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With over 15,000 students and five different campuses, there’s a lot going on at Rutgers University. Whether you’re a student or just visiting, you’ll need to know the best places to eat in the area. The selections made by Central Jersey in Motion are all a short walk from the campuses and will come in handy for those not familiar with the area. With so many restaurants and eateries at your fingertips we are always ready for your suggestions on who we may have missed or who the new kids on the block are! Enjoy!

EFES

Right in the heart of the school and business district there’s plenty of Mediterranean dishes to enjoy. Visitor Tip: Try the mixed grill entree if you want cover some ground in one sitting. It features shish kebab, gyro, and grilled chicken along with some sides. Enjoy! 32 Easton Avenue, New Brunswick (732) 249-4100. http://efesgrill.com/

Harvest Moon Brewery

Unique American cuisine, hand-crafted beers, and a live karaoke night – what’s not to like? The salmon cakes are incredible! 392 George Street, New Brunswick (732) 249-6666. http://www.harvestmoonbrewery.com/

Destination Dogs

What can we say about Destination Dogs? Take everything you ever knew about sausage sandwiches and hot dogs and throw it completely out the window. With dogs like the Lao Che Express that features Cantonese sausage with pickled eggs, cucumbers, wasabi mayo and sesame seeds to the Trenton Thunder which is a deep fried all beef dog with pork roll, cheese sauce, tomato and pepper jelly, you see right away how the talented Destination Dogs takes what we love about these traditional foods and turns it upside down in a wonderfully creative way.101 Patterson Street, New Brunswick (732) 993-1016. http://www.destinationdogs.com/

Thomas Sweet

What started as one Princeton location churning out house made ice cream in 1979 has now grown to four locations in New Jersey. One of our favorite spots in central NJ to get our ice cream fix year-round! 55 Easton Avenue, New Brunswick (732) 828-3855. http://www.thomassweet.com/

RU Hungry?

Home of the original fat sandwiches, a Rutgers icon since 1979. It’s a great place to pig out, and they have healthy options too – including fat salads. 159 College Avenue, New Brunswick (732) 246-2177. http://ruhungrynj.net/

Hansel ‘n Griddle

Breakfast is served all day, but there’s so much more – burgers, quesadillas, buffalo chicken wings – you name it. And it’s good to know that they deliver until 3 a.m. in case you have the munchies after a great party. If you are closer to the Red Bank area, please check out that location as well! 130 Easton Avenue, New Brunswick (732) 846-7090. http://www.hanselngriddle.com/

Hidden Grounds Coffee

A great place to go and hang out, as they host open mic nights and other hipster events. It’s very clean and some consider their coffee – as well as their turkey sandwiches – the best! 106 Easton Avenue, New Brunswick (732) 317-4117. http://thehiddengrounds.com/

KBG Korean BBQ & Grill

Delicious Korean food in the heart of New Brunswick. The BiBimBop rice bowl is mind-blowing; the “special sauce” is what makes it. 6 Easton Avenue, New Brunswick (732) 626-5406. http://rutgerskbg.com/

Panico’s

One of the most popular Italian restaurants in New Brunswick, just a few blocks from the theater district. Gluten free and whole wheat pastas are available. 103 Church Street, New Brunswick (732) 545-6100. http://www.panicosrestaurant.com/

Fritz’s

This casual restaurant is adorable, a renovated house from 1882. There’s something for everyone here – sandwiches, house-made breads, fresh roasts, and vegetarian and vegan options. There’s also over 40 different homemade desserts. 115 Easton Avenue, New Brunswick (732) 543-0202. http://fritzsnb.com/

Sanctuary

Whether your there for breakfast, lunch, or dessert, there’s an extensive menu of choices at this quirky diner. There’s backyard seating, upstairs seating, and a lounge. 135 Easton Avenue, New Brunswick (732) 846-3393 http://www.sanctuarynb.com/

Wings Over Rutgers

The best wings around! With carry out and delivery, this is your go-to place during football season. 152 Easton Avenue, New Brunswick (732) 543-1111. http://www.wingsover.com/

Sahara

Beautifully decorated and romantic. Traditional Mediterranean food with vegetarian options, such as the fabulous mucver (zucchini cake). 165 Easton Avenue, New Brunswick (732) 246-3020. http://saharacafenj.com/

The Old Bay

A great place for night life, with a late night menu that serves until midnight. There are always events and live music. The menu features plenty of New Orleans inspired recipes such as Banana’s Foster and Bayou Catfish. 61 Church Street, New Brunswick (732) 246-3111. http://www.oldbayrest.com/

Steakhouse 85

With live jazz on weekend nights, this is a great place to go to unwind. The chilled seafood towers with assorted shellfish are amazing. 85 Church Street, New Brunswick (732) 247-8585. http://www.steakhouse85.com/

Clydez

Their slogan is “Creative Food and Drinks”. Clydez lives up to that slogan in every way with outstanding cocktail creations and creative dishes like this thick cut bacon that is pictured. It was dry rubbed, served with Belgian waffles and mezcal maple. 55 Patterson Street, New Brunswick (732) 846-6521. http://www.clydz.com/

Old Man Rafferty’s

The menu at Old Man Rafferty’s covers a lot of ground and they do it quite well! From a Smashed Burger Grilled Cheese to Asian Stir Fry they nailed each dish that was served. We’d also like to give Old Man Rafferty’s a big thumbs up for touting their support of other other regional farms and purveyors on their menu. It is nice to see local restaurants supporting local farms and meat purveyors. Local’s tip- Save room for dessert! 106 Albany Street, New Brunswick (732) 846-6153. http://www.oldmanraffertys.com/

Tumulty’s Pub

You can’t be a Central Jersey local’s guide to New Brunswick Restaurants near Rutgers without a nod to Tumulty’s Pub. They’ve been around since 1937 and at this location since 1982. This is an Irish pub with great food, great live entertainment, beer and cocktails. What more can you ask for? Tumulty’s has been around for so long with good reason. 361 George Street, New Brunswick (732) 545-6205 http://www.tumultyspub.com/

INC Restaurant

New Brunswick Restaurants like INC Restaurant are a little bit of a hike from campus, but the food and drink menus at this place will definitely will be worth the walk. Their menu is fun and creative dishes like Pulled Pork Tacos, Steak Tartare, Shrimp N Grits and “Tottas Bravas”(Check it out on the menu when you go). We’d suggest popping in for Happy Hour as well. Details can be found on their website. 302 George Street, New Brunswick (732) 640-0553 http://increstaurant.com/

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