The Best 10 Restaurants In North Bergen New Jersey

The culinary scene in North Bergen, New Jersey is unmistakably Latin American and Spanish at its core. From Cuban sandwiches to tapas to churrasco meats, mofongo, and flan, North Bergen makes these foods with uncanny authenticity. Of course, there are also Italian restuarants and American-style dining worth trying as well. Here are our top 10 favorite places to eat n North Bergen, New Jersey.

Rumba Cubana

North Bergen is home to a high concentration of authentic Cuban restaurants. Therefore, kicking off the list is Rumba Cubana. The interior is filled with rich crimson and dark wooden hues. At the front of the restaurant is a large bar with a garland made of vines spanning out overhead. Looking up at the ceiling, you will see it is made of vines and branches like a rainforest canopy. Some popular menu items include short ribs, fried beef in a crispy plantain bowl, flan, mofongo, avocado stuffed with zesty shrimp, and tres leches cake. Food is served with creative presentation, and portions are generous. There is no doubt that a meal at Rumba Cubana will be an unforgettable experience.

Rumba Cubana, 1807 45th St, North Bergen, NJ, USA, +1 201 553 9100

1. Tapas de España

Tapas de España

As its name dictates, Tapas de España serves Spanish tapas with an emphasis on seafood. They also have live Latin performances like flamenco shows each week. Tapas include ceviche, lobster stuffed crab, and plantains. Tapas de España also serves larger menu items like churrasco steak, crab-stuffed crêpes, and family-style arroz con pollo. These can be shared or eaten as a full entrée. They even have comfort food items like chicken noodle soup. Pair any meal with a sweet and tasty glass of sangria. Expect great service from a fun-loving staff. Reservations are recommended if you’re planning to come for dinner on a weekend, as this place fills up quickly.

Tapas de España, 7909 Bergenline Ave, North Bergen, NJ, USA, +1 201 453 1690

2. Trattoria La Sorrentina

Trattoria La Sorrentina

Taking a brief break from Spanish and Latin-style restaurants, Trattoria La Sorrentina is a casual Italian place that specializes in brick oven pizza, pasta, and paninis. The earth-tone interior is warmly lit with lots of places to sit. Start your meal with the mixed appetizer that includes arancini balls, potato croquettes, mini calzones and fried mozzarella. Some pasta dishes on offer are capellini with seafood, gnocchi a la torrentina, lasagna, and chicken alfredo. The octopus salad is another popular favorite as it comes piled high with grilled octopus meat. Pizzas have a crispy thin crust and are topped with remarkably fresh, quality ingredients. Finish your meal with a tiramisu and an espresso for a true Italian dining experience.

Trattoria La Sorrentina, 7831 Bergenline Ave, North Bergen, NJ, USA, +1 201 869 8100

3. Pan Con Todo Express

Restaurant, Cuban

Pan Con Todo Express serves authentic Cuban and Latin-inspired sandwiches, smoothies, and other casual fare. It is primarily a takeout restaurant, and they deliver. There are a few spots for eating at the restaurant as well. Sandwiches come with roasted meats including perfectly marinated churrasco beef and pork. Additionally, Pan Con Todo Express makes lunch bowls filled with rice, meat, sautéed veggies, and plantains. They also serve fresh tropical juices like watermelon juice and passion fruit juice. The staff is attentive and accommodating. This place will stand up to even those with the highest standards for Cuban food.

4. Kebab Istanbul

Restaurant, Turkish

Kebab Istanbul serves shawarma and other Mediterranean-style fare. Some menu items include souvlaki-style meats, lentil soup, hummus, zucchini pancakes, and white bean salad. The interior is a cheerful yellow color with a large picture of the Hagia Sofia against a vivid blue sky. The restaurant also has a backyard patio area, which is the perfect spot to enjoy a tasty meal on a sunny day. Pair your meal with a fruity Turkish soda. For dessert, try the Turkish custard or kanafe and sip on an aromatic Turkish coffee. All meat is halal, and Kebab Istanbul delivers as well.

5. La Fusta Restaurant

Restaurant, Seafood, Steakhouse

La Fusta is an Argentinian-style steakhouse with a penchant for seafood and pasta dishes as well as grilled meats. Portions are gargantuan, so bring your appetite. For an appetizer, indulge in the grilled prosciutto and provolone or the empanadas. Dinner items include filet mignon in mushroom sauce, mixed grill with tripe and sweet bread, and skirt steak. The restaurant interior is spacious and simple, all the better for rolling up your sleeves and digging in. La Fusta also offers some delicious beverages including a refreshing mojito and excellent sangria. As for dessert, the dolce de leche flan is truly out of this world.

6. Porto Wood Burning Pizza & Pasta

Porto Wood Burning Pizza & Pasta

Porto Wood Burning Pizza & Pasta offers authentic Italian fare and boasts its own beautiful brick oven made with pale blue mosaic tiles. The layered tomato, mozzarella, and fried eggplant salad makes a great appetizer. For pizzas, try the Pistacchio E Salsiccia pizza, which comes with pistachio pesto, homemade fennel, artichokes, mushrooms and cheese. Really, with such thoughtful combinations of excellent ingredients, you really can’t go wrong. You can also order the pizzas to go. For pastas, the gnocchi Bolognese is hearty and delicious. Desserts include fried Oreos or the Nutella pizza. The interior is stylish with exposed brick walls and artful paintings of iconic celebrities and athletes.

Porto Wood Burning Pizza & Pasta, 8921 River Rd, North Bergen, NJ, USA, +1 201 941 7107

7. The Coach House

Bar, Diner, Restaurant, Dessert

The Coach House has been a fixture in North Bergen since 1939. It started as a 24-hour diner serving American-style comfort foods and has since added a full bar. Some menu items include pancakes, burgers, wraps, omelets, milkshakes, New Jersey-style cheese and gravy fries, and cheesecake. Plus, you can also make your own salad at the self-serve salad bar. Near the salad bar is the massive dessert case with a multitude of options from which to choose. The Coach House even has happy hour. The interior is classic and relaxing, complete with walls and seating made of dark-hued wood.

8. Waterside Restaurant and Catering

Restaurant, Mediterranean

Waterside Restaurant and Catering serves New American cuisine with a Mediterranean touch. The restaurant is perched on the edge of the Hudson River and overlooks the New York City skyline with impeccable clarity. There are places to sit and eat outside on the water’s edge as well. Waterside Restaurant and Catering is a wonderful place to hold a special event, as the interior is spacious, upscale, and elegant. You can also come in a smaller party for their extravagant brunch buffet, complete with an omelet station and raw bar. For lunch or dinner, try the grilled Berkshire pork or the seared salmon in a flavorful sauce.

9. Jersey Meatball Company

Jersey Meatball Company

Last but not least, there is Jersey Meatball Company. It offers traditional Italian-American food with their specialty being homemade meatballs. Typically, the meatballs are served with melted cheese and tomato sauce on a hero roll or intermixed with pasta and veggies. There are a variety of meatball recipes and sauces from which to choose. They even have vegetarian meatballs. If meatballs, vegetarian or otherwise, are not your thing, you can’t go wrong with the truffle mac ‘n’ cheese on offer at Jersey Meatball Company. It is creamy and steeped in delicate truffle flavors. Don’t forget to add one of their famous rice balls to your order.

Jersey Meatball Company, 7409 Broadway, North Bergen, NJ, USA, +1 201 758 8900

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.