Jersey Regional Food Traditions

The food we eat defines us. In, New Jersey, we already have access to some of the best food in the world due to our diverse demographics. Our pizza & bagels are top notch and our ethnic foods are far reaching. However, there are some areas of NJ where the locals swear by a certain food. In Mounmouth County, it's Windmill Hot Dogs, but next door in Mercer, people barely have heard of them. This lead me to come up with a small map showcasing a local area's culinary chains. I've got 5 so far; what would you add to the list?

In the Trenton area, (besides Pork Roll which we've pointed out enough times), DeLorenzo's Tomatoe Pies, are a tradition.

In Monmouth County (and one in Westfield), you have the aforementioned, Windmill Hot Dogs.

In the River towns along Burlington County, you have Boost! Cola, which is like catnip to young residents there.

In Ocean & Monmouth counties, it's Surf Taco (thanks to John and Lisa for the rec).

And it may be a stretch, but if you went to Rutgers, Grease Trucks, are part of your vocabulary.

Taylor Ham Pork Roll Map

From my travels, this is the map of where people in New Jersey use the terms: "Pork Roll" (RED) and "Taylor Ham" (BLUE).  It is still up for debate - and I pretty much followed county lines on this one (except Warren), but I believe it to be pretty accurate.

Take our survey . . .

Jon Bon Jovi from Sayreville is from North Jersey. Read this excerpt he gave in a Playboy magazine interview:

“The roadside diner right off the circle in Wall Township is a fabulous greasy spoon, one of the real silver-bullet diners. Taylor ham—a pork roll—is a Jersey fixture. Taylor ham with cheese on a hard roll is love. The big question is: ketchup or mustard? Everyone in north Jersey puts on mustard, everyone in the south, ketchup. I’m a mustard guy myself. A cherry Coke is wonderful with chipped ice. Diners are made for Sunday mornings or the day after when you need grease to soak up everything you did the night before. Then you order breakfast and lunch at the same time. That’s the greatest. It cures a hangover.”

It certainly challenges the Raritan River/ Driscoll Bridge theory . . which states that everything south of the Bridge is South Jersey. But Bon Jovi used both terms: Taylor Ham AND Pork Roll . . . but he used Taylor Ham twice. NORTH JERSEY!

Take our survery on whether you put ketchup or mustard on your Taylor Ham or Pork Roll.
Taylor Ham or Pork Roll?