This Is NJ’s Best Brunch Spot, New Ranking Says

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NEW JERSEY — Who doesn’t love brunch? You can get sweet breakfast and savory lunch offerings, all while sipping coffee or cocktails in the late morning or early afternoon.

So which place in New Jersey has the best brunches?

Reservation-booking website Open Table recently published its list of the “100 Best Brunch Restaurants in America” and only one spot in New Jersey made the list.

By comparison, eight spots in Pennsylvania made the list. Read more: These Are PA’s Best Brunch Spots, New Ranking Says

So what was the Garden State restaurant that made the cut?

Rooney’s Oceanfront Restaurant in Long Branch, which was ranked 80th on the national list.

Here’s how Rooney’s describes itself on its website:

For over 20 years, Rooney’s Oceanfront Restaurant has been a leading destination for delectable cuisine, beautiful views, and a welcoming staff. It’s a big ocean; someone has to embrace it.

With a great team of chefs, led by Executive Chef Thomas Schoborg, Rooney’s continuously provides innovative, seasonal dishes designed to excite and satisfy our diverse customers’ taste.

Open Table created the ranks by collecting diner reviews from April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021. All restaurants with a minimum rating and number of qualifying reviews were included for consideration. Qualifying restaurants were then scored and sorted according to the sum of tags for which “brunch” was selected as a special feature.

The top five brunch spots according to Open Table are:

1. a’Bouzy – Houston, TX
2. Ambar Capitol Hill – Washington D.C.
3. Anis Cafe and Bistro – Atlanta, GA
4. Atchafalaya Restaurant – New Orleans, LA
5. The Aviary Restaurant & Bar – Swansea, MA

Max Bennett contributed to this story

See the full list here.