Restaurants in Pine Hill

Housed inside a building originally erected as a log cabin in 1720, Barnsboro Inn has continually operated as a licensed tavern since 1776, pausing only during the prohibition era. These days, chef Joshua Reeves' menu of elegant, fresh American cuisine complements the eatery's lengthy cache of frosty brews, international wines, and meticulously preserved napkin rings. Upscale steaks and seafood entrees such as Creole crab cakes and chargrilled mahi mahi assuage hunger; burgers and sandwiches flaunt such accouterments as Monterey Jack cheese.

Patrons make merry amid two bars and three dining rooms sprawled across Barnsboro Inn's historic digs. Inside, full-wall murals depict idyllic countryside scenes of horse-drawn carriages and straw-covered hovercrafts. When weather warms, staff members also dispense Boddingtons and Flying Fish ales on an outdoor patio, where an additional bar abuts numerous umbrella-covered tables.

Fogged-glass light fixtures illuminate the wood-paneled walls and the polished granite bar tops that span the length of Bliss’s multileveled dining room. These elegant decorative touches combine with a menu of contemporary American specialties for a sensory experience that led Esquire to praise Bliss as one of the Best New Restaurants of 2004. The magazine noted in its review that, like a schoolyard court drama or a Hawaiian-print tuxedo, the aptly named restaurant strikes "just the right balance between casual and serious." This balance is especially apparent in the Bliss kitchen, where staffers play with flavors to produce entrees such as duck breast in a spiced wine reduction and red snapper with shrimp-mousse dumplings. Other specialties include a pork tenderloin with bourbon-apple butter sauce and a filet mignon with red-wine butter sauce, both of which pair exquisitely with a freshly milked cocktail from the bar.

Chefs at Crepe Delicious swirl paper-thin layers of batter onto their piping-hot crepe griddles, perfuming the air with the enticing aroma. Shortly after, the cooks lift away delectable crepes ready to be stuffed with savoury ingredients. The crepes themselves weigh in at only about 130 calories each with just 3.5 grams of fat, but they sate appetites during any meal.

The chefs at Gigi Restaurant & Lounge draw upon the culinary traditions of America, Spain and Thailand. For example, the eatery’s empanadas—traditional Spanish stuffed pastries—burst open to reveal the shredded beef, mushrooms, peppers, and cheddar of a Philly cheesesteak. Stir-fry coated with a sweet chili teriyaki glaze hails from Asia, and seafood paella crafted with shrimp, calamari, and mussels pays further tribute to the dishes of Spain. Meals unfold in an expansive al fresco dining area or an indoor dining room where the latest sports flicker across flat-screen televisions every day until 2 a.m. Along with game nights, Gigi entertains patrons with karaoke, live music, Sunday brunch, and VIP tasting events, where visitors might finally have a chance to steal a lock of hair from an alderman.

As a child, the chef at Nina's Trattoria learned to cook—and eat—from cooking sessions with Grandma Nona and Mama Nina. Nona's menus were inspired by the village in which she grew up, one that overlooked the turquoise, fish-rich waves of the Mediterranean. Because she grew up on a farm, Nona insisted on robust local produce and the nicest cuts at the butcher and fish market, a sentiment she passed down through generations.

Today, chefs at Nina's Trattoria whip up a menu inspired by Nina and Nona's cooking, crafting traditional homages to their dishes as well as contemporary interpretations of recipes from Tuscany, Abruzzo, and other regions of Italy. Chefs hand-roll pasta, knead gnocchi, and bake decadent pastries for nibbling or luring Cookie Monster to the table at brunch and dinner. Guests may bring their own beer and wine, helping to foster a convivial, relaxed atmosphere akin to gathering around the family dinner table.

Tall stalks of bamboo flank Woksabi’s front doors, welcoming patrons into a modern space with exposed brick, dark wood, and accent lights that radiate hues of marigold and cobalt blue. Sleek tables support sizzling parades of lobster, filet mignon, shrimp, salmon, and veggies, kissed by the flames of a hibachi grill or drizzled in teriyaki sauce. In addition to searing hibachi dinners and piling plates with noodle favorites such as spicy pad thai, chefs impress diners seated at the sushi bar by slicing and wrapping fresh ingredients into rolls that range from the common california roll to the Perfect Match, a sweet and salty creation named in reference to Captain and Tennille.