Skip the Hudson Valley. The Best Weekend Trip Right Now Is in New Jersey.
Plus, Claudette reopens today
Hi there. Hopefully you’re either firmly in your spot for the parade or have managed to steer clear of the gridlock connected to the confluence of events this weekend that also include World Cup and the Juneteenth holiday. Today, we’re spotlighting an option for a weekend getaway in New Jersey that punches above its weight as far as food and drink. For intel, we’ve got Claudette reopening and a new one from Jungsik Yim. Thanks for reading. — Melissa McCart, lead editor, Northeast
New Jersey doesn’t exactly scream “weekend getaway” unless you’re headed to the Shore — and anyone who’s sat in summer traffic outside the Holland Tunnel knows that escape comes at a price. But an hour west of the city, hugging the Delaware River, Stockton makes a compelling case for heading west instead of the Hudson Valley.
What surprised me most wasn’t the scenery: It’s that a corner of Hunterdon County has assembled the most stacked restaurant lineup in New Jersey. The surprise isn’t that there’s very good food here; it’s the number of excellent options. (As a native New Jerseyite, I regularly lament how New York pilfers our talent, in no small part due to handicapping liquor laws that demand restaurateurs shell out $500K or more compared to New York’s $5K for liquor licenses, but I digress.)
A big reason to plan a visit is the Stockton Inn, a 300-year-old landmark that spent nearly a decade in disrepair before local couple Steven Grabowski and Cheryl Olsten bought it in 2022. Working with Anthony Rudolf, whose résumé includes Per Se and Jean-Georges, they reopened the property in stages beginning in 2024. Bob Truitt leads the kitchen, whose resume spans El Bulli and Marea in the Michael White-era. After that, Truitt opened Mexico City-influenced Casa Pública in Brooklyn.
At the inn, there’s a tavern and a dining room anchored by the same menu that stretches from polished to casual fare. There’s also the boutique hotel as well as a standout Stockton Market two doors down. That market, owned by Dana Rae Ashburn, features Chadd Jenkins at the helm, who’s cooking daytime meals as well as monthly market dinners. Jenkins founded Philadelphia’s Little Fish before he sold it and headed to the area.
Another good meal awaits a few miles away in Sergeantsville, where former Momofuku Ko executive chef Sean Gray is turning out the kind of food I want to eat in a neighborhood tavern. Gray helped Ko earn two Michelin stars between 2009 and 2021; at the Sergeantsville Inn, that pedigree translates to a more relaxed format — oysters and deviled eggs alongside Griggstown chicken, scallops, and an $85 chef’s-choice menu.
I’ve now eaten in both the tavern and dining room at Stockton Inn, attended one of Jenkins’s monthly market dinners, and made the trip to Sergeantsville. Here’s how I’d spend a weekend.
Day 1: Stockton
9:00 a.m. Grab a coffee and explore an inn from the Revolutionary War-era. The nine hotel rooms — some in the carriage house, some in an 1850 wagon house, some in the main house — are meticulous without being fussy. Japanese globe pendants float over king beds in white linen. A potter from the next town over made custom clay vases etched with delicate finches that appear throughout the rooms. Inn guests have access to a lounge with an honor bar, a stately fireplace, and hand-painted landscape wallpaper. A fire pit surrounded by Adirondack chairs is as good a place as any to start the morning with coffee.
Noon. Sit for an easy lunch, shop, take a walk, and visit an art studio or garden cafe. Two doors down, Ashburn — Grabowski and Olsten’s daughter — owns the Stockton Market. The space has soft colors, abundant florals, a café with rotating toasts and sandwiches, and shelf-stable goods worth bringing home — locally produced Nina’s Jams, quality olive oils, tinned sardines, and gifts. Grab a bite, then take to the towpath — the 70-mile D&R Canal path runs north toward Frenchtown and south toward Lambertville, open to runners and cyclists alike. Just north of the inn, a dam and the historic Prallsville Mills sit at the river’s edge, where visitors can take private painting lessons with the inn’s partner art studio. Then spend an hour at Black Shed, a garden center, cafe, and bar on CR-519 down the road. The layout and greenery are truly unique, and it’s a fun place to people watch.
4 p.m. Settle onto the inn’s waterfall terrace for a glass of wine. In warmer months the river breezes come through; in cooler weather the terrace is enclosed and heated with fire pits. There’s a full bar and an excellent cocktail selection — more on that later.
6 p.m. Head in for dinner in the tavern or dining room. Bestsellers include: lump crab soldiers on potato rosi with trout roe; green garlic risotto with morels, white asparagus, and pickled ramps; mussels with vermouth, shallots, and fennel served with crisped bread for dipping. I love the cozy warmth of the tavern and the lightness that invites the outside in for the dining room. In both locations, there’s a good chance you’ll see manager and partner Rudolf, often cited by NYC folks in books and otherwise for his example of great hospitality.
8:30 p.m. Divert to the bar for amazing cocktails. Drinks powerhouse Brian Miller, veteran of Death & Co. and Pegu Club, runs the bar. He’s known for his tiki cocktails and beyond as well as his mentoring the next generation of excellent bartenders, right here in Stockton (one of them made me an excellent Copperhead with Laird’s, rye, and yellow Chartreuse). After dinner, that cocktail list justifies staying for another round.
Day 2: Lambertville and New Hope
10 a.m. Do some shopping for vintage wares. Lambertville is ten minutes south. Start at the People’s Store, a four-story building with over 50 dealers selling European, American, and Asian antiques, vintage vinyl, mid-century modern furniture, and more, with working artist studios on the upper floors. Lambertville’s compact downtown is built for wandering, with independent bookstores, antique shops, galleries, and coffee spots packed into a few canal-side blocks. Stop for tacos outside for lunch at El Tule Mexican and Peruvian Cafe.
2 p.m. Follow up with cocktails followed by a tasting menu. Visit the Boat House, a small cocktail bar tucked into an alley off the main drag with nautical décor and a no-cell-phone rule. I love this place and could hang here for an afternoon. If it’s a Saturday, book dinner at the Speckled Egg, if you wish, a ticketed supper club. Tickets are somewhere between four and five courses for at most $85; book at thespeckledegg.net.
8 p.m. Check out some music. After dinner, cross the bridge into New Hope for music at John & Peter’s, a dive bar and music venue that has been running nightly shows since the 1970s. The room is small, the drinks are cheap, and the bookings are higher profile than I had expected. Past performers include Norah Jones and Ween; current regulars include Wayne Hancock and St. James and the Apostles.
Day 3: Sergeantsville
10 a.m. Breakfast at the market, a run, and a massage. Stop for breakfast at the Stockton Market for items like the smoked salmon Benny with poached eggs, smoked trout roe, and tarragon aioli, or the honey bee toast with whipped ricotta, pear, apple, and fig. Then it’s back to the towpath for a run or a ride. Chill for the afternoon with a book or an in-room massage.
5 p.m. Head to nearby Sergeantsville. Head to the Sergeantsville Inn circa 1734 for Sean Gray’s menu of starters like oysters or deviled eggs, grilled mushrooms, or shrimp casino. Move on to the Griggstown half chicken with asparagus and herb sauce; Barnegat scallops with artichokes; or a leg of lamb with lentils and chard. There’s also a chef’s choice option for $85. Wines are also compelling, with white Burgundies, an orange Trebbiano, and a Morgon Beaujolais. Yes, there’s a freezer martini, too.
Intel
French restaurant Claudette reopens in Greenwich Village today, June 18, at 24 Fifth Avenue. Open for over a decade before closing in 2024, Carlos Suarez’s restaurant debuts with a new chef, menu, and updated interior. Formerly with Alain Ducasse, Igor Cabral runs the kitchen.
Jungsik Yim’s new restaurant, Muje, is opening soon in his former Sea space at 151 W. 30th Street. The website says it’s focused on “fusing influences across the Asian continent with our team’s varied backgrounds and experiences.”
Morning Market Meetings are back at Union Square Cafe, starting
Marco Canora of Hearth and Claudia Fleming of Daily Provisions. Market meetings are from 9 to 11 a.m. and include pastries, coffee and tea; a conversation, and guided walk through the farmers market. Future options include Suzanne Cupps of Lola’s on July 15; Ed Dzymanski and Patricia Howard of Dame, Lord’s, and Crevette on August 12; Alison Roman on September 23, and Anthony Mangieri of Una Pizza on October 7. Bookings are $85 through Open Table.
FInnbar in Frenchtown is another great place in the area
And The Station in Stockton is opening in just a few months!