Restaurants in Elizabeth

With its sloped roof and grand clock tower, Orale Mexican Bistro's facade doesn't fit the bill for a typical Mexican restaurant. But beyond its front doors, chefs cook open-faced chipotle shrimp quesadillas by the heat of a wood-fired brick oven, and they stuff tacos with slow-cooked carnitas. Servers shuttle these south of the border entrees to candlelit tables in the dining room or to an outdoor patio perched beneath the clock tower, which transforms back into a lowly wristwatch at the stroke of midnight. On select evenings, DJs spin house and latinbeat tunes while patrons enjoy specials on margaritas and mixed drinks.

Now an international brand of premium ice cream, Häagen-Dazs began as a humble, family-owned business in the Bronx. In the 1920's, Reuben Mattus sold his mother's fruit ices and ice-cream pops out of a horse-drawn wagon. For decades, the family business thrived, and around 1960, Reuben officially founded Häagen-Dazs. He chose the name to evoke Old World traditions and quality craftsmanship, the bedrocks of the brand. Originally, the ice cream came in just three flavors—vanilla, chocolate, and coffee—made from fine ingredients gathered from around the world, such as Belgian dark chocolate, hand-picked vanilla beans from Madagascar, and ice shaved from lunar glaciers. The resulting confections so delighted sweet teeth that the brand grew exponentially, leading to the creation of dozens of flavors and forays into sorbets and frozen yogurts.

Though Häagen-Dazs ice cream was immensely popular in grocery shops, their first parlor didn't open until 1976. Not far from the Mattus family's original ice-cream beat, the Brooklyn store sold ice cream as well as treats such as sundaes, shakes, and cakes. Shops eventually dotted the country and globe, wherein friendly ice-cream scoopers fill waffle cones, blend frosty coffee and ice-cream drinks, and wrap ice-cream cakes in bright ribbons.

Large pots regularly crowd the burners in Vinhus Restaurant & Lounge’s kitchen. A peek into the cauldrons reveals bubbling mixtures of seafood suggestive of what might happen if chefs strolled through a fish market and scooped up a few things from every stand—one combinations in particular pairs lobster, clams, and shrimp with a choice of green or red sauce.

These seafood surfeits belong to a menu inspired by Portugal’s seafaring traditions, complete with dishes such as grilled cod with skinned potato chunks, roasted peppers, and onions. The menu reaches east, as well, pulling flavors from Spain, France, Italy, and the Mediterranean into dishes such as veal marsala or a seafood plate whose lobster comes accented with chorizo, chicken, and saffron rice.

The fresh seafood and sizzling steaks perfume a dining room whose wooden floors and taupe-colored walls set the stage for decor including neatly arranged lighting fixtures, attractive artwork, and verdant foliage. Before or after meals, guests can retreat to the lounge, where patrons sip spirited beverages beneath a slanted ceiling that offers its protection to the room’s roaring fireplace.

Healthy living has been passion for Roselle Health Plus owner Keith Broadway all of his adult life. An avid fan of drinking nourishing juices and caring for himself, he spent a lot of his time keeping his body in peek condition, and sharing his knowledge with those in his community. His personal way of life eventually became his professional career when, in 2002, he left his job as a regional director of an employment agency to open Roselle Health Plus. Though he has since expanded his business into a larger location, his professional mission remains the same: to provide customers a resource for affordable health products and information for improving their personal health.

At his store, customers can peruse a bevy of healthy foodstuffs, from vitamins and herbs to supplements and cleansing drinks. The shop's juice bar keeps clients full and full of energy high by serving up nutrient-packed wraps, smoothies, and juices, saving them from resorting to unhealthy fast food burgers or gulps of air from a pizza shop oven vent.

A list of nearly 70 wines would be reason enough to visit The Vintage Italian Restaurant, but the housemade pasta, ravioli, sausage, and gnocchi give the bottles of red and white a run for their money. The Pollo Vintage pairs chicken breast with Sicilian artichoke hearts, sausage, and sun-dried tomatoes, and several of the restaurant's hearty pasta dishes can be made with whole wheat or gluten-free pastas.

Muscle Maker Grill grew out of a small smoothie shop, where owner Rod Silva prepared health-conscious alternatives to fast food. The restaurant has since expanded with a menu tailored to accommodate diners with vegetarian, carb-free, and gluten-free diets. The new "lighter side" menu features healthy treats that are 400 calories or less under $5.99. The crew prides themselves in creating healthy versions of popular foods, and continues to serve the shop's original protein shakes with favorites such as chocolate peanut butter and strawberry banana. Additionally, Muscle Maker Grill displays the calorie count for each dish on the menu.

With an NFL champion like Tony "The Goose" Siragusa as co-owner, one might expect Tiffany's Restaurant and Bar to show only football. But the eatery's 20-some high-definition flatscreens—extending all the way onto a heated outdoor patio—display everything from basketball and hockey to UFC. The entertainment at Tiffany's isn't all onscreen—throughout the week, events include sets by local DJs, karaoke nights, and Texas hold 'em tournaments.

Founded over 30 years ago, Tiffany's chefs still baste the eatery's award-winning ribs in house-made barbecue sauce, and make meatballs by hand before tossing them with imported Italian pasta. The restaurant has also updated the menu with new, creative twists on bar food and 25 varieties of wings and sauces, such as buffalo wings coated in wasabi sauce. To pair with it all, there are plenty of beers poured from the tap, served in a bottle, or sprayed directly into your mouth from a Super Soaker.