Just West Of Manhattan Is An Affordable New Jersey Hub With Artisanal Eats And Riverside Parks

If you're looking for a foodie vacation destination on the East Coast, your first thought might be New York City, whose districts are famous for their fine dining restaurants, world cuisine, and hip bakeries and cafes. But the Big Apple can be prohibitively expensive, so you should instead look west of Manhattan to Newark, New Jersey.

You could organize a foodie break in Newark for a fraction of the price while enjoying top-class artisanal food from some of the East Coast's best chefs. Just a 20-minute train ride from New York Penn Station, Newark is currently emerging as an excellent culinary alternative for those looking to avoid the high prices of Manhattan. The city is has a reputation as an arts hub, and that creative spirit is also found in its food. And not only does Newark boast many great places to eat, it also has several beautiful green spaces where you can relax and unwind while sampling the best food the city has to offer. 

Newark is a city of diverse cultures, and for any visiting foodie this means excellent world cuisines, often delivered by chefs and owners sharing dishes the recipes of which have been in their family for generations. It's a prospect that no serious food lover could turn down. For example, Konoz was named one of the 21 best Puerto Rican restaurants in New Jersey by NJ.com. This family-run establishment reflects the owner's Puerto Rican roots, serving classics such as pernil — succulent slow-roasted pork shoulder — and mofongo and trifongo dishes of sweet mashed plantain. Forno's of Spain, ranked the third-best restaurant in Newark on Tripadvisor, has been in operation since 1980, with its offerings of Spanish cuisine including a full tapas menu, paella, and a selection of fine European wines. For a romantic dinner, Tripadvisor's top-rated restaurant, Spanish Tavern, is New Jersey's oldest Spanish restaurant, also specializing in paella and seafood with a classy ambience.  Brazilian cuisine is also well represented in Newark — check out the rodízio restaurant Brasilia Grill for a great salad bar, excellent grilled meats, and terrific sangria. All of those restaurants are located in Newark's most flavorful Ironbound neighborhood.

If you're looking for a more low-key dining experience, Hobby's Delicatessen & Restaurant has served the people of Newark for over a century. It was originally founded to provide traditional Eastern European dishes to the city's growing migrant population, and today it is considered one of the must-try eateries in the city and one of the best delicatessens in America. Be sure to try the corned beef, which is cured in-house. For comforting pub food, you need to try Bello's Pub and Grill, which bills itself as Newark's first gastropub. The menu is a total crowdpleaser, with delicious burgers, tacos, wings, and inventive specials, while the pub itself is home to around 130 beers to sample.

While Manhattanites might enjoy an after-dinner promenade in Central Park, Newarkers have a host of fabulous green spaces to choose from when they want to unwind in lush, green surroundings. One of the best-loved spaces in Newark is Essex County Riverfront Park, a functional 12-acre development with a baseball field, sports courts, and playgrounds for kids. Nearby, Richard W. DeKorte Park has 3.5 miles of walking paths amid wetlands and waterways and features excellent birding opportunities and sublime views of New York City.

Don't forget to visit Branch Brook Park, home to America's largest group of cherry trees. In the spring, its 4,300 cherry trees are spectacularly in bloom. In the traditional Japanese hanami tradition, you could grab takeout from a nearby Asian restaurant and enjoy it with some friends under the cherry trees. Peruvian-Asian fusion restaurant Sushitobox is about a 20-minute walk away from the park, but if you have a car, you should get a delicious katsu curry from Go!Go! Curry! on William Street.

You could easily enjoy Newark as a day-trip destination from New York City, but if you want the whole day to explore and are planning to spend the night, there are plenty of accommodation options in the area. For a well-reviewed, no-frills place to lay your head, try the innovative, budget-friendly Capsule Hostel, which features tiny but cosy rooms and various amenities in its shared living space like vending machines and laundry facilities. For a more plush alternative, try the Courtyard by Marriott. Located downtown, the Courtyard is in Newark's cultural and business center and offers workstations, breakfast, and a modern interior.