Olivia Fisher 
For nearly 200 years, railroads have shaped the history and identity of New Jersey. While many stations have disappeared or since gone quiet, some have been adaptively reused as restaurants. These spaces preserve the architectural charm and historical significance of the past while offering a modern-day function. Read on for a guide to 16 eateries located in train stations across New Jersey.
Butler’s Pantry Trackside | 57 US Highway 202, Far Hills
Butler’s Pantry Trackside has served homemade American cuisine since 1986 and is located inside the Far Hills–Bedminster Station, which was built in 1914. This spot has breakfast staples like omelets, pancakes, and a plethora of sandwiches, burgers, and salads for lunch.
Read More: Hoboken to LA by Rail? This Transit Company is Proposing a Single Cross-Country Route
Cafe Angelique | 1 Piermont Road, Tenafly
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Cafe Angelique preserves Tenafly’s stunning 1782 train station. The menu here is full of favorites, omelets, waffles, and wraps. Passenger service began in 1859, ceasing in 1966.
Canal House Station | 2 Bridge Street, Milford
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Canal House Station is a farm-to-table restaurant run by co-owners and chefs Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton. The award-winning spot, only open on Fridays and Sundays, runs out of a historic 1874 train station.
DeNovo European Pub | 275 Bellevue Avenue, Montclair
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DeNovo is a European-style pub in the heart of Upper Montclair. Before becoming a fine dining establishment, the site was used as the Upper Montclair Train Station. The stop opened in 1873 and has been in operation for 150 years. In 1892, the depot where DeNovo is located was built. Unfortunately, in 2006, a devastating fire destroyed a significant portion of the building, but much of what remained was the porte-cochere and terra cotta tile lining on the roof. Eventually, the structure was partially rebuilt using typical Erie Railroad architectural character to ensure that the traditional train station facade remained.
Dinky Bar + Kitchen | 94 University Place, Princeton
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The Dinky Bar + Kitchen is a welcoming and simple bar offering locally sourced small plates, snacks, and more. Menu items include Short Rib Flatbread, Spicy Tuna Sushi, and Warm Almond Ricotta Donuts. This spot opened in 2016 and is housed in an 1918 historic train station. The Dinky inherits its name from the iconic Princeton train branch that connects Princeton to Princeton Junction station.
Lackawanna Plaza | 1 Lackawanna Plaza, Montclair
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The Lackawanna Terminal was a transportation star in Montclair. Designed by William Hull Botsford, who perished on the Titanic, the terminal opened in 1913 and operated until 1981. Eventually, the station was converted into an indoor shopping plaza with shops like Pathmark, Payless, Dunkin Donuts, and H&R Block. Eventually, this closed too, and the space was threatened with demolition. The only thing that remained strong was a Popeyes location that is still there today. Now, the space is yet again a shopping plaza with art, food, music, and more. Current vendors include Ironbound Farm Market, Montclair Flea, and Pineapple Express Barbecue.
Lambertville Station Restaurant + Inn | 11 Bridge Street, Lambertville
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The Lambertville Station Restaurant and Inn offers a classic American menu with sandwiches, salad, cocktails, and entrees with meat and seafood. The restaurant is also wheelchair accessible. Rail service began in Lambertville in 1854 when the Belvidere Delaware Railroad began offering 25-cent trains to Trenton and 75-cent trains to Philadelphia. In 1871, the Pennsylvania Railroad assumed control and built the station that houses the restaurant in 1874.
Maize Cocina + Cocktails | 301 North Avenue West, Westfield
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Create & Align
Maize is a unique Mexican Fusion experience in the historic Westfield Station. Passengers have boarded the train at Westfield since 1839 and still do. There is a station on each side of the tracks, and Maize is located in the westbound station, which was built in 1892.
Mama Rosina’s Ristorante + Bar | 350 East Main, Bound Brook
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In 1963, Rosina and her husband Saverio left their home in Calabria, Italy, and made their way to the United States. The couple’s family recipes can be enjoyed at Mama Rosina’s, located in a historic train station dating to 1913. The stop opened in 1840 as Yellow Tavern, eventually becoming known as Bound Brook. It is still in use today, serving the Raritan Valley Line.
Maria Station Cafe | 700 Monmouth Street, Gloucester City
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Maria Station Cafe is located in the old Gloucester City Station. This Latin American restaurant, which opened in 2024, is run by chefs Johanna Vargas and Anthony Aponte. The menu is full of chicken, pork, and seafood dishes. The station opened in the 1880s, and the station agent and his family even lived on the second floor at some point. It will be a stop on the proposed Glassboro-Camden Line, which is expected to open in 2028.
Millington Station Café | 1931 Long Hill Road, Millington
Millington Station Café has been serving delicious comfort food for over 20 years in a historic train station. With breakfast served all day, the menu showcases items like omelettes, wraps, egg dishes, and pancakes. For lunch, diners can find melts, clubs, wraps, burgers, salads, and several other sandwiches. The station stop opened in 1872, and the current building was constructed in 1901. Although the building is no longer used as a passenger station, it is an active stop along the NJTransit Gladstone line.
The Bridge Cafe | 8 Bridge Street, Frenchtown
In 1987, Kenneth and Lisa Miller opened the doors of The Bridge Cafe in Frenchtown in the old historic train station. For those running, walking, or biking on the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail, stop by for a pastry, fresh salads, or a sandwich. The Frenchtown Station was built around 1863, and freight ran past the station until 1976.
The Stockton Food Store | 12 Bridge Street ,Stockton
The Stockton Food Store is a convenience-style deli and grill with a selection of groceries, outdoor seating, and a wall educating on the spot’s history as a train station. For those running, walking, or biking on the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail, this is a premier spot to stop and refuel. The station was originally called the Centre Bridge Station and was completed in 1854. Thirteen years later, the name changed to Stockton Station.
Tommy&Me’s | 4 Essex Street, Belleville
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Tommy&Me’s serves Italian food, cocktails, dessert, and more at the historic Essex Street Station in Belleville. The station opened in the 1870s, and passenger service ended in 1966.
See More: Where to Find ADA-Accessible Train Stations in New Jersey
Woodbury Station Cafe | 101 Cooper Street, Woodbury
The Woodbury Station Cafe serves breakfast, brunch, and lunch items like pizza, burgers, Italian sandwiches, fries, and calamari. The current station was built in 1883 and ran until 1971. It will be a stop on the proposed Glassboro-Camden Line, which is expected to open in 2028.
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