menya Sandaime: 1638 Parker Ave., Fort Lee; 201-482-4141. 1406 Bergen Blvd., Fort Lee. Inside Garden State Plaza, 1 Garden State Plaza Blvd., Paramus. Inside H Mart, 260 Bergen Turnpike, Little Ferry. 570 Washington Blvd., Jersey City; 201-588-1575; menyausa.com.
Ramen Matsu: 207 Closter Dock Road, Closter; 201-383-999, ramenmatsu.com.
More suggestions: Best ramen in NJ: Where to get our favorite chilly-day comfort food
Subs and fat sandwiches
Another culinary claim to fame we have in New Jersey is the fat sandwich. These monstrosities can hardly be called sandwiches – they’re more like full meals stuffed in between two slices of bread (think chicken fingers and fries and mozzarella sticks on a roll). Even our non-fat sandwiches are something to behold. The right sub shop will pile your bread with heaps of deli meats, cheeses, lettuce, onion, tomatoes, oil and vinegar and more.
Some of our favorites:
Cars Fat Sandwich: 114 East Main St., Ramsey; 201-871-8600. 150 Valley Road, Montclair; 973-746-6400, eatatcars.com.
Park Wood Deli: 342 Erie Ave., Midland Park; 201-689-0855, parkwooddeli.com.
Cosmo's Salumeria: 705 Main St., Hackensack; 201-342-8076, no website.
Pizza One: 1483 Route 23, Wayne; 973-832-4888. 1185 Ringwood Ave., Haskell; 973-835-1600. 12 North Village Blvd., Sparta; 973-862-4933, njpizzaone.com.
Jersey Pizza Co.: 200 Hackensack St., Wood-Ridge; 201-728-8600, jerseypizzacomenu.com.
Rebecca King is a food writer for NorthJersey.com. For more on where to dine and drink, please subscribe today and sign up for our North Jersey Eats newsletter.
Email: kingr@northjersey.com
Twitter: @rebeccakingnj
Instagram: @northjerseyeats
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ legal weed: North Jersey guide for munchies and snacks
