BY: Nicole Cheney & Jagathi Kalluru
Sahara
My go-to food truck is Sahara, on the corner of Summit and Warren Streets. From halal meat to vegetarian options, I’ve never gotten a dish I didn’t love, but my favorite for sure is the lamb over rice platter. At $7 for a large, the price can’t be beat—andI usually get two servings out of it too! It’s a quick and easy stop for to-go orders on your way to or from class.
Address: 154 Warren Street, Newark, NJ 07103
Options: Halal, vegetarian, take-out
Price range: $
Rating: 4.5/5
Hours:
Mon 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Tue 9:00 am – 9:00 pm
Wed 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Thu 9:00 am – 9:00 pm
Fri 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sat Closed
Sun Closed
Giovanni Pizza and Grill
For an easy bite of Italian, Gio’s is the place to go. Located on Central Avenue directly across from the Mechanical Engineering Center, it’s the closest pizza around. The best times to go are off-peak hours and long before closing, else you might suffer a bit of a wait or a shortage of your favorite dish. Specialty slices are a bit pricy at $3.50 each, but worth it when you’re craving that slice of buffalo chicken pizza.
Address: 191 Central Avenue, Newark, NJ 07103
Telephone: (973) 733-9400
Options: Vegetarian, dine in, take-out, delivery
Price range: $-$$
Rating: 3/5
Hours:
Mon 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Tue 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Wed 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Thu 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Fri 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Sat 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Sun 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
Ramen Gami
If you’re looking to add a bit of refinement to your dining options, look no further than Ramen Gami, located on the corner of Sussex Avenue across from St. Michael’s Medical Center. The eponymous ramen comes in a variety of flavors and is endlessly customizable with meat, vegetarian, and spice options. The sushi is just as tasty, from the basic California roll ($4) to the rich rainbow roll ($11). They offer to-go and pick-up orders, but the atmosphere is worth hanging around for.
Address: 1 Sussex Avenue, Newark, NJ 07103
Telephone: (973) 622-2888
Options: Vegan, gluten-free, dine in, take-out
Price range: $$
Rating: 5/5
Hours:
Mon 11:00 am – 9:30 pm
Tue 11:00 am – 9:30 pm
Wed 11:00 am – 9:30 pm
Thu 11:00 am – 9:30 pm
Fri 11:00 am – 9:30 pm
Sat Closed
Sun 12:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Smashburger
For a sit-down or take-out meal located on the campus grounds, Smashburger is your joint. With patties ranging from classic beef to the leaner turkey and vegetarian bean burger, there’s something for everyone here. Make sure to try the famous Smash fries, and if you’re feeling extravagant, add a milkshake to your order. Stop by the corner of the Albert Dorman Honors College on Warren Street to give it a try.
Address: 156 Warren Street, Newark, NJ 07103
Telephone: (303) 633-1500
Options: Vegetarian, dine in, take-out
Price range: $-$$
Rating: 3.5
Hours:
Mon 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Tue 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Wed 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Thu 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Fri 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Sat 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sun Closed
Green Chicpea
If you find yourself on Halsey Street, Green Chicpea is a great location to grab a bite of kosher Middle Eastern cuisine. Choose from a bowl, pita, or laffa options and customize meat or veggies, salads, and sauces to your heart’s content. If the multitude of options seems intimidating, the owner himself may be around to offer suggestions—butit’s hard to go wrong with any choice. Make sure to stop by for lunch, as they close early daily.
Address: 59 Halsey Street, Newark, NJ 07102
Telephone: (862) 240-1500
Options: Kosher, vegan, dine in, take-out, delivery
Price range: $
Rating: 4.5/5
Hours:
Mon 9:00 am – 5:30 pm
Tue 9:00 am – 5:30 pm
Wed 9:00 am – 5:30 pm
Thu 9:00 am – 5:30 pm
Fri 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Sat Closed
Sun Closed
Intrinsic Cafe
Rain or shine,when aren’t you in the mood for some bubble tea?Intrinsic Cafe is located right next to Ramen Gami, across from St. Michael’s Medical Center and is hands down the best place to hang out with some friends on a weekday night. With the aesthetic fairy lights and outdoor patio, you really can’t help but take a seat and admire the coziness and local hospitality. Don’t forget to grab a friend on Fridays to take advantage of the 2 for $5 deal!
Address:5 Sussex Avenue, Newark, NJ 07103
Telephone: (201) 618-2689
Options: Vegetarian, dine in, take-out
Price range: $
Rating: 4.5/5
Hours:
Mon 7:00 am – 12:00 am
Tue 7:00 am – 12:00 am
Wed 7:00 am – 12:00 am
Thu 7:00 am – 12:00 am
Fri 7:00 am – 12:00 am
Sat Closed
Sun 12:00 pm – 12:00 am
Sweet and Green Cafe
Don’tlet the “cafe” in the name fool you—Sweetand Green is actually a French brunch restaurant where you can find everything from pitaya bowls to chicken teriyaki crepes. A word of advice:don’t underestimate how filling a crepe can be. If you’re in the mood for something sweet and savory grab a friend or two and head down to this restaurant on Halsey street.
Address: 61 Halsey Street, Newark, NJ 07102
Telephone: (973) 732-5869
Options: Vegan, vegetarian, dine in, pick up, delivery
Price range: $$
Rating: 4.5/5
Hours:
Mon 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Tue 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Wed 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Thu 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Fri 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sat 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sun Closed
Tops Diner
If you’re in the mood for some classic comfort food and don’t mind waiting a while to be seated, visit Tops Diner, one of America’sfinest diners. Tops has limitless items to choose from; you may have to ask your server to come back in a few minutes to take your order…more than once. No matter what you choose to eat, it’s the nostalgia andwarmatmosphere that will keep you coming back. Make sure to bring a few friends—anentree can take up to 3 people to finish.
Address: 500 Passaic Avenue, Harrison, NJ 07029
Telephone: (973) 481-0490
Options:Vegan, vegetarian,dine in, pick up
Price range: $$$
Rating: 5/5
Hours:
Mon 6:00 am – 1:00 am
Tue 6:00 am – 1:00 am
Wed 6:00 am – 1:00 am
Thu 6:00 am – 1:00 am
Fri 6:00 am – 2:00 am
Sat 6:00 am – 2:00 am
Sun 6:00 am – 1:00 am
