NORTHEAST
Where to Eat in Princeton, NJ: A Curated Guide to the Best Restaurants Right Now
By Eric Barton and Maria Rodriguez | Oct.8, 2025
Elements
AUTHOR BIO: Eric Barton is editor of The Adventurist and has reviewed restaurants for two decades. He splits his time between Miami and Asheville, N.C. Email him here.
AUTHOR BIO: With a day job that requires constant travel, Maria Rodriguez is likely a frequenter of your favorite restaurant. She’s reviewed restaurants since 2007 in publications from Barcelona to Bakersfield.
We didn’t pick these restaurants lightly.
The Adventurist team spent the better part of two decades eating our way through Princeton—sometimes for work, sometimes just because it’s what we do. One of us first wandered Nassau Street 40 years ago, back when our idea of a great meal was a late-night hot dog place. Another still comes here for business trips that somehow always end at the same barstool.
Together, we’ve narrowed the list to the places that actually define what Princeton eats like now—old favorites that never lost it and newcomers bold enough to keep the town interesting.
Agricola Community Eatery
$$$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
Witherspoon Street’s OG farm-to-table spot was founded by Jim Nawn, Agricola stakes its identity on communal tables, wood-fired cooking, and plates meant to be shared—like roasted carrots or crispy trout salad. I showed up during Princeton’s Restaurant Week and saw no flash, just flavor that lands: warm, rugged, and right. —Maria Rodriguez
Best for: A warm, unpretentious night of farm-to-table done right
Aspendos Mediterranean
$$$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
Aspendos Mediterranean Cuisine is the newest kid on Nassau Street, with brothers Bilal and Celal Bodur behind it who have two decades in restaurants. Their crispy octopus and baklava that should become Princeton crowd pleasers and weeknight staples. No frills here, just clean flavors and a room that feels like they mean what they’re doing. —Maria Rodriguez
Best for: Grilled seafood and baklava that taste like summer abroad
Ayat
$$$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
At this outpost of a regional Palestinian chain, the first thing you smell is smoke, the kind that only comes from a kitchen where someone still grills over charcoal instead of convenience. Abdul Elenani’s menu trades the usual falafel platters for mansaf, or lamb braised slowly with a yogurt sauce, shawarma shaved crisp, and maklouba that lands at the table upside-down and steaming. Ayat is loud, lively, and wonderfully Palestinian. —Maria Rodriguez
Best for: A reminder of the depth of Palestinian cuisine
The Dinky Bar & Kitchen
$$$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
What was once a train station is now a Harvest-backed hang with rustic beams, locally sourced snacks, and a surprising small-plates menu. Chef-driven yet unpretentious, the Dinky does things like wood-fired pizzas, bao buns with crispy chicken, and seasonal desserts—plus craft beer and cocktails that actually pair. I slip in solo after work for a beer, pickled egg, and the roasted local seafood plate—zero attitude, maximum flavor. —Maria Rodriguez
Best for: Cocktails and conversation in a stunning space
Eddie V’s Prime Seafood
$$$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
Every town eventually gets its see-and-be-seen steakhouse, and Princeton’s just showed. Eddie V’s brings the full production: martinis stirred until perfectly chilled, raw bars stacked like skyline towers, thick-cut filets. It’s polished in that corporate-expense-account way, as you’d expect from a Darden Restaurant Group location, but the oysters are cold, the jazz trio’s tight, and the lights dim enough to make everyone look a little richer. —Maria Rodriguez
Best for: Old-school indulgence from a dependable chain restaurant
Elements
$$$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
One of Scott Anderson’s labs, tucked into Witherspoon Street. Anderson’s been a James Beard semifinalist more than once, and this is where his art meets pragmatic plating—think scallops with miso glaze or Laughing Bird shrimp on tiny plates that swear they’re bigger than they are. Princeton has lots of restaurants these days swinging way above their weight, but Elements consistently hits it out of the park, every time. —Eric Barton
Best for: Tasting menus that turn dinner into performance art
Elite Five Sushi & Grill
$$$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
This tight spot on Witherspoon delivering well-made nigiri, ramen, yakitori, and sushi rolls—all BYOB. Tony Yu, the chef/owner, sources from award-winning suppliers, leans on 15-plus years of experience, and curates sauces in-house. Go when you need precise dumplings, ramen that doesn’t fake depth, and a sushi bar you don’t need to apologize for. —Maria Rodriguez
Best for: Upscale sushi and omakase precision in a surprisingly relaxed room
La Mezzaluna
$$$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
Chef‑owner Michael Moriello is Naples-born, an alum of Big Fish, and has been quietly turning out regional Italian dishes for over a decade. Highlights: seafood risotto, hazelnut-crusted rack of lamb, seasonal pastas. The cozy upstairs setting with minimalist decor offsets dishes heavy on flavor and light on fuss. Book it when you want rewarding without the flash. —Maria Rodriguez
Best for: Regional Italian comfort from a chef who obsesses over sauce
Laurea
$$$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
Start with fried calamari or a spinach ravioli that’s richer than it has any right to be, then move on to rigatoni ragu or the Icelandic cod, bright with lemon and capers. Under chef Christopher Tavares, Laurea has turned the Hyatt into a place where hotel guests don’t have to leave to find a well-executed meal. It’s hotel dining with restraint—a modern Italian spot that values execution over ego.
Best for: Polished Italian cooking that finally gives hotel dining a reason to exist
Mediterra
$$$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
Palmer Square’s Mediterranean darling has a wine list that owns its label. This place feels like summer nights in Provence, minus the passport. I’ve stalked their lamb kebabs through two seasons, and they still taste like they nailed it the first time. —Maria Rodriguez
Best for: Pretending you’re in Provence without leaving Palmer Square
Mistral
$$$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
Next door sibling to Elements, and also steered by Anderson, Mistral’s focus is lighter, smaller plates, with bright flavors and more playful combinations. Chef Anderson still gets the Beard nod here, and the menu flexes seasonal produce like it’s the guest of honor. Perfect when I want to sip something and snack slowly while someone else does the savory heavy lifting. —Maria Rodriguez
Best for: Small plates that surprise without trying too hard
Olsson’s Fine Foods
$$$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
Palmer Square’s gourmet wonder is part cheese shrine, part café, all delight. Run by Rudie and Jennifer Smit, with Rudie the only certified salumière in NJ, Olsson’s boasts over 200 cheeses, plus house-made grilled cheeses, mac and cheese, and soups. I wander in at lunch, inhale enough charcuterie to feel like dinner already, then leave with a baguette and something I didn’t know I wanted. It’s a mercy for your lunch plans—and your pantry—that this place exists. —Maria Rodriguez
Best for: Cheese pilgrimages and impromptu lunches
Peacock Inn
$$$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
This 18th-century boutique hotel’s restaurant is led by Le Bernardin alum Manuel Perez, offering refined New American fare. Recognized by the Beard House and known for its wine pairings, the venue balances stately architecture with dishes like seasonal fish or local farm proteins. I bring people here when I want a room that speaks history and a menu with its own quiet swagger. —Maria Rodriguez
Best for: Old-Princeton elegance with a proper martini
Triumph Restaurant & Brewery
$$$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
In the old post office lobby, they pour their own beer and pair it with dishes that don’t shame it. Big wood beams, open kitchen hustle, and that buzz—you bring a crew, it looks like you planned something special without you actually planning it. I always end up here to keep things casual but not sloppy. —Eric Barton
Best for: House beer, big tables, and a night that runs itself
Witherspoon Grill
$$$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
This downtown staple is helmed by Alejandro de Casenave, “Chef Alex,” formerly of Big Fish. They hand-cut beef in-house, source local poultry, and keep a raw bar that feels earned. Tuesday jazz night is officially a thing—picking your music and your meat in the same session. I roll in when I crave a steak or burger I trust, with zero second-guessing. —Eric Barton
Best for: A steakhouse evening that still feels local
