Best Small Town Restaurant in New Jersey

The competition for the "best small town restaurant" in America had to be tough, especially in New Jersey.

A Garden State favorite got the nod though.

Get our free mobile app

The story behind this eatery is an interesting one.

After studying Criminal Law at the University of Maryland, A Jersey guy named Darren returned to New Jersey, where he began working at the Fly Hatch, a fly fishing pro shop.

One day Darren caught word that a local bagel business was for sale.

At the age of 28, he scraped together whatever money he had, applied for a business loan, and took a risk.

While the hard work paid off big time, Darren says the success of his business is not his alone.

He gives full credit to his incredible staff, the community, and the surrounding communities who have embraced and supported him through his journey.

While I'm elated that New Jersey is getting some positive national attention, I do have a bone to pick with the lifestyle website Thrillist.

When writing about our best small town restaurant, they said:

Its main specialty is bagels, so you won't find any gourmet cuisine here.

I don't know about you, but this looks gourmet to me.

Thrillist went on to say:

The bagels are fluffy, cloud-soft, and bizarrely filling. The staff is on a first-name basis with more locals than the mayor, mailman, and preacher combined.

Congratulations to BagelMasters in Shrewsbury.

BagelMasters has become very innovative over time. They've even designed a school lunch program and their catering has become hugely popular.