East Orange's 10 Best Restaurants, New Jersey Top Eats

The Soul Food Factory serves all your quintessential American Southern and West Indian-inspired soul food classics. The chicken waffles are particularly scrumptious as the chicken is succulent and perfectly fried. Additionally, the mac & cheese, chicken wings, collard greens, cornbread and fried catfish are very good. The Soul Food Factory also serves a hearty breakfast. Come here for eggs & turkey bacon, grits, mimosas, and cinnamon sugar waffles. The interior is casual and unpretentious in design, which is the perfect place to enjoy some quality comfort food. This place will truly warm your soul and leave you feeling joyful.

Limin’s Café Caribe specializes in authentic Trinidadian food. The most popular item here is the roti. Roti is a sort of flatbread, and here it comes filled with all kinds of tasty goodness. For example, the vegetarian roti wrap comes with pumpkin and collard greens. The chicken curry roti with potatoes is another delicious option. There are also more outlandish meats on offer like fried shark and oxtail for those who are feeling adventurous. Limin’s Café Caribe is adorned in kitschy Caribbean decor like a thatched roof over the bar and a faux bamboo trellis. In West Indian style, the atmosphere is pretty laid back.

Scotchies Jerk Center is a family owned restaurant that also serves some excellent soul food dishes with an emphasis on jerk meat. Jerk style cooking originated in Jamaica where the meat is marinated in special Jamaican jerk spice. It is usually applied to pork and chicken. Scotchies uses a real jerk grill and portions are generous. Meats come served with sides like rice and beans, peas, or cabbage. Scothies Jerk Center also has oxtails and stewed pork. The restaurant is pleasant and clean even if the dishes are deliciously messy in nature. Once you’ve been to Scotchies Jerk Center you’ll keep coming back.

At Bruno’s Fried Chicken and Waffles the waffles are perfectly light, buttery and crispy while the chicken is succulent and savory. Their food is halal; additionally, Bruno’s serves Mediterranean specialties like lamb and rice dishes. Plus, they serve breakfast all day! All in all, Bruno’s Fried Chicken and Waffles is a local establishment that provides food at an elevated level of quality in comparison to surrounding national chain restaurants that specialize in similar fare. The interior is simple and clean, and the staff is courteous and welcoming. They also deliver.

China Pagoda is a hole-in-the-wall establishment that serves American style Chinese dishes like General Tso’s chicken, honey flavored chicken wings, shrimp & broccoli, walnut shrimp, and fried rice. They always use fresh, quality ingredients, and their food is halal. The staff is courteous and helpful; service is prompt as well. This is certainly the best spot for Chinese food in East Orange. Open for lunch and dinner, China Pagoda is mainly a place for takeout, but there is space to sit and eat here as well.

People’s Choice Restaurant serves West Indian cuisine and has a local following. The owner, Stanley, is very social and friendly. He cooks the food with the best ingredients available, something that he says sets his food apart from the rest. Some staples on the menu are jerk chicken, ackee & saltfish, curry chicken, chicken patties and curry goat. All are served with rice, and you can get fried plantains here too. The food is reasonably priced and is served in large portions. The restaurant is best for takeout, and it’s advised that you order by phone ahead in order to avoid a wait.

Cindy’s Kitchen serves up chicken wings and soul foods with Spanish influences. Highlight menu items include the pork shoulder, known as pernil, cooked in spices until it’s bursting with flavor. The shrimp fricassee is served in a lemony sauce over mashed potatoes, and the seafood linguine is also a hit. Other items include fried whiting fish, chicken stew, and grilled beef ribs in barbecue sauce. There are also potatoes, mac & cheese, rice and French fries to serve as sides to any meal. Cindy’s kitchen blends casual American fair alongside more sophisticated menu items so there’s really something here for everyone.

BJ’s Pizzeria is the place to go for great pizza. All pizzas are hand tossed and cooked with a thin crust. They also serve award winning Italian sausages and excellent Philly cheesesteaks plus the Italian cheeseburger on a pocket roll is also likely to have you raving. They also serve other Italian specialties like stuffed shells in marinara sauce. The interior is simple and organized with a few places to sit. Whatever you choose, the food at BJ’s Pizzeria will have your raving.