A rabbi in Ocean County is being sued by a woman who claims he sexually assaulted her when she came to him for financial help, then defamed her on a website and in fliers he posted near her children’s school.
New Jersey
Best hidden gem restaurants in New Jersey? 15 spots worth the trip
Hidden gem restaurants across New Jersey
From restaurants behind gas stations to bakeries tucked on side streets, these are the hidden gems worth visiting across New Jersey.
You already know about the bar pie at Star Tavern in Orange and have splurged on the chef’s tasting at Elements, a Princeton farm-to-table eatery that’s been called the best restaurant in New Jersey.
You’ve enjoyed the steak at The Butcher’s Block in Long Branch, and gathered with friends and family for prime rib and the salad bar at The Pub in Pennsauken.
These are the New Jersey restaurants, among so many others, that earn heaps of attention and praise — and deservedly so. But our state is peppered with hidden gems that fly under the radar, quietly putting out excellent food and great service without all the fanfare.
Here are 15 to try.
Café on the DL, Laurel Springs
Chef and owner Dan DiGiuseppe opened Café on the DL in a Marlton corporate office buliding in 2022.
But the restaurant quickly outgrew that space.
“Things took off for us in 2023 and 2024 and it allowed us to outgrow the small, restrictive space in Marlton,” DiGiuseppe said. “We shifted everything to Laurel Springs, opening there in January of 2025.”
At the 40-seat Café on the DL, which serves lunch and dinner, popular dishes include the “Chicken Italiano” and “Truff, Buff & Crispy Honey” sandwiches, the “Off the Walldorf” salad, and short rib grilled cheese, garlic-parm tots, and “anything short rib,” DiGiuseppe said.
“Our short rib is a 16-hour prep start to finish, fall-off-the-bone tender and very popular,” he said.
DiGiuseppe still has the Marlton space, now called Greentree on the DL. It is a grab-and-go satellite location serving breakfast and lunch takeout on weekdays.
Go: 415 N. White Horse Pike, Laurel Springs; 856-656-9282; instagram.com/cafeonthedl
The Cubby Hole, Moorestown
Tucked away on Main Street, The Cubby Hole is a lovely little breakfast, brunch and lunch spot in Moorestown.
Owned by township couple Tyler and Aimee Dahl, The Cubby Hole, which originally opened in a smaller space down the street, moved to its current location in 2020. The space is cozy and intimate with a handful of tables, plus outdoor seating. If you venture in, you will likely be pleased with the made-from-scratch offerings and bright, welcoming atmosphere.
The menu boasts apple cinnamon and banana walnut pancakes, blueberry ricotta lemon pancakes, crêpes, Greek yogurt, huevos con salsa, spicy avocado toast, omelets, breakfast sandwiches and wraps. There also are seasonal specialties such as strawberry shortcake French toast and honey butter pancakes.
Fresh coffee, cold brew, lattes, chai and more are served, too.
Go: 37 East Main St.; 856-234-4372; instagram.com/thecubbyholemoorestown
Fresh Tiki Bar, Somerville
A small-but-mighty sweet tooth’s paradise, Fresh Tiki Bar offers unique handcrafted desserts, with new options added all the time. Holidays are especially festive, as seasonal delights are always on the menu, too.
Its creations include waffles on a stick with warm butter glaze, toppings and drizzles; ice cream sandwiches made with doughnuts and bubble waffles; and hot cocoa in flavors like Nutella, butterscotch and mint.
The desserts are served in a space that is just as fun as the menu. Pink walls are adorned with tropical touches in every corner, including neon flamingos, fluffy pink rugs, wicker chairs topped with plush pink cushions, and palm tree backdrops.
Go: 5C Division St., Somerville; 908-307-6002, instagram.com/freshtikibar
Haute Feast, Barnegat
You will have to wait until spring to enjoy a meal from Haute Feast, but the dishes crafted by Chefs Pablo Toxqui and Josh Blanco are worth the wait.
Located on the waterfront property of Barnegat Oyster Collective, a nursery-to-harvest oyster operation, the seasonal, farm-to-table BYOB is led by Toxqui, previously of Heirloom at the St. Laurent in Asbury Park and One Willow in Highlands, and his wife, Carey Semprevivo.
They showcase local oysters by serving them raw, cooking them over fire on an outdoor grill and dotting them with butter, or turning them into chowder. Local vegetables are put to use in dishes like “Fancy Toast,” made with grilled Benchmark Breads sourdough topped with mint pea hummus, pickled turnips, green garlic and chive blossoms, and a teres major filet with beet horseradish cream and potato cheddar foam.
Go: 483 East Bay Ave., Barnegat; hautefeast.com
Kimchi-Hana, South Plainfield
Don’t let the half-lit “SUSHI” sign at Kimchi-Hana in the Burlington Coat Factory strip mall fool you. This Korean barbecue eatery in South Plainfield is usually filled with a savory smell and (mostly) Korean customers, eating marinated meats cooked over an open charbroiler on their individual tables.
Although there are lots of options for Korean entrees at Kimchi-Hana, such as seafood hot pots full of cod and vegetables as well as rice bowls and noodle dishes, the go-to is the Korean barbecue, which can go bite-for-bite against any revered New York City Korean barbecue spot.
For two people, choose two or three meats (our favorites are wang kal bi, or marinated beef short rib, and beef tongue). These meats are accompanied by lettuce wraps and 10-plus plates of traditional side dishes including kimchi, made from fermented and seasoned vegetables.
Go: 6101 Hadley Road, South Plainfield; 908-755-0777, kimchi-hana.com
Koon Thai Eatery, Hillsdale
Thai dishes are turned on their heads, renamed and reinvented at Koon Thai Eatery in Hillsdale, because at this 2 year-old Bergen treasure, putting a contemporary twist on comfort classics is the driving vision.
Instead of pad see ew, Thai fried rice and satay chicken, (though they still have those, if you want), you’ll see “Hunger” (a flat, wide rice noodle dish topped with shrimp, sausage, chili jam and cashews), “Holy Fried Rice” (featuring garlic, sweet peppers, corn, basil, two types of soy sauce and more) and satay tacos (finished with peanut sauce and pickled vegetables).
From the fried Brussels sprouts drowning in whipped coconut milk to the crispy “Chicken Bomb” dripping with tamarind lime sauce, the chef’s specialties on the menu are entirely unique.
When we visit, we most enjoy the tempura-style red snapper with fried shallots; it’s tender, crunchy and reflective of that old-meets-new thesis. The crispy chicken thigh pad Thai, though, is a close second.
Go: 126 Broadway, Hillsdale; 551-246-3646, koonthaieatery.com
La Vita Italian Specialties, Sparta
Hidden in a bowling alley strip mall, La Vita Italian Specialties is a European provisions shop turning out some of the most delicious lunches in Sussex County. Run by the husband and wife-duo Wade Moises and Alexandra Hast — alumni of Del Posto, Rosemary’s and other powerhouse New York City restaurants — the tiny “deli” serves Michelin Bib Gourmand-caliber food in entirely unsuspecting digs.
Offered on a daily basis are fresh pastas, artisan sandwiches, house-made sausages, vegetable antipasti and more. The seafood specials, when served, come in varieties from tomato-glazed calamari glassato (with capers, raisins, garlic and chili) to slow-poached octopus, and the light-and-fluffy focaccia may be the best in the state. Opt for a sandwich, and you’ll end up with a top-notch showstopper featuring spice-rubbed lamb shoulder, chicken cutlets brined in mozzarella whey or even porchetta (with caramelized fennel).
And for dessert? Expect decadent sweets like ricotta bomboloni and chocolate espresso tiramisu.
Go: 83 Woodport Road, Sparta; 973-826-4624, lavitasparta.com
Loving Indian Kitchen, West Creek
You can count on one hand the number of Indian restaurants in Ocean County, which makes the addition of Loving Indian Kitchen, which opened less than a year ago in the tiny town of West Creek, so exciting.
The restaurant, which seats about two dozen diners, is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it kind of place behind Brennan Fuels on Route 9. But gas station food, this is not. The menu is packed with authentic dishes, and the dining room is decorated with a floor-to-ceiling map of India.
Start with potato and pea-stuffed samosas, which come dusted with chaat masala and alongside mint and tamarind chutneys, or shrimp tandoori marinated in yogurt, spices and ginger. Chicken biryani is tender, fragrant and perfectly spiced, and cheese-stuffed garlic naan is perfect for dipping in butter chicken.
Go: 331 Main St., West Creek; 732-851-2955, loving-kitchen.com
Luca’s Ristorante, Somerset
Forget the tired Italian-American plates of chicken Parmesan and spaghetti and meatballs when you visit this authentic Italian restaurant, tucked into an unassuming Route 27 strip mall.
True to its motto, this 20-year-old family-owned restaurant offers an authentic yet modern taste of Ischia, an island in the Bay of Naples, with dishes like short rib chuck and ground beef meatballs with pine nuts and golden raisins, and cocoa agnolotti stuffed with butternut squash in an herb sauce.
The restaurant’s ambiance is just as flavorful as its fare, with an intimate space decked out with exposed brick walls, Italian murals and an old grape press.
Go: 2019 Route 27, Somerset; 732-297-7676, lucasristorante.com
Pierogies House, Morristown
Pierogies House owner Evelina Berc was born and raised in Leżajsk, Poland, where she learned family recipes (many from her grandmother) that are now on the menu at this cozy Morristown eatery, blocks off the Green.
The menu at Pierogies House includes pierogi (of course), bigos, stuffed cabbage, potato pancakes and more, all made from recipes passed down for decades in Berc’s family. They were recipes worth passing down: Everything here is delicious, from the classic pierogi of potatoes and cheese and kielbasa and sauerkraut to the modern culinary creations of Philly cheesesteak and vegan butternut squash varieties.
Order a bunch for the table, get a side of some world-class applesauce to go with the potato pancakes, don’t skip out on the bigos (hunter’s stew), and most certainly order a few stuffed cabbage rolls.
Go: 145 Morris St., Morristown; 973-432-8270, pierogieshouse.com
Shokra Soups, Willingboro
Shokra Soups, which focuses on vegan food, is a welcoming respite on a cold winter day.
Why? It’s in the name.
Soup offerings include navy bean, plant-based gumbo, plant-based wonton and much more. The restaurant also makes vegan and gluten-free lasagna, a plant-based lentil cheesesteak, smoothies, and wraps with fillings like jackfruit and plant-based tuna.
Shokra Soups is owned by Willingboro couple Cory and Ada Cottingham, and their eatery is not just a restaurant. The Cottinghams are part of wellness and educational empowerment workshops in town and have participated in food drives, too.
The restaurant also shares kitchen space with The Supreme Sweets Dessert Shop, which is located behind Shokra Soups in East Ridge Plaza and is known for its banana pudding and bean pies. Both are Black-owned businesses.
Go: 621 Beverly-Rancocas Road, Suite 2C; 609-614-1912, instagram.com/shokrasoups
Shoti Bread House, Fair Lawn
Georgian food may be the new “it” cuisine in America’s biggest cities, but in New Jersey, a good Adjaruli khachapuri — the country’s iconic boat-shaped, egg yolk-topped cheese bread — is harder to come by. Residents of Bergen County, however, are lucky to call their stomping ground home to a humble hole-in-the-wall serving authentic versions of all of the nation’s edible staples.
Shoti Bread House is an Eastern European fan favorite acclaimed for its made-to-order cheese breads, such as Imeruli, a pizza-sized round bread filled with sulguni cheese; Royal khachapuri, which is similar but boasts a flaky, phyllo-reminiscent dough; and the aforementioned Adjaruli.
Saluting only the restaurant’s breads, though, would be doing it a disservice, as the chefs also whip up killer khinkali (Georgian soup dumplings), savory khashi (a beef soup rumored to cure hangovers) and flavorful grilled meat skewers, to name a few.
Go: 14-29 River Road, Fair Lawn; 201-272-1900, instagram.com/shoti_bread_house
Tulip Tree Cafe, Howell
If dining in a pretty, homey and soothing space is something you enjoy, head to Tulip Tree Cafe.
The breakfast and lunch restaurant, which serves dinner on occassion, operates inside a farmhouse at Calgo Gardens, a garden center and gift shop in Howell. Dining inside feels like eating at a friend’s house, with low lighting, soft music, dining room tables and bench seating, and freshly baked muffins on the counter. When the weather is nice, opt for an outdoor patio in the garden.
The menu is full of familiar breakfast dishes — omelets with toast and fruit, challah French toast, and avocado toast with smoked salmon — that are made from family recipes, from scratch and with produce grown on the property. For lunch, a popular choice is a sandwich of thinly sliced avocado, roasted red peppers, tomato, arugula and sweet balsamic glaze, with a side of tangy, dilly potato salad, and other options include egg salad made with local eggs, and Waldorf chicken salad.
Go: 462 Adelphia Road, Freehold (physically in Howell); 732-256-9649, tuliptreecafe.com
Versac Main Street Cafe, Hackettstown
Just outside of downtown Hackettstown lies the hidden gem that is Versac Main Street Cafe, a Colombian-American spot with a huge menu and even bigger portions.
Go for breakfast, lunch or dinner; it’s all good. Breakfast offerings include a long list of omelets, a variety of breakfast arepas, huevos rancheros and more. Lunch includes American and Colombian sandwiches and wraps, and dinner brings fantastic entrées like lomo saltado, shrimp in garlic sauce, plantain patacones, steaks, seafood and much more.
Wrap up your meal with some Colombian sweets and pastries and you’ll be making plans to return to this spot.
Go: 103 Main St., Hackettstown; 908-850-7678, mainst-cafe.com
West Milford Airport Diner, West Milford
Hobby aviators in North Jersey may know West Milford Airport Diner well, but those unfamiliar with this casual eatery with an expansive, evolving menu ought to make plans to visit. You don’t need a plane, but you will need a car to travel through the forested, rolling hills that lead to the airport.
Like all great diners, the ambiance is immaculate, the service is friendly and quick, and the menu is robust. Unlike most diners, there’s a giant model airplane attached to the building. That alone is a sight worth seeing, but go on a calm day and you’ll see planes take off and land on the adjacent runway while you dine.
And what dining there is: all your diner favorites, plus a rotating list of inventive menu items and specials like maple chili chicken and waffles, a grilled mango and pineapple yogurt bowl, a falafel sandwich, a scrapple skillet, and barbecue chickpea and avocado flatbread.
Go: 126 Airport Road, West Milford; 973-506-6020, facebook.com/WMAirportDiner
New Jersey
NJ rabbi faces lawsuit for sexual assault after giving financial aid | The Jerusalem Post
Avraham Appel, of Jackson, abused his position as a trusted community leader to sexually assault and exploit the woman, an Israeli immigrant who came to him as a single mother struggling to pay bills, according to the lawsuit, filed in the Superior Court of Ocean County.
Appel is a prominent rabbi and Rosh Kollel, or head of a Jewish institute for advanced Talmudic study, who is based in Lakewood and Jackson, according to court papers filed January 5.
Appel did not respond to calls to his home and cellphone seeking comment on the lawsuit.
The woman claims she confided in one of her children’s schoolteachers in early 2020 that she was in significant financial distress and having trouble paying for daycare.
The teacher suggested she contact Appel, according to the suit.
In February 2020, Appel arranged to meet with the woman at a local Starbucks.
“During that meeting, Appel presented himself to (the woman) as a rabbi, mentor, advisor, and friend whom (the woman) could trust, confide in, and depend on,” the lawsuit states.
Appel, who had experience in real estate, allegedly offered the woman an opportunity to solicit investments on his behalf and to “draw,” or advance, money against future commissions.
Rabbi issues payments to woman after alleged sexual assault
In June and July 2022, Appel issued six payments to the woman, totaling $20,000 and characterized as advances or loans. He also provided the woman with “financial assistance” so she could buy groceries and pay medical expenses and water bills, according to the suit.
The lawsuit claims most of the money was meant to buy the woman’s silence after he attacked her on June 1, 2022.
The suit alleges Appel visited the woman while she was alone at home and sexually assaulted her as she pleaded for him to stop.
“Appel was abusive and unrelenting. The more (the woman) pled for mercy, the more aggressive Appel became,” the suit alleges.
Before leaving her home, he allegedly ordered her to delete Ring camera footage that showed him arriving.
In the months after the assault, Appel “forced himself upon” the woman and took sexual advantage of her on other occasions, the suit claims.
Appel also allegedly bombarded the woman with demands for sexual acts and sent her a barrage of text and WhatsApp messages containing crude and graphic sexual content.
“I want to squeeze your breasts,” one text allegedly said. In another, he sent the woman a photo of his penis, the suit alleges.
In July 2024, the woman met with another rabbi and shared evidence of the sexual assault and “other incidents involving Appel,” the suit claims.
Woman offered $50,000 for therapy after sexual assault
Appel later contacted his attorney and the two offered the woman $50,000 to cover her future therapy expenses.
The money would be available only if the woman signed a release of any claims related to the assault and agreed to keep all incidents between them confidential, according to the suit.
The woman refused to accept the money or sign the agreement, the suit says.
Appel then launched a campaign to destroy the woman “personally and professionally,” according to the lawsuit.
On December 15, 2025, the woman became aware of a website with her photos that claimed she was “a danger to all Jews,” and warned the public to stay away from her, according to the complaint.
The website disclosed the woman’s address, claimed she stole money, and characterized her as a “thief.”
Moreover, Appel and possibly others posted signs smearing the woman. The signs were posted at public locations throughout the community, including the school her two children attended, the suit alleges.
The lawsuit claims sexual assault, invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, defamation, and conspiracy.
The complaint also alleges Appel breached his duty as a rabbi to conduct himself with loyalty and in good faith.
A shooting investigation in Camden County has prompted a large police response, according to a source.
Léelo en español aquí
The shooting unfolded in the area of Locust Court in Winslow Township in the evening of June 17.
SkyForce10 was over the scene of what looked like a residential complex as several police cars were visible lining the streets.
Police tape appeared to be blocking off the area as officers looked at a sedan that appeared to have crashed into another car.
No word yet on what led to the shooting or if anyone was hurt.
A New Jersey man pleaded guilty in connection to a car accident that killed a woman and a girl in Lakewood Township, New Jersey, last July.
Raul Luna-Perez, 43, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of assault by auto and aggravated manslaughter, on Monday, June 15, 2026, prosecutors said.
He is scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 28, 2026.
According to Ocean County officials, on July 26, 2025, officers from Lakewood Township responded to a car crash with multiple injuries at the intersection of Cross Street and Hearthstone Drive.
In the investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Lakewood Township Police, and Ocean County Sherrif’s department, it was revealed that a Dodge Durango operated by Luna-Perez, also holding a passenger, crossed into an oncoming lane of traffic and collided head-on with a Nissan Sentra.
Maria Pleitez, 42, and two 11-year-old girls were inside the Nissan Sentra at the time.
Pleitez was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. One of the 11-year-old girls was transported to Monmouth Medical Center South Campus where she died from her injuries. The second 11-year-old girl was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center (JSUMC) where she was treated for her injuries and eventually released.
The passenger in Luna-Perez’s Dodge Durango received minor injuries as a result of the crash, and was treated at JSUMC.
According to police, first responders at the scene detected that Luna-Perez was showing signs of impairment. He was transported to JSUMC, where his blood was drawn. The results of the blood test included a Blood Alcohol Content of 0.19 and traces of cocaine.
In New Jersey, operators of cars are presumed to be over the legal limit for alcohol consumption when their Blood Alcohol Content is 0.08 or greater. As a result of the blood test of Luna-Perez, his charges were upgraded to two counts of aggravated manslaughter and strict liability vehicular manslaughter on Aug. 7, 2025, investigators reveal.
That same day, Luna-Perez was taken into custody at an ICE detention facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey, though he was transported to Ocean County Jail by detectives and has been detained there since.
Subsequently in the investigation, it was revealed that Luna-Perez was accelerating at approximately 60 miles-per-hour at the time of the crash and crossed the yellow line.
According to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, the State of New Jersey will be seeking two 10-year terms for each aggravated manslaughter charge of Luna-Perez, and an 18-month sentence for his assault by auto offense. The aggravated manslaughter sentences will run consecutively, while the assault by auto sentence will run concurrently.
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