Some people head to Elizabeth, New Jersey, for retail therapy at Jersey Gardens Mall, the state's largest shopping center, and some like to wander among the historic midtown buildings. Others seek out the popular golf courses in the area--for instance, Silver Lake in nearby Staten Island or Galloping Hill in neighboring Kenilworth, New Jersey. Whichever activity you choose, be sure to accompany it with an international or all-American meal at a fine local restaurant.
Manolo's
You feel like you're taking a trip to southern Europe when you step into Manolo's. Creative Mediterranean and Spanish cuisine is served in a dining area complete with color-washed walls, lace curtains and hand-painted pottery. You can fill up on the appetizers--try cold ones such as serrano ham, manchego cheese and fig-almond tart, or hot ones including shrimp in garlic sauce, chorizo braised in cider and poached octopus with garlic. But leave room for the savory entrees, too, including filet mignon wrapped in bacon, paella over Spanish rice and pepper-encrusted pork filets with tamarind glaze.
Manolo's Restaurant
91 Elizabeth Ave.
Elizabeth, NJ 07206
(908) 353-7674
menuism.com
Tropicana Diner
Filled with seaside murals and wavy, tropical booths, Tropicana Diner offers cheerful decor and a menu of tasty hamburgers, sandwiches and salads. Burgers range from the Brooklyn with Swiss cheese, bacon and mushrooms, to the Philly Cheeseburger with grilled onions and peppers; sandwiches include corned beef on rye, fried chicken cutlet on a hard roll, and veal, meatball or chicken Parmesan on a hoagie. The varied salads feature fried calamari, spicy steak, chicken with blue cheese and, for vegetarians, portobello mushrooms with roasted red peppers and fresh mozzarella.
Tropicana Diner
537 Morris Ave.
Elizabeth, NJ 07208
(908) 351-7775
tropicanadiner.com
Michelino's
Locals and visitors flock to Michelino's for its casual atmosphere and tasty varieties of pizza. Carnivores enjoy the meat special with pepperoni, ground beef, sausage and meatballs, and seafood lovers go for the combination of clams, shrimp and calamari. Vegetarians have several choices, too, including fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil. In addition to pizza, Michelino's serves fresh salads, sandwiches, pasta, chicken dishes and oven-baked entrees such as lasagne and eggplant Parmesan.
Michelino's Restaurant
169 Washington Ave.
Elizabeth, NJ 07208
(908) 355-8393
michelinos-pizza.com
About The Author
Barbara Dunlap is a freelance writer in Oregon. She was a garden editor at "The San Francisco Chronicle," and she currently specializes in travel and active lifestyle topics like golf and fitness. She received a master's degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia and has been a Knight Foundation Fellow.
