New Brunswick is home to more than 50 licensed bars, taverns, nightclubs, and restaurants that can serve liquor, and an even larger number of establishments without liquor licenses.

As a city that a variety of immigrant groups have called home over its long history, New Brunswick has developed a tremendous diversity of cuisine and dining experiences.

Cuisine

New Brunswick has a remarkably diverse array of food choices including American, Cuban, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Lebanese, Ethiopian, Indian, Thai, Dominican, Mexican, Soul Food, and Vegan.

New Brunswick is also well-known for being the birthplace of the “fat sandwich,” a sub roll with a varied array of greasy ingredients mixed and matched together such as hamburger patties, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, french fries, etc. The sandwiches are usually named in the style: “Fat ________.” Popular sandwiches include the Fat Darrell, Fat Cat, Fat Bitch, Fat Koko, and Fat Bastard.

Part of the mystique of the sandwiches is that, in addition to being on the menu of many restaurants throughout town, they are also cooked and served from several trucks, known locally as “Grease Trucks.”

While these trucks were once centrally located in a Rutgers University commuter lot on College Avenue, they were famously forced out and split up amongst the school’s campuses to make way for a 15-story privatized student housing building.

Fine Dining

New Brunswick is home to several fine dining establishments, all of which are located in the downtown. They include: The Frog and the Peach, Delta’s, Due Mari, Indochine, Stage Left, Catherine Lombardi’s, Old Man Rafferty’s, INC, Steakhouse 85, Christopher’s, Glasswoods Tavern.

Nightlife

Popular bars near the Rutgers University College Avenue campus include the Olive Branch, the Ale & Wich Pub, Huey’s Knight Club, Olde Queens Tavern, The Golden Rail, Scarlet Pub, Kelly’s Korner, Stuff Yer Face, Corner Tavern, Evelyn’s, and Barca City.

Popular bars, restaurants, and nightclubs in downtown include Blackthorn, Harvest Moon, Tavern on George, Kasai, Fatto Americano, Glo, Perle, the George Street Alehouse, Destination Dogs, and Clydz.

Editor at New Brunswick Today | 732-993-9697 | editor@newbrunswicktoday.com | Website

Charlie is the founder and editor of New Brunswick Today, and the winner of the Awbrey Award for Community-Oriented Local Journalism. He is a proud Rutgers University journalism graduate, a community organizer, and a former independent candidate for mayor of New Brunswick.

Charlie is the founder and editor of New Brunswick Today, and the winner of the Awbrey Award for Community-Oriented Local Journalism. He is a proud Rutgers University journalism graduate, a community organizer, and a former independent candidate for mayor of New Brunswick.